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Rural States Would Gain Most From Health Reform...
...but their vehement residents want it least
By Drew Nelles
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Posted Sep 2, 09 10:44 AM CDT
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(Newser)
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With some of the highest percentages of uninsured citizens, rural states like Wyoming and Iowa stand to benefit the most from health care reform—but they’re also home to its most vocal detractors, the Los Angeles Times reports. Such states tend to have lower personal incomes, more small businesses that don't offer insurance to employees, fewer private insurance options, and stricter Medicaid cutoffs, so it’s no wonder their senators are aggressively brokering a reform compromise.
If town halls are any indication, their constituents aren't happy about it, but one advocate says health care isn’t really the issue: “They're angry with their economic situation,” he insists. "When we shift to health care, there's a lot less noise and a lot more questions." Still, it might be an uphill battle, as more centralized health care "runs counter to perhaps the rugged individualism on which America is built,” an observer says.