|
As the statewide and common representative of ALL health provider types in rural California, we like to call your attention to the last page of the Comment Matrix, where we make a number of recommendations that depart from the theme of other advocates and consumer groups whom have likely submitted comments thus far. CSRHA argues that the exchange should modify the scoring methodology to add greater weight for those vendors who are ready to locate offices in a rural area or establish a Call Center there. That of course would have an immediate impact on jobs for rural residents.
The population most targeted by the Exchange is likely found in rural California. In 2010, a greater percentage of residents of rural counties (13.5%) reported no health insurance, compared to ten percent of urban residents (Source: 2010 BFRS). Rural counties also represent 32% of all Medi-Cal enrollees, the largest proportion by far. The state of California has to take positive steps to make sure that huge population is not left behind. In addition, rural California is home to 5.2 million people, or 14% of the state population, and our high unemployment rate during this recession has been at least two percentage points consistently higher than in urban areas. There is no shortage of trained or skilled labor in this area: Today rural employment in the health care industry stands at 11%, surpassing even that of the Agricultural sector.
We understand that a number of suggestions may come forward calling for web terminals that reach into the community, either in libraries, pharmacies, faith-based facilities, and others. At a minimum, we argue in our Comment Matrix that the Exchange ought to reward vendors who accommodate rural IT support and internet access in some fashion, by locating web terminals at community facilities, hospital or provider offices. Rural residents often times do not have access to high-speed internet or suffer from other connectivity problems that other urban residents take for granted. By insisting that the first efforts in that direction take place in rural areas, businesses will follow suit in other parts of the state, once they see the effective outcomes and appreciate the advantage of greater economies of scale.
Hope that our comments and suggestions will be helpful to your final product. Thank you.
Download Comments:
Solicitation Comment Matrix 12/30/2011 CSRHA [33KB MS Excel]
View current rural job openings, click here
|
555 Capitol Mall, Ste 750, Sacramento, CA 95814
Telephone: (916) 453-0780| Fax: (916) 453-0783
E-mail: advocate@csrha.org |
|
|
