Writer, Please Peer Review the student’s main Post discussion:
Policy and Background
The health policy I have selected is the rural health Act of 2023 which was introduced in house to “increase access to emergency care in rural areas” (Congress.gov, n.d.). Rural areas are located out of cities and towns that need emergency aid including emergency transportation, triage, and access to urgent cares that are available only in towns and major cities. This bill that has been introduced is important to civilians who live outside of cities to be provided with emergency care just like civilians who live in cities. It is considered difficult to rush individuals who are injured to hospitals since they are not nearby.
Social Determinants
There are many social determinants for this bill, but some of the most important ones are access to health care, environmental health, and income (RHI Hub, n.d). The social determinants play a big role since many individuals who live in rural areas may not have the income to live near cities or local towns since prices are higher, living in a rural area restricts access to health care that is needed by every individual in case of emergencies. Since rural areas have many restrictions on the necessities it causes environmental health issues as well.
Evidence to Support Bill
This bill has evidence to support that rural areas need emergency services since every person, no matter where they reside, needs access to health care, including quality care. One example is the US Department of Health, and Human Services released a statement saying they will be “lowering health care costs for rural Americans and supporting access to high-quality care in rural America” (ASPA, 2023). Even though this bill has not been passed yet, the current administration is trying to help fund these rural areas by supporting equipment, staffing, and any other expenses needed for the emergency services( Congrss.gov, n.d.).
