West Virginians are facing a challenge that we cannot overcome through our unwavering grit alone. There is a growing rural health crisis.
Landers
Courtesy photo
Too many West Virginians struggle to access care. Chronic disease continues to impact families at alarming rates. Provider shortages, long travel distances and transportation challenges create barriers to care in many rural communities.
These consequences can be measured in lives lost. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, rural Americans are more likely to die from the nation's five leading causes of death — heart disease, cancer, stroke, chronic respiratory disease and unintentional injuries — than those in urban areas. Many of those deaths are preventable with timely intervention.
West Virginia is not alone. More than 200 rural hospitals have closed nationwide since 2005. As access points disappear and workforce shortages persist, the gap between rural and urban health outcomes continues to widen.
Thinking big for rural healthcare in W.Va.
These realities have led national leaders to sound the alarm. Dr. Mehmet Oz at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has warned that the nation is entering a period where a ZIP code increasingly predicts life expectancy. In response, CMS launched the Rural Health Transformation Program, a historic investment that will provide West Virginia with up to $1 billion in five years to reimagine how care is delivered and improve health outcomes across rural communities.
What makes this opportunity different is its scale. West Virginia has benefited from targeted healthcare investments before, but never through an effort dedicated to transforming rural health across an entire state. We have a rare opportunity to think beyond short-term fixes and build a system designed to reshape the future of rural communities.
Real change will require strong partnerships between health plans, providers, community organizations and local leaders. Rural healthcare is not a one-size-fits-all system, which means solutions must be tailored to the people and places they are intended to serve.
This change is already upon us. Artificial intelligence is helping physicians spend less time on administrative tasks and more time with patients. Digital tools can connect rural residents with specialists, identify health issues sooner and help people manage chronic conditions before they become medical emergencies. But technology alone will not transform rural health.
The care you need, when you need it
We are already seeing the value of a human-first approach through our partnership with Wider Circle, connecting Highmark Health Options West Virginia members with trusted neighbors to help them navigate the healthcare system and stay engaged in their care.
In rural communities, where isolation and transportation challenges can make care harder to access, these peer-to-peer networks bring support and resources closer to home, demonstrating how community-based solutions can improve health outcomes.
The RHTP investment comes at a pivotal time for our state. The decisions we make in the next five years will help determine how West Virginians access care for decades. Make no mistake, this is as much an economic issue as it is a healthcare issue. Healthy people work. Healthy people raise up West Virginia.
The goal is simple: make it easier for people to get the care they need, when and where they need it. If we embrace innovation, strengthen community partnerships and remain focused on the unique needs of rural communities, West Virginia can become a national model for rural health transformation and, more importantly, build a stronger future for generations to come.
Jason Landers is president of Highmark Health Options West Virginia and a member of Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s Rural Health Transformation Program Advisory Panel.
