Rural Health Care Spending Down in President’s Budget

President Obama's fiscal year 2011 budget proposal calls for an overall decrease in funding for rural health care initiatives, principally because two high-cost efforts are ending this year. Meanwhile, Obama's budget increases funding for American Indian and Alaska Native health care services, while holding funding flat for rural telemedicine and other initiatives.

• "Obama's Proposed Budget Is a Mixed Bag for Rural Health" (Clark, HealthLeaders Media, 2/2).