rural America

Potential data centers have sparked the kinds of debates that have raged in cities and towns across the country. And those debates often cut across ideological lines. Some see job opportunities that can help the U.S. compete with China in technology. Others worry about losing farmland and the high amounts of electricity and water needed to power these centers. he debate has united left-leaning environmentalists and conservative farmers.

Nearly 25% of the grant funds were awarded to Community Health IT.

The measure stems from a federal law that allowed the designation of rural emergency hospitals and made them eligible for Medicare payments.

Coastal and politically progressive states have passed stronger paid sick and family leave policies than many states with larger rural populations.

Public transit is already insufficient in rural areas, leaving residents with few options as they travel greater distances to access health care. But older residents who depend on volunteers to get to appointments face another challenge.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, swaths of standing water are creating access issues in rural Highlands, Hardee and DeSoto counties.

Some rural hospitals are in such bad shape, they're selling for next to nothing. One company is snapping several distressed or closed hospitals in rural Tennessee, hoping to turn a profit.

Alternative financing arrangements can be the only option for low-income Americans. But they lack the same protections as a mortgage, and many end up paying for years without ever gaining ownership.

As adults of all ages get access to the COVID-19 vaccines, health researchers worry that the trend could worsen.

The huge spending bill Congress passed last month included aid to rural hospitals, training for new doctors, new rules regarding mental health coverage and requirements for billing transparency.

In Kansas City, hospitals are treating local COVID-19 patients as well as patients transferred from rural counties in Missouri and Kansas, where there's no mandate or culture for wearing masks.

In the 2020 election, the rural-urban divide sharpened even further from 2016, with Republicans consolidating power in rural America which could help them hold onto the U.S. Senate.