Georgetown University study indicates federal Medicaid cuts would have an outsized impact in rural Pennsylvania
HARRISBURG (January 15, 2025) – Medicaid plays a significant role in providing health coverage to people living in both rural and urban communities in Pennsylvania, according to an extensive analysis by the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families (CCF).
“Rural, small town, and urban areas form the backbone of Pennsylvania, and Medicaid plays a critical role in ensuring access to health care for these communities,” said Becky Ludwick, Vice President of Public Policy. “We know Congress is considering enormous funding cuts to Medicaid in the year ahead, and this new report confirms how disastrous this would be for children, pregnant women, families, and seniors. Pennsylvania relies on federal Medicaid funding to thrive.”
The report found that in Pennsylvania, adults and seniors living in rural areas and small towns are more likely than those living in metro areas to rely on Medicaid for their health insurance.
Report findings included:
- More than 37 percent of children in Pennsylvania’s small towns and rural areas rely on Medicaid/CHIP for their coverage, compared to nearly the same percentage (38 percent) of children in metro areas.
- Among Pennsylvania adults younger than 65, about 20 percent of those in small towns and rural areas get their coverage through Medicaid/CHIP, compared to about 17 percent in metro areas.
- Among seniors (age 65 and up), 17 percent of those living in Pennsylvania small towns and rural areas were covered by Medicaid compared to 15 percent in urban areas.
“Medicaid is critically important to the families and health care systems in Pennsylvania,” said Ludwick. “Across the state, Medicaid protects families from excessive medical debt and covers a large share of residents in nursing homes, births, and maternal care. Medicaid funding also keeps our rural hospitals running—many of these institutions would cease to exist without federal funding, leaving thousands of Pennsylvanians without a way to access care.”
For the full report, as well as interactive maps featuring a county-level breakdown of Medicaid coverage, visit https://ccf.georgetown.edu/2025/01/15/medicaids-role-in-small-towns-and-rural-areas/. This report primarily relies on data from the Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey (ACS).
The Center for Children & Families (CCF), part of the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University, is an independent, nonpartisan policy and research center founded in 2005.
Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children (PPC) is a strong, effective and trusted voice to improve the health, education and well-being of children and youth in the commonwealth. Since 1992, its public policy victories have helped countless children learn, thrive and succeed, regardless of circumstances. PPC is statewide, independent, non-partisan, and non-profit. Learn more at papartnerships.org.
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