From The Daily Yonder:

Hospitals across rural America are forced to make dramatic choices between furloughing staff and staying open to care for coronavirus patients. While Congress passed the relief measures, administrators worry help may come too late. Read more here.

From The Daily Yonder:

With 55.1 million students impacted by school closures related to Covid-19, distance learning is getting lots of attention. It certainly comes with challenges, but rural teachers and families are making do. Read more here.

From The Daily Yonder:

Two of New York’s most famous art galleries found plenty of virtual space to exhibit photography and art reflecting on rural parts of America and the world. Both shows have digital exhibits that allow visitors a virtual stroll through some of the materials. Read more here.

From The Daily Yonder:

CARES Act funding will go to airports, ports, transit services, and other transportation programs. Nevada and Missouri set aside some funds for rural transit. Read more here.

From The Daily Yonder:

The pandemic caused the Census Bureau to cancel its plans to hand-deliver announcements to households that are hard to reach by U.S. mail. That probably explains some of rural America’s low response rates to the Census so far. Read more here.

From The Daily Yonder:

The rural infection rate is about a fifth of that of major metropolitan areas. But cases are climbing at a slightly higher rate in rural counties. Read more here.

Kaiser Health News (KHN) Midwest correspondent Lauren Weber joined WAMU’s “1A” show with guest host Sasha-Ann Simons to talk about the unique challenges rural health care providers face amid the coronavirus pandemic — even before their communities get overrun with a surge of COVID-19 cases.

Weber has reported on how the suspension of elective surgery and other procedures amid the pandemic has threatened the financial survival of the country’s rural hospitals — and how hospital executives don’t feel the first round of federal bailout relief money was enough. She also has written about the front-line fight at a rural Louisiana hospital that forecasts what the pandemic will look like when it hits the rest of rural America.

Listen to the story here.

From the Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers (PACHC)

Income and Eligibility for Health Insurance

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) signed into law on March 27 provided for payments of up to $1200 for every adult and $500 per dependent child. This Stimulus payment does not count as income for Medicaid/CHIP or APTC determinations. It should also not be reported on any application for assistance.

Regular Unemployment is always counted as income. The extension of unemployment of up to 39 weeks and the expansion unemployment to new populations is counted as income. The additional $600/week supplemental unemployment benefit ends July 31, 2020. This benefit does not count toward Medicaid/CHIP but DOES COUNT toward income for Marketplace Coverage and APTC eligibility.

While the Federal government has not issued a special enrollment period or opened the marketplace due to the Pandemic, consumers who have lost coverage may qualify for a special enrollment period. Special Enrollment Period Reference Guide

For more information, visits PACHC’s COVID-19 page.