title: Rural issues in managed care.
abstract: Residents of rural areas are sicker, older, and poorer than the rest of the population.  Though their use of health care is relatively low, their need is greater.  The ongoing reorganization of the health care financing and delivery systems may have more impact--positive or negative--on rural people than on anyone else.  This issue of States of Health examines how to preserve or improve quality and access for rural consumers in managed care.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wise
mesh_terms: D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000458:organization & administration; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D014481:United States