Medicaid cuts likely to worsen rural mental care

Medicaid is the single largest payer for mental health care and, in rural America, residents disproportionately rely on the public insurance program.

Cuts in Republicans' recently signed tax and spending law will worsen mental health disparities in those communities, experts say, as patients lose coverage and rural health centers are unable to remain open amid a loss of funds.

"The context to begin with is, even with no Medicaid cuts, the access to mental health services in rural communities is spotty at best … in many communities, there's literally no care," said Ron Manderscheid, former executive director of the National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability Directors.

Cuts over the next 10 years could force low-income rural families to pay for mental he