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Lack of affordable health care impacting rural families

A southeast Nebraska farmer says lack of affordable health care is raising concerns about the viability of rural communities.  

Ben Steffen of Humboldt says higher coverage costs are impacting operations like his. “Like many famers we are self-employed. We bought this insurance on Marketplace. Last year it was $17,000. That’s a policy with a $10,000 deductible. This year it’s costing $32,000. That is unsustainable. That is irresponsible.”

He says access to reliable care could discourage the next generation from entering the industry. “Now why is it that families and young people who we ask to move to rural areas, get into farming and start farming, how in the world are they going to start a family and have a baby to drive 2 to 3 hours to have a baby?”

Steffen says cuts from the One Big Beautiful Bill undercut support for families. “I just don’t understand. It’s terribly frustrating to see and watch our representatives fail and stand up to pull the reigns back to see what’s going on and speak up on our behalf.”  

The changes could reduce federal spending by $900 billion through 2034 despite lawmakers creating a $50 billion fund called the Rural Health Transformation Program.

He says his community has been able to raise money to keep his local hospital open and others may need to do the same.