I'm only 26, but my middle name might as well be "preexisting condition," and finding expert care in my rural area has posed a huge challenge for me - especially since I have to be seizure-free for six months to drive in Washington. So, Mr. McCain, if my autoimmune condition confines me to a wheelchair in 10 years, how will good exercise habits keep me healthy? How will I get any kind of coverage at all? And if I could even buy insurance on the private market, how many hours would I be expected to travel to get medical care?
This is a problem Idaho has been trying to address for years. Programs helping pay for student loans for rural general practitioners have a lot of potential - a lot more than starting a med school from scratch in Idaho. Who's to keep students from Idaho Medical in the state after they receieve their training?
