Private health insurance is the primary source of coverage for most Americans. During the year 2016, 91.2% of Americans had health insurance coverage (Bureau, US Census: 2016). The uninsurance rate in Kentucky decreased from 15.9% in 2009 to 8.5% in 2014. It is a common belief that health insurance impacts positively on preventive care including vaccinations and screenings. This may be the case for urban educated and high-income dwellers. However, rural populations are usually less educated with lower income. This study aims to analyze the impacts of health insurance on preventive care utilization in a rural setting, Graves County, Kentucky. We find a strong correlation between having health insurance and preventive care utilization. Our regression analysis shows that both private and employer-provided insurance are good predictors of preventive care utilization. The findings are crucial to the health planners and policymakers.
