Rural Health
Resources by State: Texas
The New Rural Emergency Hospital Designation Program: Will It Improve Access to Care for Rural Americans?
Discusses rural hospital closures and the potential impact of the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation. Provides U.S. maps showing Medicaid Expansion states and rural hospital closures as well as data specific to REHs in Texas.
Author(s): Suzanne B. Daly, Wei You, Elizabeth I. Merwin
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(4)
Date: 10/2025
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Discusses rural hospital closures and the potential impact of the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation. Provides U.S. maps showing Medicaid Expansion states and rural hospital closures as well as data specific to REHs in Texas.
Author(s): Suzanne B. Daly, Wei You, Elizabeth I. Merwin
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(4)
Date: 10/2025
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Optimizing Access to Fruits and Vegetables in Rural Communities: A Decision-Making Model for the Placement of Produce Markets
Examines fruits and vegetables (FV) access in rural communities and the systems that support FV markets. Analyzes policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change interventions in a rural Texas community and the impact on driving distance to FV markets, service capacity, and financial resources of the community. Discusses the effect of 27 different interventions, provides related data, and includes suggestions on how PSE changes can support improved nutrition.
Author(s): Eduardo Pérez, Cassandra M. Johnson, Yan Li, José A. Pagán
Citation: PLoS One, 20(9), e0331545
Date: 09/2025
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Examines fruits and vegetables (FV) access in rural communities and the systems that support FV markets. Analyzes policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change interventions in a rural Texas community and the impact on driving distance to FV markets, service capacity, and financial resources of the community. Discusses the effect of 27 different interventions, provides related data, and includes suggestions on how PSE changes can support improved nutrition.
Author(s): Eduardo Pérez, Cassandra M. Johnson, Yan Li, José A. Pagán
Citation: PLoS One, 20(9), e0331545
Date: 09/2025
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Geographic Disparities in Access to Outpatient Stroke Rehabilitation in Texas
Examines rural-urban disparities in access to and use of outpatient stroke rehabilitation services in Texas, utilizing 2016-2019 Medicare claims data in addition to a survey of Texas clinics.
Author(s): Joseph Wozny, Melissa Howard, Susan Doherty, et al.
Citation: PLOS ONE, 20(8), e0328267.
Date: 08/2025
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Examines rural-urban disparities in access to and use of outpatient stroke rehabilitation services in Texas, utilizing 2016-2019 Medicare claims data in addition to a survey of Texas clinics.
Author(s): Joseph Wozny, Melissa Howard, Susan Doherty, et al.
Citation: PLOS ONE, 20(8), e0328267.
Date: 08/2025
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Selected Rural Healthcare Facilities in Texas
Shows the state's Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs), and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), as well as Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) sites and short term/PPS (Prospective Payment System) hospitals located in rural areas.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Shows the state's Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs), and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), as well as Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) sites and short term/PPS (Prospective Payment System) hospitals located in rural areas.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Evaluation of the Maternal Opioid Misuse (MOM) Model: Fourth Annual Report (Implementation Year 3)
Provides an overview of the Maternal Opioid Misuse Model, which provides evidence-based integrated care and care coordination for pregnant and postpartum Medicaid beneficiaries with opioid use disorder (OUD). Describes activities MOM Model awardees undertook during the MOM Model's second implementation year, July 1, 2023–June 30, 2024, and summarizes qualitative and beneficiary-level process data findings by state awardee. Discusses barriers pregnant and postpartum women with OUD face in accessing high-quality, continuous care, specifically in rural areas.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Westat
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Provides an overview of the Maternal Opioid Misuse Model, which provides evidence-based integrated care and care coordination for pregnant and postpartum Medicaid beneficiaries with opioid use disorder (OUD). Describes activities MOM Model awardees undertook during the MOM Model's second implementation year, July 1, 2023–June 30, 2024, and summarizes qualitative and beneficiary-level process data findings by state awardee. Discusses barriers pregnant and postpartum women with OUD face in accessing high-quality, continuous care, specifically in rural areas.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Westat
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Compendium of Rural Oral Health Best Practices - 2025
Highlights examples of the best practices in rural oral healthcare across the country. Presents a number of models regarding workforce development and training, integration of care, telehealth, clinical care, and policy.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organizations: CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, National Rural Health Association
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Highlights examples of the best practices in rural oral healthcare across the country. Presents a number of models regarding workforce development and training, integration of care, telehealth, clinical care, and policy.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organizations: CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, National Rural Health Association
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Affordable Care Act Enrollment in Texas after Rating Area Adjustments
Provides a brief overview of how Texas changed its approach to Affordable Care Act (ACA) rating areas for rural counties in 2023. Examines the association between the ACA rating area change and health plan enrollment, plan selection, and premiums from 2022 to 2024. Compares findings by urban and rural county status.
Author(s): Elena Andreyeva, Daniel Marthey, Simon F. Haeder, Benjamin Ukert
Citation: The American Journal of Managed Care, 31(6), e147-e152
Date: 06/2025
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Provides a brief overview of how Texas changed its approach to Affordable Care Act (ACA) rating areas for rural counties in 2023. Examines the association between the ACA rating area change and health plan enrollment, plan selection, and premiums from 2022 to 2024. Compares findings by urban and rural county status.
Author(s): Elena Andreyeva, Daniel Marthey, Simon F. Haeder, Benjamin Ukert
Citation: The American Journal of Managed Care, 31(6), e147-e152
Date: 06/2025
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Integrating Mental Health Support into Rural Libraries: Evaluation of the Libraries for Health (L4H) Initiative
Presents findings from an evaluation of the implementation of Libraries for Health (L4H), a pilot project embedding nonclinical adult mental health supports into ten libraries in rural Texas. Summarizes how libraries implemented L4H, barriers and facilitators of implementation, and efforts to to build and sustain the program and sustain their capacity to address patrons' mental health needs.
Additional links: Research Summary
Author(s): Lynsay Ayer, Karen Christianson, Ivy Todd, et al.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Presents findings from an evaluation of the implementation of Libraries for Health (L4H), a pilot project embedding nonclinical adult mental health supports into ten libraries in rural Texas. Summarizes how libraries implemented L4H, barriers and facilitators of implementation, and efforts to to build and sustain the program and sustain their capacity to address patrons' mental health needs.
Additional links: Research Summary
Author(s): Lynsay Ayer, Karen Christianson, Ivy Todd, et al.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Texas Health Stephenville Enhances Respiratory Care in Erath County
Profiles Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Stephenville in rural Texas and their pulmonary rehabilitation services. Discusses the need for pulmonary healthcare access in rural areas.
Author(s): Chandra Caradine
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Texas Health Resources
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Profiles Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Stephenville in rural Texas and their pulmonary rehabilitation services. Discusses the need for pulmonary healthcare access in rural areas.
Author(s): Chandra Caradine
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Texas Health Resources
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Texas Border Health Data Overview
Presentation slides providing data on population, noncommunicable disease, mental and behavioral health, maternal and child health, and injuries in Texas's border region. Includes data comparisons between border and non-border counties.
Author(s): Rhae Cisneros
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Texas Health and Human Services
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Presentation slides providing data on population, noncommunicable disease, mental and behavioral health, maternal and child health, and injuries in Texas's border region. Includes data comparisons between border and non-border counties.
Author(s): Rhae Cisneros
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Texas Health and Human Services
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