Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare business and finance
Instability Continues to Threaten Rural Health Safety Net: Reduced Reimbursements, Dwindling Access to Care and Deteriorating Population Health Status
Examines factors contributing to the instability of the rural healthcare safety net, including policy-related reimbursement cuts and changes to payer mixes. Presents data on rural hospitals that have stopped offering obstetrics and chemotherapy services. Explores aspects of rural population health and social drivers of health as they relate to rural healthcare delivery challenges.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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Examines factors contributing to the instability of the rural healthcare safety net, including policy-related reimbursement cuts and changes to payer mixes. Presents data on rural hospitals that have stopped offering obstetrics and chemotherapy services. Explores aspects of rural population health and social drivers of health as they relate to rural healthcare delivery challenges.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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What Explains the Growth in Hospital Assets from 2000 Through 2019? A Decomposition Analysis
Analyzes data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the American Hospital Association to understand factors impacting changes to total hospital assets between 2000 and 2019. Includes data breakdown by hospital urbanicity.
Author(s): Stephanie Teeple, Caroline Andy, William L. Schpero, Paula Chatterjee
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 3(2)
Date: 02/2025
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Analyzes data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the American Hospital Association to understand factors impacting changes to total hospital assets between 2000 and 2019. Includes data breakdown by hospital urbanicity.
Author(s): Stephanie Teeple, Caroline Andy, William L. Schpero, Paula Chatterjee
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 3(2)
Date: 02/2025
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The State of Rural Healthcare: Research and Outlook for 2025
Presents results of a survey of 75 rural healthcare regarding their financial health and strategic priorities. Identifies the top challenges identified by the surveyed organizations. Discusses how providers are addressing strategic priorities in 2025, including cybersecurity and the adoption of digital and artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Requires name, email address, and organization information to download.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Wipfli, LLP
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Presents results of a survey of 75 rural healthcare regarding their financial health and strategic priorities. Identifies the top challenges identified by the surveyed organizations. Discusses how providers are addressing strategic priorities in 2025, including cybersecurity and the adoption of digital and artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Requires name, email address, and organization information to download.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Wipfli, LLP
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The Importance of the Health Care Sector to the Kansas Economy
Describes how the healthcare sector contributes to the Kansas economy in terms of available jobs, income, and quality of life. Provides data on contributions and growth projected through 2030 and includes discussions focused on rural areas.
Author(s): Donna K. Ginther, Pat Oslund, Thomas Becker
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Kansas Hospital Association, University of Kansas Institute for Policy & Social Research
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Describes how the healthcare sector contributes to the Kansas economy in terms of available jobs, income, and quality of life. Provides data on contributions and growth projected through 2030 and includes discussions focused on rural areas.
Author(s): Donna K. Ginther, Pat Oslund, Thomas Becker
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Kansas Hospital Association, University of Kansas Institute for Policy & Social Research
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National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) Hospital Cost Tool
Interactive tool providing information on how much hospitals spend on patient care services, how costs relate to the hospital charges, and actual prices paid by health plans. Presents data on a range of measures for hospital revenue, costs, profitability, and break-even points for over 5,000 hospitals nationwide between 2011 and 2023. Includes the ability to view and compare hospital financial metrics at the hospital, state, and health system levels.
Additional links: Hospital Cost Tool and Resources
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Interactive tool providing information on how much hospitals spend on patient care services, how costs relate to the hospital charges, and actual prices paid by health plans. Presents data on a range of measures for hospital revenue, costs, profitability, and break-even points for over 5,000 hospitals nationwide between 2011 and 2023. Includes the ability to view and compare hospital financial metrics at the hospital, state, and health system levels.
Additional links: Hospital Cost Tool and Resources
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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High Prescription Drug Out-of-Pocket Spending Burden among Privately Insured Rural and Urban Adults Age 18-64
Analyzes prescription drug out-of-pocket spending among privately-insured rural and urban adults, utilizing 2017-2020 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data. Compares average spending and high prescription out-of-pocket burden in rural and urban populations, and details implications for rural medication adherence and associated health outcomes.
Author(s): Jean A. Talbot, Elora Way, Yvonne Jonk, Erica C. Ziller
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Analyzes prescription drug out-of-pocket spending among privately-insured rural and urban adults, utilizing 2017-2020 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data. Compares average spending and high prescription out-of-pocket burden in rural and urban populations, and details implications for rural medication adherence and associated health outcomes.
Author(s): Jean A. Talbot, Elora Way, Yvonne Jonk, Erica C. Ziller
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Rural-Urban Differences and Trends in Children's Health Insurance Coverage
Examines differences in urban and rural children's insurance coverage from 2012-2019, and socioeconomic characteristics of uninsured children in 2016 and 2019. Features demographics and statistics by year, with breakdowns by urban and rural residence.
Author(s): Erica C. Ziller. Catherine Gelsinger, Brianna Holston
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Examines differences in urban and rural children's insurance coverage from 2012-2019, and socioeconomic characteristics of uninsured children in 2016 and 2019. Features demographics and statistics by year, with breakdowns by urban and rural residence.
Author(s): Erica C. Ziller. Catherine Gelsinger, Brianna Holston
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Nevada Rural and Frontier Health Data Book - Twelfth Edition
Provides an overview of the health and healthcare in rural and frontier Nevada. Offers state and county-level data on the resident population, economic and social characteristics, insurance coverage, population health, the healthcare workforce, and the healthcare delivery system.
Author(s): Tabor Griswold, John Packham, Simran Kaur, et al.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine Office of Statewide Initiatives
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Provides an overview of the health and healthcare in rural and frontier Nevada. Offers state and county-level data on the resident population, economic and social characteristics, insurance coverage, population health, the healthcare workforce, and the healthcare delivery system.
Author(s): Tabor Griswold, John Packham, Simran Kaur, et al.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine Office of Statewide Initiatives
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Enhancing Rural Access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder: Policy Brief and Recommendations to the Secretary
Provides an overview of issues related to opioid use disorder (OUD) in rural areas. Discusses access to medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD), MOUD workforce, telehealth to support access to MOUD, and Medicaid 1115 demonstrations that address OUD. Offers policy recommendations related to regulatory barriers, reimbursement flexibility, workforce, and service site expansion to increase access to MOUD in rural areas.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Provides an overview of issues related to opioid use disorder (OUD) in rural areas. Discusses access to medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD), MOUD workforce, telehealth to support access to MOUD, and Medicaid 1115 demonstrations that address OUD. Offers policy recommendations related to regulatory barriers, reimbursement flexibility, workforce, and service site expansion to increase access to MOUD in rural areas.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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AHRQ Summit to Address Emergency Department Boarding: Technical Report
Report from an October 2024 Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) summit to discuss emergency department boarding. Examines some of emergency physicians' biggest concerns and highlights possible solutions to address boarding head-on, including enhancing measurement and standards, re-aligning hospital incentives, and increasing support to empower emergency physicians to do their jobs effectively. Includes sections on rural patients and rural areas.
Author(s): Robin M. Weinick, Sean Bruna, Rachael M. Boicourt, Sean S. Michael, Laura L. Sessums
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Report from an October 2024 Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) summit to discuss emergency department boarding. Examines some of emergency physicians' biggest concerns and highlights possible solutions to address boarding head-on, including enhancing measurement and standards, re-aligning hospital incentives, and increasing support to empower emergency physicians to do their jobs effectively. Includes sections on rural patients and rural areas.
Author(s): Robin M. Weinick, Sean Bruna, Rachael M. Boicourt, Sean S. Michael, Laura L. Sessums
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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