Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare business and finance
Obstetric Care Access Declined in Rural and Urban Hospitals Across US States, 2010–22
Examines the number and proportion of hospitals located in rural and urban counties in each state that lost hospital-based obstetric services between 2010 and 2022. Describes the proportion of hospitals without obstetric services for any reason by 2022.
Author(s): Katy Backes Kozhimannil, Julia D. Interrante, Caitlin Carroll, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs, 44(7), 806-811
Date: 07/2025
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Examines the number and proportion of hospitals located in rural and urban counties in each state that lost hospital-based obstetric services between 2010 and 2022. Describes the proportion of hospitals without obstetric services for any reason by 2022.
Author(s): Katy Backes Kozhimannil, Julia D. Interrante, Caitlin Carroll, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs, 44(7), 806-811
Date: 07/2025
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Illinoisans' Perceptions about Physicians' Pay
Examines perceptions of health worker pay and payments to healthcare businesses in metro versus nonmetro Illinois populations.
Author(s): Adee Athiyaman
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
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Examines perceptions of health worker pay and payments to healthcare businesses in metro versus nonmetro Illinois populations.
Author(s): Adee Athiyaman
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
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2024 Forces of Change Survey
Presents results from a 2024 survey of 667 local health departments (LHDs). Provides data on LHD staffing and budgets, governance, fellowship and training programs, public health nursing, evaluation capacity, and harm reduction activities. Includes data comparisons between rural and urban LHDs, and LHDs serving small, medium, and large populations.
Author(s): Krishna Patel, Gwen Davis, Kellie Perkins, Timothy C. McCall
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Association of County and City Health Officials
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Presents results from a 2024 survey of 667 local health departments (LHDs). Provides data on LHD staffing and budgets, governance, fellowship and training programs, public health nursing, evaluation capacity, and harm reduction activities. Includes data comparisons between rural and urban LHDs, and LHDs serving small, medium, and large populations.
Author(s): Krishna Patel, Gwen Davis, Kellie Perkins, Timothy C. McCall
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Association of County and City Health Officials
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Guidance for the Expiration of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE)
Outlines the emergency waivers related to the minimum health and safety requirements for long-term care and acute continuing care providers that expired at the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). Describes the timelines for certain regulatory requirements issued during the PHE through interim final rules.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Outlines the emergency waivers related to the minimum health and safety requirements for long-term care and acute continuing care providers that expired at the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). Describes the timelines for certain regulatory requirements issued during the PHE through interim final rules.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Telehealth-Readiness, Healthcare Access, and Cardiovascular Health in the Deep South: A Spatial Perspective
Examines the spatial distribution and social determinants of coronary heart disease (CHD) and CHD-related mortality across 428 counties in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina. Explores how enabling resources, such as healthcare provider availability and broadband infrastructure; sociodemographic characteristics; and access barriers relate to cardiovascular burden.
Author(s): Ruaa Al Juboori, Dylan Barker, Andrew Yockey, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 22(7), 1020
Date: 06/2025
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Examines the spatial distribution and social determinants of coronary heart disease (CHD) and CHD-related mortality across 428 counties in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina. Explores how enabling resources, such as healthcare provider availability and broadband infrastructure; sociodemographic characteristics; and access barriers relate to cardiovascular burden.
Author(s): Ruaa Al Juboori, Dylan Barker, Andrew Yockey, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 22(7), 1020
Date: 06/2025
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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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AI in Health Care Administration: A Conversation with Experts
Blog post summarizing major themes raised in a conversation among researchers, practitioners, payers, policy experts, and congressional staff regarding how AI can improve administrative efficiency in healthcare. Includes a discussion of access to AI tools in rural and underserved areas.
Additional links: Factsheet
Author(s): Emma Sheffert
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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Blog post summarizing major themes raised in a conversation among researchers, practitioners, payers, policy experts, and congressional staff regarding how AI can improve administrative efficiency in healthcare. Includes a discussion of access to AI tools in rural and underserved areas.
Additional links: Factsheet
Author(s): Emma Sheffert
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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Beneficiary and Clinician Perspectives on Medicare and Other Issues: Findings from 2025 Focus Groups in St. Louis, Missouri, and 2021–2025 Rural Focus Groups
Summarizes findings from 8 focus groups of Medicare beneficiaries, Medicare and Medicaid (dual eligible) beneficiaries, and clinicians conducted between April and May 2025, including one virtual focus group of rural Medicare beneficiaries. Compiles findings from 13 focus groups of rural Medicare beneficiaries between 2021 and 2025. Highlights themes that emerged across the focus groups covering Medicare coverage options, access to care, telehealth, organization of care, and prescription drugs.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, NORC at the University of Chicago
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Summarizes findings from 8 focus groups of Medicare beneficiaries, Medicare and Medicaid (dual eligible) beneficiaries, and clinicians conducted between April and May 2025, including one virtual focus group of rural Medicare beneficiaries. Compiles findings from 13 focus groups of rural Medicare beneficiaries between 2021 and 2025. Highlights themes that emerged across the focus groups covering Medicare coverage options, access to care, telehealth, organization of care, and prescription drugs.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, NORC at the University of Chicago
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The Appalachian Region: A Data Overview from the 2019-2023 American Community Survey Chartbook
State- and county-level information on population, age, household characteristics, housing occupancy, education, labor force, employment, transportation, income, health insurance coverage, disability, and veteran status, for the 13 Appalachian states. Features statistics with breakdowns by 5 levels of population density. Includes data explorer options for Appalachian categories such as population and age, education, income and poverty, computer and broadband access, rural Appalachia versus rural America, and employment and commuting.
Additional links: Full Report
Author(s): Sara Srygley, Nurfadila Khairunnisa, Diana Elliott
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Appalachian Regional Commission, Population Reference Bureau
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State- and county-level information on population, age, household characteristics, housing occupancy, education, labor force, employment, transportation, income, health insurance coverage, disability, and veteran status, for the 13 Appalachian states. Features statistics with breakdowns by 5 levels of population density. Includes data explorer options for Appalachian categories such as population and age, education, income and poverty, computer and broadband access, rural Appalachia versus rural America, and employment and commuting.
Additional links: Full Report
Author(s): Sara Srygley, Nurfadila Khairunnisa, Diana Elliott
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Appalachian Regional Commission, Population Reference Bureau
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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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