Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Hospitals
December 2025 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) December 2025 meeting. Covers payment adequacy and updates for physician and other health professional services, hospital inpatient and outpatient services, Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs), post-acute care, skilled nursing facility services, inpatient rehabilitation facility services, home health services, hospice services, and outpatient dialysis services. Includes discussions on improving Medicare payment approaches and mandated reports on the impact of recent changes to the home health prospective payment system and an assessment of the Medicare ground ambulance data collection system.
Additional links: Assessing Payment Adequacy and Updating Payments: Hospital Inpatient and Outpatient Services; Mandated Report on Rural Emergency Hospitals; And Update on Site-neutral Payments - Presentation Slides, Mandated Report: Assessment of the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System - Presentation Slides
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
view details
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) December 2025 meeting. Covers payment adequacy and updates for physician and other health professional services, hospital inpatient and outpatient services, Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs), post-acute care, skilled nursing facility services, inpatient rehabilitation facility services, home health services, hospice services, and outpatient dialysis services. Includes discussions on improving Medicare payment approaches and mandated reports on the impact of recent changes to the home health prospective payment system and an assessment of the Medicare ground ambulance data collection system.
Additional links: Assessing Payment Adequacy and Updating Payments: Hospital Inpatient and Outpatient Services; Mandated Report on Rural Emergency Hospitals; And Update on Site-neutral Payments - Presentation Slides, Mandated Report: Assessment of the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System - Presentation Slides
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
view details
Availability of Higher-Level Neonatal Care Services in Rural US Counties, 2010-2022
Policy brief showing changes in availability of higher-level neonatal care in rural counties from 2010 to 2022, and how this availability differs by rural county type. Features statistics with breakdowns by all rural, micropolitan, and noncore areas.
Author(s): Katy Backes Kozhimannil, Emily C. Sheffield, Julia D. Interrante, et al.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
view details
Policy brief showing changes in availability of higher-level neonatal care in rural counties from 2010 to 2022, and how this availability differs by rural county type. Features statistics with breakdowns by all rural, micropolitan, and noncore areas.
Author(s): Katy Backes Kozhimannil, Emily C. Sheffield, Julia D. Interrante, et al.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
view details
Measuring State Flex Program Impact: Tools to Support Outcome Measurement and Evaluation
Toolkit designed to help State Flex Programs (SFPs) with manage and document project performance and comply with the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy's expectations regarding outcome measurement and reporting. Provides blank worksheets for SFPs as they work through the steps for their projects, as well as links to outcome measurement resources.
Additional links: Webinar Recording
Author(s): John Gale, Bridget Harr
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
view details
Toolkit designed to help State Flex Programs (SFPs) with manage and document project performance and comply with the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy's expectations regarding outcome measurement and reporting. Provides blank worksheets for SFPs as they work through the steps for their projects, as well as links to outcome measurement resources.
Additional links: Webinar Recording
Author(s): John Gale, Bridget Harr
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
view details
When the Hospital CEO Becomes the Patient: Rural Maternal Care Up Close
A conversation with Eilidh Pederson, CEO of Western Wisconsin Health, focused on her experience giving birth at a rural Critical Access Hospital. Discusses high-quality maternal healthcare access in rural communities.
Author(s): Tom Haederle, Julia Resnick, Eilidh Pederson
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
view details
A conversation with Eilidh Pederson, CEO of Western Wisconsin Health, focused on her experience giving birth at a rural Critical Access Hospital. Discusses high-quality maternal healthcare access in rural communities.
Author(s): Tom Haederle, Julia Resnick, Eilidh Pederson
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
view details
Early Adoption of Telehealth/Remote Patient Monitoring and Hospital Revenue Changes During COVID-19
Evaluates telehealth and remote patient monitoring use between 2019 and 2020 among 1,742 rural and urban hospitals to determine the impact of COVID-19 on utilization and revenue. Discusses potential policy measures given study findings.
Author(s): Claudia A. Rhoades, Brian E. Whitacre, Alison F. Davis
Citation: Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 31(10)
Date: 12/2025
view details
Evaluates telehealth and remote patient monitoring use between 2019 and 2020 among 1,742 rural and urban hospitals to determine the impact of COVID-19 on utilization and revenue. Discusses potential policy measures given study findings.
Author(s): Claudia A. Rhoades, Brian E. Whitacre, Alison F. Davis
Citation: Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 31(10)
Date: 12/2025
view details
Georgia Tax Incentive Evaluation: Rural Hospital Tax Credit
An audit of the Georgia Rural Hospital Tax Credit, discussing both fiscal and economic impacts as well as public benefits. Offers an overview of the history of the program, how the tax credit operates, and characteristics of tax credit recipient hospitals.
Additional links: Report Summary
Author(s): Peter Bluestone, Federico Corredor
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Georgia State University Andrew Young School of Policy Studies
view details
An audit of the Georgia Rural Hospital Tax Credit, discussing both fiscal and economic impacts as well as public benefits. Offers an overview of the history of the program, how the tax credit operates, and characteristics of tax credit recipient hospitals.
Additional links: Report Summary
Author(s): Peter Bluestone, Federico Corredor
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Georgia State University Andrew Young School of Policy Studies
view details
Calendar Year 2026 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center Final Rule (CMS-1834-FC)
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare payments for hospital outpatient and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) services for calendar year 2026. Summarizes provisions regarding changes to hospital price transparency; Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) and partial hospital program rate setting; updates to the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR), Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR), and Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Programs; hospital quality start ratings; and more.
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
view details
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare payments for hospital outpatient and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) services for calendar year 2026. Summarizes provisions regarding changes to hospital price transparency; Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) and partial hospital program rate setting; updates to the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR), Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR), and Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Programs; hospital quality start ratings; and more.
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
view details
RHCs and CAHs Participating in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP): Characteristics of the Providers and Communities
Describes the characteristics of Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) currently participating in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) in 2023. Compares CAH and RHC characteristics by MSSP participation, ownership status, and free-standing versus provider-based RHC status.
Author(s): Edmer Lazaro, Dan Shane, Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
view details
Describes the characteristics of Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) currently participating in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) in 2023. Compares CAH and RHC characteristics by MSSP participation, ownership status, and free-standing versus provider-based RHC status.
Author(s): Edmer Lazaro, Dan Shane, Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
view details
Rural Hospital Financial Distress: Relative Risk in 2025
Infographic with a state-level map showing the number and percent of rural hospitals in each state at highest relative financial distress risk in 2025. Features statistics showing states with multiple hospitals, one hospital, and no hospitals at highest risk. Includes information on states with highest percentage of rural hospitals at highest relative risk of financial distress.
Author(s): Tyler Malone, George Pink, Julie Perry, Mark Holmes
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organizations: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program, The Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research
view details
Infographic with a state-level map showing the number and percent of rural hospitals in each state at highest relative financial distress risk in 2025. Features statistics showing states with multiple hospitals, one hospital, and no hospitals at highest risk. Includes information on states with highest percentage of rural hospitals at highest relative risk of financial distress.
Author(s): Tyler Malone, George Pink, Julie Perry, Mark Holmes
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organizations: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program, The Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research
view details
Local Availability of Neonatal Intensive Care at Rural Hospitals with Childbirth Services
Discusses hospital and county characteristics for 89 rural hospitals offering childbirth services in 2021 based on proximity to neonatal intensive care units (NICU). Includes comparisons of characteristics for those hospitals more than and less than 30 miles from a NICU.
Author(s): Emily C. Sheffield, Clara E. Busse, Julia D. Interrante, Sara C. Handley, Katy Backes Kozhimannil
Citation: Journal of Perinatology, 2025
Date: 11/2025
view details
Discusses hospital and county characteristics for 89 rural hospitals offering childbirth services in 2021 based on proximity to neonatal intensive care units (NICU). Includes comparisons of characteristics for those hospitals more than and less than 30 miles from a NICU.
Author(s): Emily C. Sheffield, Clara E. Busse, Julia D. Interrante, Sara C. Handley, Katy Backes Kozhimannil
Citation: Journal of Perinatology, 2025
Date: 11/2025
view details