Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
Recovery Through a Disability Lens: Impacts of the 2023 Maui Wildfires on Disability Equity and Shared Prosperity
Reports on the impacts of the August 2023 Hawaii wildfires on the housing, employment and income, health, and life satisfaction of West Maui or Kula residents with disabilities. Details how disaster preparedness and recovery policy influence health and quality-of-life disparities for people with disabilities.
Additional links: Plain Language Version
Author(s): Daniela Bond-Smith, Ruben Juarez, Alika Maunakea
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: The Economic Research Organization at the University of Hawai'i
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Reports on the impacts of the August 2023 Hawaii wildfires on the housing, employment and income, health, and life satisfaction of West Maui or Kula residents with disabilities. Details how disaster preparedness and recovery policy influence health and quality-of-life disparities for people with disabilities.
Additional links: Plain Language Version
Author(s): Daniela Bond-Smith, Ruben Juarez, Alika Maunakea
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: The Economic Research Organization at the University of Hawai'i
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The State of Rural Primary Care in the United States
Provides information, statistics, interactive maps, example programs, and policy suggestions regarding the rural primary care workforce supply in the United States. Provides data on projections for adequate supply as well as county-level maps on Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), National Health Service Corps (NHSC) clinicians, Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Includes rural versus nonrural respondent survey data related to primary care access, use, availability, and delivery.
Author(s): Celli Horstman, Arnav Shah
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Provides information, statistics, interactive maps, example programs, and policy suggestions regarding the rural primary care workforce supply in the United States. Provides data on projections for adequate supply as well as county-level maps on Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), National Health Service Corps (NHSC) clinicians, Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Includes rural versus nonrural respondent survey data related to primary care access, use, availability, and delivery.
Author(s): Celli Horstman, Arnav Shah
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Medicare Physician Fee-For-Service Payments: Adjusting for Variation in Geographic Practice Costs and Challenges for Hawaiʻi
Reports on policy approaches to Medicare reimbursement in Hawaii in order to address provider shortages and limited access to care associated with the state's geographic isolation and high cost of living. Discusses how Medicare policy impacts reimbursement and service availability in rural, remote, and frontier areas.
Author(s): Reinie Gerrits-Goh, John Desfor, Diana M.V. Shaw, et al.
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Hawaiʻi Rural Health Research & Policy Center
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Reports on policy approaches to Medicare reimbursement in Hawaii in order to address provider shortages and limited access to care associated with the state's geographic isolation and high cost of living. Discusses how Medicare policy impacts reimbursement and service availability in rural, remote, and frontier areas.
Author(s): Reinie Gerrits-Goh, John Desfor, Diana M.V. Shaw, et al.
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Hawaiʻi Rural Health Research & Policy Center
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A View of Medicaid Today and a Look Ahead: Balancing Access, Budgets and Upcoming Changes: Results from an Annual Medicaid Budget Survey for State Fiscal Years 2025 and 2026
Examines changes taking place in Medicaid programs in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Features sections on delivery systems, provider rates and taxes, benefits, and pharmacy and prescription drugs. Highlights challenges and priorities related to implementing federal priorities, systems issues, state budget limitations, and more.
Author(s): Elizabeth Hinton, Elizabeth Williams, Jada Raphael, et al.
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Examines changes taking place in Medicaid programs in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Features sections on delivery systems, provider rates and taxes, benefits, and pharmacy and prescription drugs. Highlights challenges and priorities related to implementing federal priorities, systems issues, state budget limitations, and more.
Author(s): Elizabeth Hinton, Elizabeth Williams, Jada Raphael, et al.
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Final CY 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule: Fact Sheet
Fact sheet covering the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) telehealth policy changes for 2026 as outlined in the final calendar year (CY) 2026 Physician Fee Schedule. Covers the process for determining which services can be delivered by telehealth; frequency limitations for inpatient visits, nursing facilities, and critical care consults; direct supervision through the use of live video; payment to Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs); and more.
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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Fact sheet covering the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) telehealth policy changes for 2026 as outlined in the final calendar year (CY) 2026 Physician Fee Schedule. Covers the process for determining which services can be delivered by telehealth; frequency limitations for inpatient visits, nursing facilities, and critical care consults; direct supervision through the use of live video; payment to Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs); and more.
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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Closing the Distance in Rural Primary Care: Evidence, Stories and Solutions
Explores the state of rural primary care in the United States. Describes recent federal legislation that may impact rural primary care, healthcare access, and health outcomes. Discusses trends in rural primary care, including comparisons between rural and urban primary care spending relative to all total spending, primary care workforce availability, and comprehensiveness of primary care. Presents five case studies highlighting rural primary care practices and practice models.
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Primary Care Collaborative, Robert Graham Center
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Explores the state of rural primary care in the United States. Describes recent federal legislation that may impact rural primary care, healthcare access, and health outcomes. Discusses trends in rural primary care, including comparisons between rural and urban primary care spending relative to all total spending, primary care workforce availability, and comprehensiveness of primary care. Presents five case studies highlighting rural primary care practices and practice models.
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Primary Care Collaborative, Robert Graham Center
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Rural Health Transformation Program: Rural Facility and Population Score Estimates by State
Spreadsheet indicating estimated rural facility and population scores for each state according to the methodology in Appendix 4 of the Rural Health Transformation Program Notice of Funding Opportunity.
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: The Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research
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Spreadsheet indicating estimated rural facility and population scores for each state according to the methodology in Appendix 4 of the Rural Health Transformation Program Notice of Funding Opportunity.
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: The Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research
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Report to the Secretary of Health and Human Services: Reducing Barriers to Participation in Population-Based Total Cost of Care (PB-TCOC) Models and Supporting Primary and Specialty Care Transformation
Summarizes findings from the Physician-Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee's (PTAC) review of information on reducing barriers to participation in alternative payment models (APMs). Discusses key issues relating to reducing barriers to participation in APMs and value-based care transformation, areas where additional research is needed, and potential next steps.
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Summarizes findings from the Physician-Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee's (PTAC) review of information on reducing barriers to participation in alternative payment models (APMs). Discusses key issues relating to reducing barriers to participation in APMs and value-based care transformation, areas where additional research is needed, and potential next steps.
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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New Mexico Health Care Workforce Committee: 2025 Annual Report
Reports on New Mexico's healthcare workforce, including county-level data and comparisons to national benchmarks. Discusses rural and frontier area shortages, health workforce migration trends, potential solutions for workforce issues, and updates on previous recommendations. See Appendix C for healthcare professions gap analyses by county.
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of New Mexico - Health Sciences Center
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Reports on New Mexico's healthcare workforce, including county-level data and comparisons to national benchmarks. Discusses rural and frontier area shortages, health workforce migration trends, potential solutions for workforce issues, and updates on previous recommendations. See Appendix C for healthcare professions gap analyses by county.
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of New Mexico - Health Sciences Center
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Maternity Deserts: The Equality State's Growing Crisis
Highlights maternity healthcare deserts in Wyoming and nationally. Discusses the impact of labor and delivery department closures, maternal mortality and morbidity, and more on access to care. Notes opportunities to improve outcomes including increasing access to care, additional workforce training and facility protocols to improve healthcare quality, and promote networking opportunities to share knowledge. Offers policy recommendations based on report findings. Discusses rural throughout.
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Wyoming Women's Action Network
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Highlights maternity healthcare deserts in Wyoming and nationally. Discusses the impact of labor and delivery department closures, maternal mortality and morbidity, and more on access to care. Notes opportunities to improve outcomes including increasing access to care, additional workforce training and facility protocols to improve healthcare quality, and promote networking opportunities to share knowledge. Offers policy recommendations based on report findings. Discusses rural throughout.
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Wyoming Women's Action Network
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