Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
MedPAC Report to the Congress: Medicare and the Health Care Delivery System, June 2026
Evaluates Medicare payment issues and provides recommendations to the U.S. Congress. Covers payment incentives in Medicare, the complexity of Medicare enrollment decisions for beneficiaries, Medicare payment operations and their role in identifying improper payments, the estimated association between Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollment and hospitals' and post-acute care providers' finances, and access to hospice and certain complex palliative services for beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease or cancer. Includes a mandated report regarding the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Evaluates Medicare payment issues and provides recommendations to the U.S. Congress. Covers payment incentives in Medicare, the complexity of Medicare enrollment decisions for beneficiaries, Medicare payment operations and their role in identifying improper payments, the estimated association between Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollment and hospitals' and post-acute care providers' finances, and access to hospice and certain complex palliative services for beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease or cancer. Includes a mandated report regarding the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Coordinating Federal Strategies to Strengthen Rural Health
Webinar recording discussing federal agencies' priorities, initiatives, and insights from speakers at the Centers from Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Includes discussion of the Rural Health Transformation Program and other opportunities for states and organizations with an interest in rural health to benefit from federal rural health investments, collaboration, and programs. Requires free registration to view.
Author(s): John Auerbach, Diane Hall, Sarah Heppner, Kate Sapra
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: ICF
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Webinar recording discussing federal agencies' priorities, initiatives, and insights from speakers at the Centers from Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Includes discussion of the Rural Health Transformation Program and other opportunities for states and organizations with an interest in rural health to benefit from federal rural health investments, collaboration, and programs. Requires free registration to view.
Author(s): John Auerbach, Diane Hall, Sarah Heppner, Kate Sapra
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: ICF
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Research Brief: Supporting Indian Tribal Organizations To Expand Summer EBT Access
Analyzes Indian Tribal Organization (ITO) participation in the the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (Summer EBT) program. Discusses the history of Summer EBT, ITOs and federal nutrition programs, inclusion of culturally relevant foods, and benefits and barriers of ITO participation in Summer EBT. Includes a U.S. map showing area where states and Tribes administer Summer EBT.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Food Research & Action Center
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Analyzes Indian Tribal Organization (ITO) participation in the the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (Summer EBT) program. Discusses the history of Summer EBT, ITOs and federal nutrition programs, inclusion of culturally relevant foods, and benefits and barriers of ITO participation in Summer EBT. Includes a U.S. map showing area where states and Tribes administer Summer EBT.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Food Research & Action Center
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2026 Annual Report of the Boards of Trustees of the Federal Hospital Insurance and Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Funds
Report detailing the current state of the Medicare Hospital Insurance (HI) and Supplemental Medical Insurance (SMI) Trust Funds. Discusses Medicare expenditures as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and makes short and long-range sustainability projections based on variable economic, demographic, and healthcare trends. Also explains the actuarial methods used to calculate the estimates. Includes information on Medicare payment policy updates since the 2025 report.
Additional links: Tables and Figures
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Board of Trustees, Federal Hospital Insurance and Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Funds
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Report detailing the current state of the Medicare Hospital Insurance (HI) and Supplemental Medical Insurance (SMI) Trust Funds. Discusses Medicare expenditures as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and makes short and long-range sustainability projections based on variable economic, demographic, and healthcare trends. Also explains the actuarial methods used to calculate the estimates. Includes information on Medicare payment policy updates since the 2025 report.
Additional links: Tables and Figures
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Board of Trustees, Federal Hospital Insurance and Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Funds
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Marriage and Family Therapist and Mental Health Counselor Workforces in Rural America Under New Medicare Reimbursement Policy
Describes how Medicare reimbursement expanded to cover marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and mental health counselors (MHCs) in January 2024. Examines the change in Medicare-enrolled MFTs and MHCs between the third quarter (Q3) of 2023 and fourth quarter (Q4) of 2024. Presents findings from semi-structured interviews with rural health system and mental health organization leaders regarding practice arrangements, the perceived impacts of MFT and MHC reimbursement, barriers to serving rural Medicare beneficiaries, and considerations for future policies.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Natalia V. Oster, Lisa A. Garberson, Davis G. Patterson, C. Holly A. Andrilla
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Describes how Medicare reimbursement expanded to cover marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and mental health counselors (MHCs) in January 2024. Examines the change in Medicare-enrolled MFTs and MHCs between the third quarter (Q3) of 2023 and fourth quarter (Q4) of 2024. Presents findings from semi-structured interviews with rural health system and mental health organization leaders regarding practice arrangements, the perceived impacts of MFT and MHC reimbursement, barriers to serving rural Medicare beneficiaries, and considerations for future policies.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Natalia V. Oster, Lisa A. Garberson, Davis G. Patterson, C. Holly A. Andrilla
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Pain in the Nation 2026: The Epidemics of Alcohol, Drug, and Suicide Deaths
Report focuses on alcohol, drug, and mortality statistics and trends, with a special feature on suicide and well-being in the United States. Includes data on substance use and mortality, with U.S. maps showing overdose and suicide rates, breakdowns according to metro versus nonmetro location, and state-by-state statistical trends. Provides policy recommendations to address substance use and offers examples from rural areas.
Author(s): Molly Warren, Lauren Battle
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Trust for America's Health
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Report focuses on alcohol, drug, and mortality statistics and trends, with a special feature on suicide and well-being in the United States. Includes data on substance use and mortality, with U.S. maps showing overdose and suicide rates, breakdowns according to metro versus nonmetro location, and state-by-state statistical trends. Provides policy recommendations to address substance use and offers examples from rural areas.
Author(s): Molly Warren, Lauren Battle
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Trust for America's Health
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Rural Housing: Weaknesses in Data Quality and Use Limit HUD's Ability to Assess Effectiveness of Service Coordinators
Provides an overview of service coordinators in rural federally assisted housing that link residents to healthcare, transportation, and other supportive services. Describes the availability and quality of data on these service coordinators and evidence of their effects on residents' well-being. Offers recommendations for collecting data on service coordinators and analyzing performance.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Provides an overview of service coordinators in rural federally assisted housing that link residents to healthcare, transportation, and other supportive services. Describes the availability and quality of data on these service coordinators and evidence of their effects on residents' well-being. Offers recommendations for collecting data on service coordinators and analyzing performance.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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State-Level Impacts of Key Medicaid Provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act
Explores the potential impacts of 12 healthcare provisions within the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Public Law 119-21) on Medicaid and state budgets. Presents estimated impacts for each state provision-by-provision and overall. Includes analysis related to Medicaid determination, provider taxes, state-directed payments, work requirements, and the Rural Health Transformation Program.
Author(s): Preethi Rao, Lawrence Baker, Federico Girosi, et al.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Explores the potential impacts of 12 healthcare provisions within the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Public Law 119-21) on Medicaid and state budgets. Presents estimated impacts for each state provision-by-provision and overall. Includes analysis related to Medicaid determination, provider taxes, state-directed payments, work requirements, and the Rural Health Transformation Program.
Author(s): Preethi Rao, Lawrence Baker, Federico Girosi, et al.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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A Study Pursuant to (Pennsylvania) Senate Resolution 27: Feasibility of a No-Fault Catastrophic Loss Fund for Birth-Related Neurological Injuries
Results of a study on the possibility of establishing a fund for claims brought due to birth-related neurological injuries in Pennsylvania. Discusses the disparity between obstetric care in urban and rural areas and the decreased access to maternity care due to closures of labor and delivery (L&D) units. Contains various statistics with breakdowns by urban and rural areas, and county-level maps showing availability of L&D units and travel times to birthing hospitals.
Author(s): Stevi Sprenkle, Stephen Kramer, Shanika Mitchell-Saint Jean, Amy Hockenberry, James Wynne
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Legislative Budget and Finance Committee of the Pennsylvania General Assembly
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Results of a study on the possibility of establishing a fund for claims brought due to birth-related neurological injuries in Pennsylvania. Discusses the disparity between obstetric care in urban and rural areas and the decreased access to maternity care due to closures of labor and delivery (L&D) units. Contains various statistics with breakdowns by urban and rural areas, and county-level maps showing availability of L&D units and travel times to birthing hospitals.
Author(s): Stevi Sprenkle, Stephen Kramer, Shanika Mitchell-Saint Jean, Amy Hockenberry, James Wynne
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Legislative Budget and Finance Committee of the Pennsylvania General Assembly
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Rural Health Care Infrastructure: Trends and Considerations for the Future - Research Summary of America's Rural Future Symposium
Presents findings from a rural health symposium hosted by the Brookings-AEI Commission on U.S. Rural Prosperity in March 2026 examining the state of rural healthcare infrastructure, identifying rural healthcare policy challenges and opportunities, and strategies for service delivery innovations and strengthening the financial viability of rural healthcare systems.
Author(s): Anthony F. Pipa, Brent Orrell, Adam Aley, Raphaël Colard
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Brookings-AEI Commission on U.S. Rural Prosperity, The Brookings Institution
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Presents findings from a rural health symposium hosted by the Brookings-AEI Commission on U.S. Rural Prosperity in March 2026 examining the state of rural healthcare infrastructure, identifying rural healthcare policy challenges and opportunities, and strategies for service delivery innovations and strengthening the financial viability of rural healthcare systems.
Author(s): Anthony F. Pipa, Brent Orrell, Adam Aley, Raphaël Colard
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Brookings-AEI Commission on U.S. Rural Prosperity, The Brookings Institution
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