Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Sustainability of programs
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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Sustaining Rural Labor & Delivery Programs: Strategies & Considerations Webinar
A recorded webinar that discusses strategies to improve financial sustainability of rural hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Focuses on financial performance, reimbursement opportunities, and operational models identified in the Sustaining Rural Labor & Delivery Programs report. Transcript available below transcription.
Author(s): Eric Shell, Kristin L. Reiter, Madeleine Pick
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Stroudwater Associates
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A recorded webinar that discusses strategies to improve financial sustainability of rural hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Focuses on financial performance, reimbursement opportunities, and operational models identified in the Sustaining Rural Labor & Delivery Programs report. Transcript available below transcription.
Author(s): Eric Shell, Kristin L. Reiter, Madeleine Pick
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Stroudwater Associates
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The Decentralized Academic Health Center: A 21st-Century Model for Rural Health Innovation
Discusses the role of academic health centers in addressing rural health needs and proposes the Decentralized Academic Health Center (D-AHC) model. Compares the traditional model with D-AHC and discusses implementation through teaching and workforce, research and data, clinical partnerships and digital health, community engagement and policy, financial sustainability, and provider and community readiness. Includes a 5-phase roadmap for implementation.
Author(s): Patrick C. Hardigan, Johannes Vieweg
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(5)
Date: 05/2026
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Discusses the role of academic health centers in addressing rural health needs and proposes the Decentralized Academic Health Center (D-AHC) model. Compares the traditional model with D-AHC and discusses implementation through teaching and workforce, research and data, clinical partnerships and digital health, community engagement and policy, financial sustainability, and provider and community readiness. Includes a 5-phase roadmap for implementation.
Author(s): Patrick C. Hardigan, Johannes Vieweg
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(5)
Date: 05/2026
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Lessons From Rural Communities: Five Tips for Community-Based Organizations Engaging in Research
Offers 5 considerations for community-based organizations conducting research in rural communities, discussing building networks, considering community needs, centering local knowledge and experiences, measured metrics, and sustainability.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: NIH Community Engagement Alliance
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Offers 5 considerations for community-based organizations conducting research in rural communities, discussing building networks, considering community needs, centering local knowledge and experiences, measured metrics, and sustainability.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: NIH Community Engagement Alliance
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Food Alliance's Mobile Food Community Kitchen and Pop-Up Pantry Model
Examines the New Hampshire Community Kitchen's Mobile Food Pantry program, aimed at reducing food insecurity in rural areas. Utilizes qualitative data from 97 participants attending mobile pantry events and discusses issues such as financial stress, transportation barriers, sustainability, and more.
Author(s): Margaret Henning, Magdalynn Graul, Kate McAvoy
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 23(5), 550
Date: 04/2026
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Examines the New Hampshire Community Kitchen's Mobile Food Pantry program, aimed at reducing food insecurity in rural areas. Utilizes qualitative data from 97 participants attending mobile pantry events and discusses issues such as financial stress, transportation barriers, sustainability, and more.
Author(s): Margaret Henning, Magdalynn Graul, Kate McAvoy
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 23(5), 550
Date: 04/2026
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Innovation and Collaboration Help Drive Access to Capital in Rural Communities
Discusses the role of nonprofits and community development financial institutions (CDFIs) in securing capital funding to support rural communities. Highlights several capital funding resources for rural communities.
Author(s): Jennie Blizzard, Surekha Carpenter
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Fed Communities
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Discusses the role of nonprofits and community development financial institutions (CDFIs) in securing capital funding to support rural communities. Highlights several capital funding resources for rural communities.
Author(s): Jennie Blizzard, Surekha Carpenter
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Fed Communities
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A Strategic Planning Guide for Rural Communities
Report outlines the importance of strategic planning in supporting the health of rural communities and highlights implementation challenges. Details the process of engaging community partners in the strategic planning process and explores methods for overcoming barriers.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Communities Opioid Response Program - Technical Assistance
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Report outlines the importance of strategic planning in supporting the health of rural communities and highlights implementation challenges. Details the process of engaging community partners in the strategic planning process and explores methods for overcoming barriers.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Communities Opioid Response Program - Technical Assistance
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Progress Towards Vitality: A Review of Maternal Health Financing Mechanisms in Georgia
Reports on maternal health financing in Georgia and outlines a variety of federal, state, local, and private sources of funding. Examines how funding and reimbursement influences maternal healthcare delivery, details program models, and presents recommendations for policymakers, funders, and providers. Discusses rural areas throughout.
Author(s): Elizabeth Murphy, Shalanda Henderson, Shannon Raines, Nannette Beckley, Meaghan Hunt
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Georgia Health Initiative, NORC at the University of Chicago
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Reports on maternal health financing in Georgia and outlines a variety of federal, state, local, and private sources of funding. Examines how funding and reimbursement influences maternal healthcare delivery, details program models, and presents recommendations for policymakers, funders, and providers. Discusses rural areas throughout.
Author(s): Elizabeth Murphy, Shalanda Henderson, Shannon Raines, Nannette Beckley, Meaghan Hunt
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Georgia Health Initiative, NORC at the University of Chicago
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Study of the Feasibility and Desirability of Establishing a Delinquent Billing Reimbursement Grant System for Ambulance Service Providers - Survey Results & Overview
Presents a the results of a study on the feasibility of implementing a grant-funded reimbursement system for ambulance service providers in North Dakota. Explores the financial stability of North Dakota's EMS providers under the fee-for-service model and highlights gaps and shortfalls in reimbursement. Discusses the effect of these reimbursement issues in both rural and urban areas.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organizations: North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, North Dakota EMS Association, North Dakota Legislative Council
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Presents a the results of a study on the feasibility of implementing a grant-funded reimbursement system for ambulance service providers in North Dakota. Explores the financial stability of North Dakota's EMS providers under the fee-for-service model and highlights gaps and shortfalls in reimbursement. Discusses the effect of these reimbursement issues in both rural and urban areas.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organizations: North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, North Dakota EMS Association, North Dakota Legislative Council
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From Expansion to Expiration: Federal Policy Waivers and Telehealth Utilization in US Primary Care (2016–2024)
Examines the impact of COVID-19 federal policy waivers on the long-term sustainability of telehealth access. Provides a scoping review of 2016-2024 articles focused on telehealth utilization for primary care, the removal of geographic restrictions in telehealth policy, and the subsequent impact on healthcare access for rural areas.
Author(s): Abhilasha Bellapu, John Geracitano, Jamie Conklin, Saif Khairat
Citation: Advances in Health Information Science and Practice, 2(1), eRCTG8117
Date: 02/2026
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Examines the impact of COVID-19 federal policy waivers on the long-term sustainability of telehealth access. Provides a scoping review of 2016-2024 articles focused on telehealth utilization for primary care, the removal of geographic restrictions in telehealth policy, and the subsequent impact on healthcare access for rural areas.
Author(s): Abhilasha Bellapu, John Geracitano, Jamie Conklin, Saif Khairat
Citation: Advances in Health Information Science and Practice, 2(1), eRCTG8117
Date: 02/2026
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