Rural Health
Resources by Type: Document
State Innovations in Improving Access to Care for Adults with Complex Needs in Rural Communities
Discusses Medicaid policy and financing strategies that can help improve rural delivery systems and access to care for rural older adults, people with disabilities, and others with complex health and social needs. Describes effective approaches undertaken in California, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Virginia across three promising strategies. Identifies four factors critical to successful program design and implementation and key considerations for states.
Author(s): Molly Knowles, Nida Enehizena, Gretchen Bell, Ellen Breslin
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Discusses Medicaid policy and financing strategies that can help improve rural delivery systems and access to care for rural older adults, people with disabilities, and others with complex health and social needs. Describes effective approaches undertaken in California, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Virginia across three promising strategies. Identifies four factors critical to successful program design and implementation and key considerations for states.
Author(s): Molly Knowles, Nida Enehizena, Gretchen Bell, Ellen Breslin
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Traffic Safety Facts, 2024 Data: Rural/Urban Traffic Fatalities
Reports 2024 Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data describing fatal motor vehicle crashes. Provides rural versus urban statistics for fatal motor vehicle crashes by light condition, roadway departure and intersection, age group, speeding, alcohol use, seat belt use, and rollover crashes. Includes statistics on ratio of rural to urban fatality rates per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, by state, as of 2024.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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Reports 2024 Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data describing fatal motor vehicle crashes. Provides rural versus urban statistics for fatal motor vehicle crashes by light condition, roadway departure and intersection, age group, speeding, alcohol use, seat belt use, and rollover crashes. Includes statistics on ratio of rural to urban fatality rates per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, by state, as of 2024.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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How Small Rural Hospital Networks Are Leveling the Playing Field with Larger Health Systems
Describes rural hospital networks in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Ohio that have developed to preserve their independence and improve their economies of scale. Discusses how participating hospitals are expanding rural healthcare access and changing how payers recognize and reward rural providers for delivering high-quality care.
Author(s): Sarah Klein
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Describes rural hospital networks in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Ohio that have developed to preserve their independence and improve their economies of scale. Discusses how participating hospitals are expanding rural healthcare access and changing how payers recognize and reward rural providers for delivering high-quality care.
Author(s): Sarah Klein
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Food and Health: Time Spent Eating, Acquiring Food, Preparing Meals, and Being Physically Active Among U.S. Adults, 2022-2023
Reports on time spent eating, acquiring food, preparing meals, and physical activity among adults using 2022-2023 American Time Use Survey Eating and Health Module data. Includes data comparisons by metropolitan versus nonmetropolitan dwelling, among other demographic factors.
Additional links: Report Summary
Author(s): Eliana Zeballos, Brandon J. Restrepo
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Reports on time spent eating, acquiring food, preparing meals, and physical activity among adults using 2022-2023 American Time Use Survey Eating and Health Module data. Includes data comparisons by metropolitan versus nonmetropolitan dwelling, among other demographic factors.
Additional links: Report Summary
Author(s): Eliana Zeballos, Brandon J. Restrepo
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Geographic and Social Equity in Population-Wide Genomic Screening
Examines whether combining implementation science and informatics infrastructure supports population-wide genomic screening, and assesses screening coverage by rurality and social disadvantage. Uses data collected from 2021-2025 in South Carolina. Features statistics with breakdowns by 9 levels population density.
Author(s): Kalyani Sonawane, Daniel P. Judge, Ella Moore, Samantha Norman, Caitlin G. Allen
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(7), e2622743
Date: 07/2026
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Examines whether combining implementation science and informatics infrastructure supports population-wide genomic screening, and assesses screening coverage by rurality and social disadvantage. Uses data collected from 2021-2025 in South Carolina. Features statistics with breakdowns by 9 levels population density.
Author(s): Kalyani Sonawane, Daniel P. Judge, Ella Moore, Samantha Norman, Caitlin G. Allen
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(7), e2622743
Date: 07/2026
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MACPAC Comment Letter on Medicaid Managed Care State Directed Payments and Medicaid Fee-for-Service Targeted Medicaid Practitioner Payments
Comments on a May 22, 2026, Federal Register proposed rule regarding Medicaid managed care state directed payments (SDPs) and fee-for-service (FFS) targeted practitioner payments. Discusses state flexibility in payment policy, Medicare as a benchmark for Medicaid, monitoring and compliance, establishing appropriate SDP limits, and more.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Comments on a May 22, 2026, Federal Register proposed rule regarding Medicaid managed care state directed payments (SDPs) and fee-for-service (FFS) targeted practitioner payments. Discusses state flexibility in payment policy, Medicare as a benchmark for Medicaid, monitoring and compliance, establishing appropriate SDP limits, and more.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Building Rural Capacity to Navigate Population and Economic Change
Discusses how rural communities and tribal nations gather and apply community resources in response to population change and economic shifts, and the role of Rural Development Hubs in facilitating capacity-building. Includes a case study from Hazard, Kentucky.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Aspen Institute
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Discusses how rural communities and tribal nations gather and apply community resources in response to population change and economic shifts, and the role of Rural Development Hubs in facilitating capacity-building. Includes a case study from Hazard, Kentucky.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Aspen Institute
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New Mexico STD Program Summary of Surveillance Data: 2025
Reports on sexually transmitted disease (STD) rates for New Mexico. Compares New Mexico rates to U.S. rates over time and provides STD rates for each New Mexico county for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Syphilis.
Author(s): Janine Waters, Miranda Durham, Angie Bartok
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: New Mexico Department of Health
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Reports on sexually transmitted disease (STD) rates for New Mexico. Compares New Mexico rates to U.S. rates over time and provides STD rates for each New Mexico county for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Syphilis.
Author(s): Janine Waters, Miranda Durham, Angie Bartok
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: New Mexico Department of Health
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Trends in Rural and Urban Family Physician Teaching of Health Professions Students and Residents
Compares the amount of early career family physicians offering clinical instruction to health professions students in rural and urban areas. Analyzes the types of students being taught, such as premedical, medical, residents, or fellows, among others, as well as practice characteristics of the settings where physicians were engaged in teaching.
Author(s): C. Holly A. Andrilla, Lars E. Peterson, Davis G. Patterson, et al.
Citation: Family Medicine, 266557
Date: 07/2026
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Compares the amount of early career family physicians offering clinical instruction to health professions students in rural and urban areas. Analyzes the types of students being taught, such as premedical, medical, residents, or fellows, among others, as well as practice characteristics of the settings where physicians were engaged in teaching.
Author(s): C. Holly A. Andrilla, Lars E. Peterson, Davis G. Patterson, et al.
Citation: Family Medicine, 266557
Date: 07/2026
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Rural Sepsis Care in Action: Real-world Insights and Successes Through CDC's Sepsis Core Elements
Summarizes virtual learning sessions with three rural healthcare organizations regarding the implementation and advancement of sepsis improvement efforts. Discusses practical strategies to improve sepsis care delivery, implementation approaches from rural hospitals, and lessons learned.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Summarizes virtual learning sessions with three rural healthcare organizations regarding the implementation and advancement of sepsis improvement efforts. Discusses practical strategies to improve sepsis care delivery, implementation approaches from rural hospitals, and lessons learned.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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