Rural Hospitals – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Hospitals.
Calendar Year 2027 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Final Rule (CMS-1850-F)
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 2027. Summarizes provisions regarding changes to the inpatient only (IPO) list, Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) rate setting, updates to the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR) and Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR) programs, a cost-of-living adjustment to the nonlabor share of outpatient hospital service payments provided in Alaska and Hawaii, and more.
Date: 11/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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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 2027. Summarizes provisions regarding changes to the inpatient only (IPO) list, Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) rate setting, updates to the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR) and Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR) programs, a cost-of-living adjustment to the nonlabor share of outpatient hospital service payments provided in Alaska and Hawaii, and more.
Date: 11/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Availability of Hospital-Based Obstetric Services in the United States by County, 2010–2024: A State-by-State Report
Provides national-, state-, and county-specific information on changes in obstetric care availability between 2010-2024. Includes maps and statistics with breakdowns by rural and urban counties, including rural micropolitan and rural noncore counties.
Author(s): Kevan O'Hanlon, Katy B. Kozhimannil, Julia D. Interrante
Date: 11/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Provides national-, state-, and county-specific information on changes in obstetric care availability between 2010-2024. Includes maps and statistics with breakdowns by rural and urban counties, including rural micropolitan and rural noncore counties.
Author(s): Kevan O'Hanlon, Katy B. Kozhimannil, Julia D. Interrante
Date: 11/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Operational Challenges During Public Health Emergencies in Safety-Net Hospitals
Results of a study identifying challenges faced by safety net hospitals (SNHs) and approaches to strengthen future emergency response capacity. Based on data from 10 SNHs, including 3 in rural areas. Mentions rural throughout.
Author(s): Tara Kirk Sell, Vanessa Grégoire, Madisen S. Neufeld, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(10), e2640799
Date: 10/2026
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Results of a study identifying challenges faced by safety net hospitals (SNHs) and approaches to strengthen future emergency response capacity. Based on data from 10 SNHs, including 3 in rural areas. Mentions rural throughout.
Author(s): Tara Kirk Sell, Vanessa Grégoire, Madisen S. Neufeld, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(10), e2640799
Date: 10/2026
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Rural Hospital AI Use and Evaluation
Highlights a study exploring the rural and urban differences in the adoption, use, and evaluation of predictive artificial intelligence (AI) in U.S. hospitals. Bases findings on the 2023 American Hospital Association's Annual Survey Information Technology Supplement and compares AI usage across Critical Access Hospitals, Medicare-Dependent Hospitals, and Sole Community Hospitals, as well as by rural and urban location.
Author(s): Josiah A. Cruikshank, Brian E. Whitacre, Alison F. Davis
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(4), e70237
Date: 10/2026
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Highlights a study exploring the rural and urban differences in the adoption, use, and evaluation of predictive artificial intelligence (AI) in U.S. hospitals. Bases findings on the 2023 American Hospital Association's Annual Survey Information Technology Supplement and compares AI usage across Critical Access Hospitals, Medicare-Dependent Hospitals, and Sole Community Hospitals, as well as by rural and urban location.
Author(s): Josiah A. Cruikshank, Brian E. Whitacre, Alison F. Davis
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(4), e70237
Date: 10/2026
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Medicare Payment Basics: Hospital Acute Inpatient Services Payment System
Overview of Medicare payments to hospitals for acute inpatient care. Includes information on rate setting, Medicare payments for medical education, payments to Medicare Disproportionate Share Hospitals (DSH), new technology payments special payments for rural hospitals, quality incentive payments and penalties, and payment rate updates.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Overview of Medicare payments to hospitals for acute inpatient care. Includes information on rate setting, Medicare payments for medical education, payments to Medicare Disproportionate Share Hospitals (DSH), new technology payments special payments for rural hospitals, quality incentive payments and penalties, and payment rate updates.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Medicare Payment Basics: Outpatient Hospital Services Payment System
Outlines Medicare's payments for outpatient hospital services, including considerations for rural sole community hospitals.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Outlines Medicare's payments for outpatient hospital services, including considerations for rural sole community hospitals.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Power of Partnerships Between Health Centers & Rural Hospitals
Provides a brief overview of the rural healthcare landscape. Presents case studies describing partnerships between health centers and rural hospitals in New Hampshire, North Dakota, and Pennsylvania that aim to strengthen access, improve outcomes, and build long-term sustainability. Identifies key themes and actionable strategies that can be adapted across rural communities.
Additional links: Case Studies at a Glance, July 2026
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Impact! Communications, Inc., National Association of Community Health Centers
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Provides a brief overview of the rural healthcare landscape. Presents case studies describing partnerships between health centers and rural hospitals in New Hampshire, North Dakota, and Pennsylvania that aim to strengthen access, improve outcomes, and build long-term sustainability. Identifies key themes and actionable strategies that can be adapted across rural communities.
Additional links: Case Studies at a Glance, July 2026
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Impact! Communications, Inc., National Association of Community Health Centers
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Availability of Real-Time Prescription Benefit Information Among U.S. Hospitals
Describes the availability of real-time prescription benefit (RTPB) information across U.S. hospitals in 2025. Presents data and analysis on RTPB information availability by hospital type, including Critical Access Hospital (CAH) designation, rural location, system affiliation, Accountable Care Organization (ACO) participation, ownership status, and more.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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Describes the availability of real-time prescription benefit (RTPB) information across U.S. hospitals in 2025. Presents data and analysis on RTPB information availability by hospital type, including Critical Access Hospital (CAH) designation, rural location, system affiliation, Accountable Care Organization (ACO) participation, ownership status, and more.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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The Integrated Vulnerability Measure a Novel Financial Distress Index for US Hospitals
Tests the effectiveness of the integrated vulnerability measure (IVM) in identifying hospitals at risk of experiencing financial distress within 2 years. Discusses using IVM in decision-making and compares IVM to other distress indicators.
Author(s): Julianna Bernadi, Paul Ursino, Kevin Gormley, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(9)
Date: 09/2026
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Tests the effectiveness of the integrated vulnerability measure (IVM) in identifying hospitals at risk of experiencing financial distress within 2 years. Discusses using IVM in decision-making and compares IVM to other distress indicators.
Author(s): Julianna Bernadi, Paul Ursino, Kevin Gormley, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(9)
Date: 09/2026
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Rural Hospitals: Policy and Infrastructure Opportunities in the Rural Health Transformation Program
Describes state Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) initiatives and investments intended to support rural hospital stability. Covers policies to stabilize rural hospitals through operational modernization, shared services, and targeted technical assistance; regionalization and hub-and-spoke care models; care delivery transformation; maternal and perinatal healthcare access; health information technology advances and interoperability; and more.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Describes state Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) initiatives and investments intended to support rural hospital stability. Covers policies to stabilize rural hospitals through operational modernization, shared services, and targeted technical assistance; regionalization and hub-and-spoke care models; care delivery transformation; maternal and perinatal healthcare access; health information technology advances and interoperability; and more.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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