Rural Health Policy – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Health Policy.
Rural Health Transformation Program: Funding Amounts and State Policy Actions
Presents an analysis of Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) first-year funding across three components of the award: baseline, rural facility and population, and workload. Summarizes which states addressed certain current or proposed state policies intended to enhance the impact of the program in their RHTP applications.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: The Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research
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Presents an analysis of Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) first-year funding across three components of the award: baseline, rural facility and population, and workload. Summarizes which states addressed certain current or proposed state policies intended to enhance the impact of the program in their RHTP applications.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: The Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research
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Rural Health Transformation 50 State Spotlights
Summarizes the goals and key themes of each state's Rural Health Transformation Program application. Highlights select initiatives, expected impact of the program, and related state policy actions.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Summarizes the goals and key themes of each state's Rural Health Transformation Program application. Highlights select initiatives, expected impact of the program, and related state policy actions.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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RHT Program State Project Abstracts
Presents the one-page project abstracts submitted by each state as part of their applications for the Rural Health Transformation Program.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Presents the one-page project abstracts submitted by each state as part of their applications for the Rural Health Transformation Program.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Rural Health Transformation Program State Application Summary: State-level Initiatives & Proposed Activities
Summarizes focus areas for each state in the applications for the Rural Health Transformation Program and highlights common themes across all applications.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Summarizes focus areas for each state in the applications for the Rural Health Transformation Program and highlights common themes across all applications.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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State Awards From Most of the Rural Health Funds Could Vary Only Modestly Despite Large Differences in Rural Needs
Describes the estimated Rural Health Transformation Program funding distribution among the 50 states. Includes information on the potential allocation criteria for funding distributed based on state need. Notes plans for distributing funding in years 2 through 5 of the award.
Author(s): Zachary Levinson, Scott Hulver, Tricia Neuman
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Describes the estimated Rural Health Transformation Program funding distribution among the 50 states. Includes information on the potential allocation criteria for funding distributed based on state need. Notes plans for distributing funding in years 2 through 5 of the award.
Author(s): Zachary Levinson, Scott Hulver, Tricia Neuman
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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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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Investing in Primary Care: The Nurse Practitioner Will See You Now
Describes opportunities to support advancement of preparation and growth for nurse practitioners (NPs) to meet the population's primary care needs. Explores the importance of NPs in rural and underserved communities, and Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Author(s): Jessica McCann, Margaret Flinter
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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Describes opportunities to support advancement of preparation and growth for nurse practitioners (NPs) to meet the population's primary care needs. Explores the importance of NPs in rural and underserved communities, and Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Author(s): Jessica McCann, Margaret Flinter
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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Transforming Rural Health Care Through Medicaid Innovation: Tip Sheet Series
Informational tip sheets discussing the use of Medicaid innovations to assist states in creating their Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program applications. Covers issues such as behavioral health, school-based services, integrated care access, community health workers, community paramedicine, specialty care, and healthcare technology. Provides examples, strategies, Medicaid policy information, and resources.
Additional links: Improving Access to Integrated Care for Dually Eligible Individuals in Rural Areas, Leveraging Community Health Workers to Address Rural Health Care Needs, Leveraging Community Paramedicine to Address Rural Health Needs, Leveraging Peers and Lay Counselors to Address Behavioral Health Care Workforce Shortages in Rural Areas, Using Project ECHO to Deliver Specialty Care in Rural Areas, Using School-Based Services to Improve Access to Preventive Health Care for Children in Rural Areas, Using Tech-Enabled Solutions to Improve Care Quality and Access in Rural Areas
Author(s): Molly Knowles, Nancy Archibald, Karla Silverman, Lauren Scannelli Jacobs
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Informational tip sheets discussing the use of Medicaid innovations to assist states in creating their Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program applications. Covers issues such as behavioral health, school-based services, integrated care access, community health workers, community paramedicine, specialty care, and healthcare technology. Provides examples, strategies, Medicaid policy information, and resources.
Additional links: Improving Access to Integrated Care for Dually Eligible Individuals in Rural Areas, Leveraging Community Health Workers to Address Rural Health Care Needs, Leveraging Community Paramedicine to Address Rural Health Needs, Leveraging Peers and Lay Counselors to Address Behavioral Health Care Workforce Shortages in Rural Areas, Using Project ECHO to Deliver Specialty Care in Rural Areas, Using School-Based Services to Improve Access to Preventive Health Care for Children in Rural Areas, Using Tech-Enabled Solutions to Improve Care Quality and Access in Rural Areas
Author(s): Molly Knowles, Nancy Archibald, Karla Silverman, Lauren Scannelli Jacobs
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Supporting Rural Health Facilities
Discusses strategies pursued by states to strengthen the financial stability of rural hospitals and expand access to primary care, behavioral healthcare, and emergency care. Describes state policies related to technical assistance, financial stabilization grants, payment models, Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), health centers, Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs), and free-standing emergency departments.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
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Discusses strategies pursued by states to strengthen the financial stability of rural hospitals and expand access to primary care, behavioral healthcare, and emergency care. Describes state policies related to technical assistance, financial stabilization grants, payment models, Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), health centers, Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs), and free-standing emergency departments.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
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State Strategies for Strengthening Rural Health: Insights from NASHP's 2025 Annual Conference
Summarizes a session from the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) 2025 Annual Conference regarding state strategies to improve access to care in rural communities. Highlights policies from North Dakota, Washington, and West Virginia related to workforce and capacity challenges, broadband and telehealth, behavioral health access points, and linking health and social care.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Summarizes a session from the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) 2025 Annual Conference regarding state strategies to improve access to care in rural communities. Highlights policies from North Dakota, Washington, and West Virginia related to workforce and capacity challenges, broadband and telehealth, behavioral health access points, and linking health and social care.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Additional resources are available related to this guide. See the full list of resources by topic for:
Last Updated: 1/15/2026