Rural Health Policy – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Health Policy.
Medicaid and Rural Health
Provides an overview of rural residents, including socioeconomic characteristics, insurance status, and health status. Explores the availability of healthcare providers in rural areas, with a focus on primary care providers and hospitals. Discusses the role of Medicaid in rural health, as well as Medicaid policies and services that are important for providing healthcare in rural communities.
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Provides an overview of rural residents, including socioeconomic characteristics, insurance status, and health status. Explores the availability of healthcare providers in rural areas, with a focus on primary care providers and hospitals. Discusses the role of Medicaid in rural health, as well as Medicaid policies and services that are important for providing healthcare in rural communities.
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Supporting and Sustaining Rural Hospitals
Describes state and federal actions to support and safeguard rural hospitals. Discusses appropriated funding opportunities for struggling hospitals, Medicaid coverage and eligibility, alternative payment models, and technical assistance programs.
Author(s): Noah Cruz
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
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Describes state and federal actions to support and safeguard rural hospitals. Discusses appropriated funding opportunities for struggling hospitals, Medicaid coverage and eligibility, alternative payment models, and technical assistance programs.
Author(s): Noah Cruz
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
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American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (P.L. 117-2): Private Health Insurance, Medicaid, CHIP, and Medicare Provisions
Provides an overview of the provisions of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 that relate to private health insurance, Medicaid, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Medicare. Includes information on provisions specific to rural providers.
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Provides an overview of the provisions of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 that relate to private health insurance, Medicaid, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Medicare. Includes information on provisions specific to rural providers.
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Determining Rural Communities: Current Changes and Updated Federal Program Eligibility
Presentation slides from a March 11, 2021, webinar discussing the various definitions of rural used by the federal government. Provides an overview of revisions to the eligibility for grant programs administered by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP), as well as a proposal from the U.S. Census Bureau to reclassify certain counties as rural. Describes implications for FORHP funding programs.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organizations: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
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Presentation slides from a March 11, 2021, webinar discussing the various definitions of rural used by the federal government. Provides an overview of revisions to the eligibility for grant programs administered by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP), as well as a proposal from the U.S. Census Bureau to reclassify certain counties as rural. Describes implications for FORHP funding programs.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organizations: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
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Geographic Expansion of Medicaid Managed Care Organizations: Assessing Access to Primary Care in Nonmetropolitan Counties
Presents a study on primary care access for Medicaid beneficiaries in nonmetropolitan counties who were enrolled through managed care organizations (MCOs) from 2012 to 2018. Details the level of access to primary care in the nonmetropolitan counties of 15 states and compares the rates of access for beneficiaries enrolled through MCOs established before 2012 and after 2012. Discusses findings and makes recommendations for policy makers.
Author(s): Linda Li, Matthew Najarian, Abigail R. Barker, et al.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Presents a study on primary care access for Medicaid beneficiaries in nonmetropolitan counties who were enrolled through managed care organizations (MCOs) from 2012 to 2018. Details the level of access to primary care in the nonmetropolitan counties of 15 states and compares the rates of access for beneficiaries enrolled through MCOs established before 2012 and after 2012. Discusses findings and makes recommendations for policy makers.
Author(s): Linda Li, Matthew Najarian, Abigail R. Barker, et al.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Advancing Population Health in Rural Places: Key Lessons and Policy Opportunities
Discussion of topics including strategies to incorporate population health into rural health, how collaboration can help rural hospitals address population health issues, how rural healthcare systems can gain community support for population activities, and ways in which the rural healthcare workforce can be involved in population health. Examines various demonstration projects with roots in the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller, Delaney P. Bounds, Andrew F. Coburn, et al.
Date: 01/2021
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Discussion of topics including strategies to incorporate population health into rural health, how collaboration can help rural hospitals address population health issues, how rural healthcare systems can gain community support for population activities, and ways in which the rural healthcare workforce can be involved in population health. Examines various demonstration projects with roots in the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller, Delaney P. Bounds, Andrew F. Coburn, et al.
Date: 01/2021
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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How Evidence-based Is US Dental Workforce Policy for Rural Communities?
Examines the alignment of policy and infrastructure with evidence-based strategies to promote access to oral health services for rural people. Focuses on best practices as well as barriers and facilitators to implementation of workforce strategies to increase the availability of services. Presents a scoping review of the evidence behind key strategies in the U.S. health policy context.
Author(s): Miranda Werts, Ginachukwa Amah, Elizabeth Mertz
Date: 09/2020
Sponsoring organization: Oral Health Workforce Research Center
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Examines the alignment of policy and infrastructure with evidence-based strategies to promote access to oral health services for rural people. Focuses on best practices as well as barriers and facilitators to implementation of workforce strategies to increase the availability of services. Presents a scoping review of the evidence behind key strategies in the U.S. health policy context.
Author(s): Miranda Werts, Ginachukwa Amah, Elizabeth Mertz
Date: 09/2020
Sponsoring organization: Oral Health Workforce Research Center
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Left Out: Barriers to Health Equity for Rural and Underserved Communities
Summarizes responses to a Request for Information from the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee's Rural and Underserved Communities Health Task Force. Describes factors contributing to healthcare challenges in rural areas, including demographics, social and structural determinants of health, insurance coverage, access to care, and workforce shortages. Highlights promising models of healthcare delivery in rural areas. Includes state-by-state health equity maps.
Additional links: State and Territory Health Equity Maps, Summary
Date: 07/2020
Sponsoring organization: House Ways and Means Committee
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Summarizes responses to a Request for Information from the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee's Rural and Underserved Communities Health Task Force. Describes factors contributing to healthcare challenges in rural areas, including demographics, social and structural determinants of health, insurance coverage, access to care, and workforce shortages. Highlights promising models of healthcare delivery in rural areas. Includes state-by-state health equity maps.
Additional links: State and Territory Health Equity Maps, Summary
Date: 07/2020
Sponsoring organization: House Ways and Means Committee
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State Rural Health Transformation Programs and Applications
A collection of state Rural Health Transformation Program project narratives, summaries, and related information.
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A collection of state Rural Health Transformation Program project narratives, summaries, and related information.
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Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program
Provides an overview of the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program. Includes information on the strategic goals of the program, program structure, approved uses of funds, eligibility, and application timeline.
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program. Includes information on the strategic goals of the program, program structure, approved uses of funds, eligibility, and application timeline.
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Last Updated: 2/18/2026