Rural Health Policy – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Health Policy.
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
view details
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
view details
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
view details
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
view details
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
view details
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
view details
State Rural Health Transformation Program Applications
A collection of state Rural Health Transformation Program project narratives, summaries, and related information.
view details
A collection of state Rural Health Transformation Program project narratives, summaries, and related information.
view details
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
view details
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
view details
HHS OIG Recommendations Tracker
Lists recommendations identified by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) to improve U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) programs. Recommendations can be filtered by agency, issue area, target group, financial group, and more. Updated monthly.
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
view details
Lists recommendations identified by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) to improve U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) programs. Recommendations can be filtered by agency, issue area, target group, financial group, and more. Updated monthly.
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
view details
Toward Racial Equity & Rural Prosperity: Legal & Policy Resources for Rural Communities
Resources for local and state policymakers discussing inequity in rural communities for Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC). Includes resources for policymaking, water access, housing, and broadband.
Sponsoring organization: ChangeLab Solutions
view details
Resources for local and state policymakers discussing inequity in rural communities for Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC). Includes resources for policymaking, water access, housing, and broadband.
Sponsoring organization: ChangeLab Solutions
view details
Health Costs, Coverage and Delivery State Legislation Database
Identifies enacted state legislation addressing healthcare costs, access, and health system efficiencies. Topics covered include alternative payment methods, health insurance marketplaces, health system consolidation and competition, Medicaid reforms, price transparency, surprise billing, and telehealth. Searchable by state, topic, keyword, year, status, and primary sponsor. Updated every two weeks, with information on legislation starting in 2022.
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
view details
Identifies enacted state legislation addressing healthcare costs, access, and health system efficiencies. Topics covered include alternative payment methods, health insurance marketplaces, health system consolidation and competition, Medicaid reforms, price transparency, surprise billing, and telehealth. Searchable by state, topic, keyword, year, status, and primary sponsor. Updated every two weeks, with information on legislation starting in 2022.
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
view details
Pennsylvania Rural Health Model
Provides information on a joint CMS and the Pennsylvania Department of Health model designed to improve the financial viability of rural Pennsylvania hospitals and reduce the growth of hospital expenditures across payers, including Medicare. Includes information on participating hospitals and details about the performance period and model targets. Concluded December 31, 2024.
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
view details
Provides information on a joint CMS and the Pennsylvania Department of Health model designed to improve the financial viability of rural Pennsylvania hospitals and reduce the growth of hospital expenditures across payers, including Medicare. Includes information on participating hospitals and details about the performance period and model targets. Concluded December 31, 2024.
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
view details
CMS Open Door Forum Podcast and Transcripts
Provides audio recordings and transcripts of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Open Door Forum calls since January 2020, including the Rural Health Open Door Forums.
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
view details
Provides audio recordings and transcripts of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Open Door Forum calls since January 2020, including the Rural Health Open Door Forums.
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
view details
Additional resources are available related to this guide. See the full list of resources by topic for:
Last Updated: 12/29/2025