Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access
Rural Beneficiary Access to Medicare Advantage-Part D Plans
Policy brief updating RUPRI's analysis of Medicare Advantage-Part D plans (MA-PDs) including enhanced benefit plan availability and differences in characteristics across metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore areas. Features statistics including number of MA-PDs and stand-alone prescription drug plans (PDPs), average monthly premium costs, and availability in metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore areas from 2008-2023.
Author(s): Edmer Lazaro, Dan M. Shane, Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Policy brief updating RUPRI's analysis of Medicare Advantage-Part D plans (MA-PDs) including enhanced benefit plan availability and differences in characteristics across metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore areas. Features statistics including number of MA-PDs and stand-alone prescription drug plans (PDPs), average monthly premium costs, and availability in metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore areas from 2008-2023.
Author(s): Edmer Lazaro, Dan M. Shane, Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Rural/Urban Differences in Health, Health Care Use, and Barriers to Care for Postpartum and Parenting Women, 2006-2018
Presents a study on rural and urban differences in access to and utilization of healthcare for postpartum or parenting women. Highlights barriers women parents face in accessing care and utilizing care that is available. Breaks down data by age of child, barriers to care, rural versus urban location, and compares rates for postpartum and parenting women to all women aged 18-49 by rurality.
Author(s): Julia D. Interrante, Clara E. Busse, Alyssa Fritz, et al.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Presents a study on rural and urban differences in access to and utilization of healthcare for postpartum or parenting women. Highlights barriers women parents face in accessing care and utilizing care that is available. Breaks down data by age of child, barriers to care, rural versus urban location, and compares rates for postpartum and parenting women to all women aged 18-49 by rurality.
Author(s): Julia D. Interrante, Clara E. Busse, Alyssa Fritz, et al.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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End-Stage Renal Disease Treatment Choices (ETC) Model: Third Annual Evaluation Report, Calendar Years 2021-2023
Evaluation of the End-Stage Renal Disease Treatment Choices (ETC) Model, incorporating analyses of home dialysis use, waitlisting for a kidney transplant, living donor and deceased donor transplantation, utilization of services, Medicare payments, and quality of care. Features results from interviews and surveys involving model participants and beneficiaries, and examines impacts of the first three years of the ETC Model, 2021-2023. Explores if the impacts of the ETC Model differed by patient subgroup, including rural residence.
Additional links: Appendices, Executive Summary, Findings at a Glance
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, The Lewin Group
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Evaluation of the End-Stage Renal Disease Treatment Choices (ETC) Model, incorporating analyses of home dialysis use, waitlisting for a kidney transplant, living donor and deceased donor transplantation, utilization of services, Medicare payments, and quality of care. Features results from interviews and surveys involving model participants and beneficiaries, and examines impacts of the first three years of the ETC Model, 2021-2023. Explores if the impacts of the ETC Model differed by patient subgroup, including rural residence.
Additional links: Appendices, Executive Summary, Findings at a Glance
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, The Lewin Group
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Supply, Distribution, and Access to Cardiologists, Oncologists, and Pulmonologists in the Rural and Urban U.S.
Describes the changes in the supply and demand of four specialists - cardiologists, neurologists, oncologists, and pulmonologists - between 2012 and 2022. Compares data on the ratio of these specialists per 100,000 population across urban, large rural, and small/isolated rural areas. Explores the socioeconomic characteristics of rural counties with and without one of these specialists in 2022. Summarizes perspectives of rural health system leaders on how specialty care is accessed by and delivered to rural patients.
Author(s): Signe Burchim, David Evans, Nathan Maris, et al.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Describes the changes in the supply and demand of four specialists - cardiologists, neurologists, oncologists, and pulmonologists - between 2012 and 2022. Compares data on the ratio of these specialists per 100,000 population across urban, large rural, and small/isolated rural areas. Explores the socioeconomic characteristics of rural counties with and without one of these specialists in 2022. Summarizes perspectives of rural health system leaders on how specialty care is accessed by and delivered to rural patients.
Author(s): Signe Burchim, David Evans, Nathan Maris, et al.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Growth of Health IT-Enabled Patient Engagement Capabilities Among U.S. Hospitals: 2021-2024
Describes hospital trends regarding the adoption of capabilities that enable patient access to their electronic health information, including the ability to view, download, transmit, and import data from other organizations into their patient portal; view clinical notes; and access information through apps between 2021-2024. Presents data and analysis by hospital type, including Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and rural hospitals, on the percent of hospitals that app-based and Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resource® (FHIR)-enabled patient engagement capabilities.
Author(s): Meghan Hufstader Gabriel, Chelsea Richwine, Priscilla Owusu-Mensah, Catherine Strawley
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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Describes hospital trends regarding the adoption of capabilities that enable patient access to their electronic health information, including the ability to view, download, transmit, and import data from other organizations into their patient portal; view clinical notes; and access information through apps between 2021-2024. Presents data and analysis by hospital type, including Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and rural hospitals, on the percent of hospitals that app-based and Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resource® (FHIR)-enabled patient engagement capabilities.
Author(s): Meghan Hufstader Gabriel, Chelsea Richwine, Priscilla Owusu-Mensah, Catherine Strawley
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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The Current Landscape of Rural, Remote, and Frontier Mental Health in America
Factsheet highlights a number factors in rural and frontier communities that affect mental health access. Discusses population-based considerations, barriers to access, and education and training.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Psychological Association
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Factsheet highlights a number factors in rural and frontier communities that affect mental health access. Discusses population-based considerations, barriers to access, and education and training.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Psychological Association
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NCHS Rapid Surveys System: GLP-1 Medication Access and Use
Interactive data showing access to and use of GLP-1 medications. Includes data breakdown by prescriber and various patient characteristics including urbanicity. Data gathered by the National Center for Health Statistics in July and August 2025.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Interactive data showing access to and use of GLP-1 medications. Includes data breakdown by prescriber and various patient characteristics including urbanicity. Data gathered by the National Center for Health Statistics in July and August 2025.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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An Examination of Geographic Proximity to Outpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation in Rural Versus Urban Tennessee Counties
Examines travel distance and time to outpatient cardiac rehabilitation (OCR) facilities in Tennessee counties. Provides rural versus urban comparisons of OCR facility access as well as county-level Tennessee maps showing myocardial infarction hospitalization rate and travel burden.
Author(s): Phoebe M. Tran, Benjamin Fogelson, Andrew B. Sorey, R. Eric Heidel, Raj Baljepally
Citation: Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 41(2), 120-124
Date: 07/2025
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Examines travel distance and time to outpatient cardiac rehabilitation (OCR) facilities in Tennessee counties. Provides rural versus urban comparisons of OCR facility access as well as county-level Tennessee maps showing myocardial infarction hospitalization rate and travel burden.
Author(s): Phoebe M. Tran, Benjamin Fogelson, Andrew B. Sorey, R. Eric Heidel, Raj Baljepally
Citation: Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 41(2), 120-124
Date: 07/2025
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Caregiving in the US: Rural Family Caregivers
A national profile of rural family caregivers and challenges they face. Offers data on living arrangements, access to affordable services, and employment.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organizations: AARP, National Alliance for Caregiving
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A national profile of rural family caregivers and challenges they face. Offers data on living arrangements, access to affordable services, and employment.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organizations: AARP, National Alliance for Caregiving
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Estimating County-Level Dental Care Utilization among Adults in California Using Multilevel Modeling with Raking Approach
Analyzes the accuracy and suitability of a small area estimation method combining multilevel modeling and raking for estimating county-level dental care utilization for adults in California, utilizing 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and American Community Survey data. Highlights the value of small area estimation methods for geographic areas with small sample sizes.
Author(s): Yilan Huang, Honghu Liu
Citation: Archives of Public Health, 83, 183
Date: 07/2025
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Analyzes the accuracy and suitability of a small area estimation method combining multilevel modeling and raking for estimating county-level dental care utilization for adults in California, utilizing 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and American Community Survey data. Highlights the value of small area estimation methods for geographic areas with small sample sizes.
Author(s): Yilan Huang, Honghu Liu
Citation: Archives of Public Health, 83, 183
Date: 07/2025
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