Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
A Chartbook on the Characteristics and Needs of Frontier Critical Access Hospitals
Summarizes findings from a 2025 national survey of executives from 117 Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in frontier counties. Includes data on the distribution and characteristics of frontier CAHs. Identifies themes related to financial and operational challenges, service availability, and access to care in frontier settings.
Author(s): John A. Gale, Rebecca Stearns, Zachariah Croll, Jayne Foley
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Summarizes findings from a 2025 national survey of executives from 117 Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in frontier counties. Includes data on the distribution and characteristics of frontier CAHs. Identifies themes related to financial and operational challenges, service availability, and access to care in frontier settings.
Author(s): John A. Gale, Rebecca Stearns, Zachariah Croll, Jayne Foley
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Rural-Urban Trends in Pediatric Emergency Department Visits for Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions from 2016-2019
Examines trends in pediatric emergency department visits for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs), including gastroenteritis, urinary tract infection, asthma, and diabetes, and discusses the role of primary care access in reducing ACSC-related hospitalizations. Provides data breakdowns by level of rurality and year, race and ethnicity, and health condition using 2016-2019 State Emergency Department Databases (SEDD) data.
Author(s): Marvellous Akinlotan, Nima Khodakarami, Alva O. Ferdinand
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Southwest Rural Health Research Center
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Examines trends in pediatric emergency department visits for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs), including gastroenteritis, urinary tract infection, asthma, and diabetes, and discusses the role of primary care access in reducing ACSC-related hospitalizations. Provides data breakdowns by level of rurality and year, race and ethnicity, and health condition using 2016-2019 State Emergency Department Databases (SEDD) data.
Author(s): Marvellous Akinlotan, Nima Khodakarami, Alva O. Ferdinand
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Southwest Rural Health Research Center
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Federal Credit Assistance and Grant Programs for Rural Businesses
Provides an overview of selected federal credit assistance and grant programs that support rural businesses. Covers programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA), as well as the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC).
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Provides an overview of selected federal credit assistance and grant programs that support rural businesses. Covers programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA), as well as the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC).
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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The 10-20-30 Provision: Defining Persistent Poverty Counties
Defines persistent poverty counties. Discusses how differences in definitions and data can affect which counties are considered persistently poor and includes a map highlighting the impact of different rounding methods. Briefly addresses legislation targeting persistent poverty counties using the "10-20-30 provision," including rural development funding. Table 3 lists persistent poverty counties based on data from the 1993 Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE), Census 2000, and the 2024 SAIPE.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Defines persistent poverty counties. Discusses how differences in definitions and data can affect which counties are considered persistently poor and includes a map highlighting the impact of different rounding methods. Briefly addresses legislation targeting persistent poverty counties using the "10-20-30 provision," including rural development funding. Table 3 lists persistent poverty counties based on data from the 1993 Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE), Census 2000, and the 2024 SAIPE.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Health Panel Comment Letter - Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027; and Basic Health Program
Offers comments in response to a February 11, 2026, proposed rule regarding methods to improve the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Discusses rural-specific issues related to cost sharing for bronze and catastrophic plans.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Offers comments in response to a February 11, 2026, proposed rule regarding methods to improve the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Discusses rural-specific issues related to cost sharing for bronze and catastrophic plans.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Hunger Doesn't Take a Vacation: The Reach of Summer Meals
Examines utilization of federal summer nutrition programs for children in 2024. Provides statistics on summer meals and information on the impact of the Rural Non-Congregate Option legislation implemented in Summer 2024.
Author(s): K. Boone, C. Hayes
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Food Research & Action Center
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Examines utilization of federal summer nutrition programs for children in 2024. Provides statistics on summer meals and information on the impact of the Rural Non-Congregate Option legislation implemented in Summer 2024.
Author(s): K. Boone, C. Hayes
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Food Research & Action Center
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Understanding Upcoming Deadlines of New Section 504 Requirements
Recording of a March 30, 2026, webinar reviewing updates to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, titled "Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance," that take effect for Medicare and Medicaid providers, including Rural Health Clinics, in summer 2026. Describes new requirements for the accessibility of medical treatment, kiosks, web content, mobile applications, medical equipment and facilities, and more. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Recording of a March 30, 2026, webinar reviewing updates to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, titled "Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance," that take effect for Medicare and Medicaid providers, including Rural Health Clinics, in summer 2026. Describes new requirements for the accessibility of medical treatment, kiosks, web content, mobile applications, medical equipment and facilities, and more. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Environmental Risk Factors and Iowa's Cancer Crisis: A 2026 Report
Reports on environmental factors influencing the high incidence of cancer in Iowa, including detailed discussion on cancer risks related to pesticides, PFAS, nitrates, radon, and other topics related to agricultural and industrial safety. Provides recommendations for strengthening environmental health in agricultural policy.
Author(s): Colleen Fowle, Sarah Howe, Kerri Johannsen, et al.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Iowa Environmental Council, The Harkin Institute
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Reports on environmental factors influencing the high incidence of cancer in Iowa, including detailed discussion on cancer risks related to pesticides, PFAS, nitrates, radon, and other topics related to agricultural and industrial safety. Provides recommendations for strengthening environmental health in agricultural policy.
Author(s): Colleen Fowle, Sarah Howe, Kerri Johannsen, et al.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Iowa Environmental Council, The Harkin Institute
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Strengthening the Rural Health Workforce
Discusses legislation passed by state legislatures to address rural healthcare workforce challenges. Describes policies related to measuring the health workforce, encouraging rural practice, enhancing access to specialty care, and retaining rural healthcare professionals.
Author(s): Kelsie George
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
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Discusses legislation passed by state legislatures to address rural healthcare workforce challenges. Describes policies related to measuring the health workforce, encouraging rural practice, enhancing access to specialty care, and retaining rural healthcare professionals.
Author(s): Kelsie George
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
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Increasing Access to Oral Health Care in Rural Communities
Describes strategies states are implementing to meet the oral health needs of their rural communities. Covers initiatives related to telehealth, expanding the dental workforce, medical-dental integration, as well as initiatives proposed as part of state Rural Health Transformation Program applications.
Author(s): Megan D'Alessandro, Katie Greene
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Describes strategies states are implementing to meet the oral health needs of their rural communities. Covers initiatives related to telehealth, expanding the dental workforce, medical-dental integration, as well as initiatives proposed as part of state Rural Health Transformation Program applications.
Author(s): Megan D'Alessandro, Katie Greene
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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