Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
Time to Build: How Do We Develop More (Affordable) Housing in Rural America?
Provides discussion on housing policy, statistics on rural housing supply, and potential solutions to provide more rural housing options, such as utilizing public lands, manufactured homes, and more. Includes county-level data on housing unit changes and metro versus nonmetro trends in new single family homes.
Additional links: Housing Unit Change, 2013-2023 Infographic
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Housing Assistance Council
view details
Provides discussion on housing policy, statistics on rural housing supply, and potential solutions to provide more rural housing options, such as utilizing public lands, manufactured homes, and more. Includes county-level data on housing unit changes and metro versus nonmetro trends in new single family homes.
Additional links: Housing Unit Change, 2013-2023 Infographic
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Housing Assistance Council
view details
On Demand: Mark Holmes on Public Policy, Health Care Financing and Rural Places
A recorded webinar featuring Mark Holmes, Director of the University of North Carolina (UNC) Sheps Center for Health Services Research. Focuses on public policy, research and data, and rural healthcare financing.
Author(s): Mark Holmes, Wyatt Beckman
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Kansas Health Institute
view details
A recorded webinar featuring Mark Holmes, Director of the University of North Carolina (UNC) Sheps Center for Health Services Research. Focuses on public policy, research and data, and rural healthcare financing.
Author(s): Mark Holmes, Wyatt Beckman
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Kansas Health Institute
view details
Positive Outliers: How Some Rural Communities Maintain Access to Labor and Delivery Services
Explores healthcare providers' approaches to ensuring maternal care access in rural Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Mississippi. Provides case studies on the role of rural hospitals and clinics in providing labor and delivery services, discusses financial and logistical challenges faced by providers, and details funding, policy, and service delivery strategies supporting continued access.
Author(s): Sarah Klein, Molly Castle Work
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Bassett Research Institute, Commonwealth Fund
view details
Explores healthcare providers' approaches to ensuring maternal care access in rural Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Mississippi. Provides case studies on the role of rural hospitals and clinics in providing labor and delivery services, discusses financial and logistical challenges faced by providers, and details funding, policy, and service delivery strategies supporting continued access.
Author(s): Sarah Klein, Molly Castle Work
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Bassett Research Institute, Commonwealth Fund
view details
State Strategies for the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP): A Milbank State Leadership Network Convening Recap
Summarizes discussions held by representatives from 24 states regarding opportunities and strategies related to the federal Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program and identifies areas for priority action. Includes links to resources shared during the discussions.
Author(s): Sofia Espinosa, Mary Louise Gilburg, Morgan McDonald
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
view details
Summarizes discussions held by representatives from 24 states regarding opportunities and strategies related to the federal Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program and identifies areas for priority action. Includes links to resources shared during the discussions.
Author(s): Sofia Espinosa, Mary Louise Gilburg, Morgan McDonald
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
view details
Calendar Year (CY) 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule (CMS-1832-F)
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare payments under the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and other Medicare Part B issues for calendar year 2026. Summarizes provisions related to telehealth services; improving care for chronic illness and behavioral health needs; Rural Health Clinic (RHC) and Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) care coordination services, services requiring direct supervision, and telecommunication services; and more.
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
view details
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare payments under the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and other Medicare Part B issues for calendar year 2026. Summarizes provisions related to telehealth services; improving care for chronic illness and behavioral health needs; Rural Health Clinic (RHC) and Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) care coordination services, services requiring direct supervision, and telecommunication services; and more.
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
view details
Rural Health Transformation Program: Themes Emerging From Stakeholder Input
Describes themes from the stakeholder engagement efforts of five states - Alaska, California, Georgia, North Dakota, and Washington - regarding the Rural Health Transformation Program and application. Discusses modernizing care delivery, leveraging data and technology, investing in workforce development, financial stability and long-term sustainability, and prioritizing population health.
Author(s): Rebecca Lopez, Heather Howard, Jamila McLean
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: State Health & Value Strategies
view details
Describes themes from the stakeholder engagement efforts of five states - Alaska, California, Georgia, North Dakota, and Washington - regarding the Rural Health Transformation Program and application. Discusses modernizing care delivery, leveraging data and technology, investing in workforce development, financial stability and long-term sustainability, and prioritizing population health.
Author(s): Rebecca Lopez, Heather Howard, Jamila McLean
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: State Health & Value Strategies
view details
State Telehealth Laws and Reimbursement Policies Report, Fall 2025
Provides an overview of state telehealth policies as of early September 2025. Covers Medicaid reimbursement, private payer laws, and professional requirements.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Infographic, State Summary Chart
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
view details
Provides an overview of state telehealth policies as of early September 2025. Covers Medicaid reimbursement, private payer laws, and professional requirements.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Infographic, State Summary Chart
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
view details
Lost Opportunity: Afterschool in Demand, But Out of Reach for Many
Provides information about afterschool programs and their demand, affordability, accessibility, and availability. Discusses benefits of afterschool programs and policy to support them. Includes rural, suburban, and urban comparisons related to program enrollment and perceived benefits.
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Afterschool Alliance
view details
Provides information about afterschool programs and their demand, affordability, accessibility, and availability. Discusses benefits of afterschool programs and policy to support them. Includes rural, suburban, and urban comparisons related to program enrollment and perceived benefits.
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Afterschool Alliance
view details
Older Americans Act: Greatest Economic and Social Needs of Rural Older Adults
Policy brief discussing the economic and social needs for rural older adults. Offers policy and action recommendations for the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act, discussing rural aging programs, affordable housing, access to nutrition, social isolation, healthcare workforce shortages, and caregiver support.
Author(s): Kathy Greenlee, Abby Cox, L. Carter Florence, Josh Protas, and Rebecca Yeboah
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
view details
Policy brief discussing the economic and social needs for rural older adults. Offers policy and action recommendations for the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act, discussing rural aging programs, affordable housing, access to nutrition, social isolation, healthcare workforce shortages, and caregiver support.
Author(s): Kathy Greenlee, Abby Cox, L. Carter Florence, Josh Protas, and Rebecca Yeboah
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
view details
Rural Transformation Program State Legislative Resources
Provides an overview of the Rural Health Transformation Program, including how states approached seeking public input for the application. Describes how states have successfully implemented policies related to the allowable uses of Rural Health Transformation Program funds.
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
view details
Provides an overview of the Rural Health Transformation Program, including how states approached seeking public input for the application. Describes how states have successfully implemented policies related to the allowable uses of Rural Health Transformation Program funds.
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
view details