Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy

Rural Health Transformation Program: State Focus on Aging
Describes aging-related initiatives addressed in state Rural Health Transformation Program applications.
Author(s): Ella Taggart
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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WIC Participant and Local Agency Staff Perspectives on Increased Cash-Value Benefits for Fruits and Vegetables Within an American Indian Tribal Organization
Explores the perceived impacts of increased cash-value benefits for fruits and vegetables through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program of Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in tribal communities associated with the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona. Bases findings on a survey of participants and staff on their perceptions about the increase and its effect on their ability to access a more nutritious diet.
Author(s): Emily M Melnick, Francesco Acciai, Nicole Vaudrin O'Reilly, et al.
Citation: Maternal & Child Nutrition, 22(1), e70148
Date: 03/2026
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Multidimensional Approaches to Ranking State-Level Rurality to Enhance Comparisons Across States
Provides a rurality index for all 50 U.S. states, utilizing measures of rural population percentage, rural land area percentage, and rural population density. Discusses the need for a multidimensional measure of rurality to provide an accurate tool for health policy research.
Author(s): Daniel Baslock, Nari Yoo
Citation: The Milbank Quarterly: A Multidisciplinary Journal of Population and Health Policy, 140(1), 136-152
Date: 03/2026
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Medicare Learning Network: Hospital Price Transparency
Contains information on federal hospital price transparency regulations and compliance, what patients need to know, and a list of helpful websites.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Analysis of 340B Program Impact on Rural Hospitals
Examines the impact of the 340B program on rural hospitals and their patients. Provides data on rural versus urban payers and patient demographics, utilization of 340B drugs under Medicare Part B, financial metrics, and more.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Avalere Health, The National Grange
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Consensus-Based Entity 2025 Annual Report to Congress and the Secretary of Health and Human Services
Summarizes the work of Battelle's Partnership for Quality Measurement (PQM) to measure healthcare quality in 2025. Includes references to rural and low-volume settings throughout.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Partnership for Quality Measurement
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Progress Towards Vitality: A Review of Maternal Health Financing Mechanisms in Georgia
Reports on maternal health financing in Georgia and outlines a variety of federal, state, local, and private sources of funding. Examines how funding and reimbursement influences maternal healthcare delivery, details program models, and presents recommendations for policymakers, funders, and providers. Discusses rural areas throughout.
Author(s): Elizabeth Murphy, Shalanda Henderson, Shannon Raines, Nannette Beckley, Meaghan Hunt
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Georgia Health Initiative, NORC at the University of Chicago
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Examination of Driver License Renewal Policies and Older Driver Crash and Injury Rates by Rurality
Examines the impact of driver license renewal policies on older adult motor-vehicle safety. Utilizes 2000-2019 crash data and license renewal policies to analyze crash and driver injury rates according to driver age, state, injury severity, license renewal restrictiveness, rural versus urban residence, and more.
Author(s): Cara J. Hamann, Jonathan A. Davis, Gilsu Pae, et al.
Citation: Journal of Safety Research, 96, 357-362
Date: 02/2026
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Looking Ahead: FY 2026 Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Preview Webinar
Webinar recording featuring speakers from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) sharing an overview of their 2026 priorities. It covers planned competitive community-based funding opportunities, resources, and opportunities to improve rural health related to healthcare workforce, behavioral health, healthcare network development, and more.
Additional links: Audio Recording, Webinar Slides
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy
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Study of the Feasibility and Desirability of Establishing a Delinquent Billing Reimbursement Grant System for Ambulance Service Providers - Survey Results & Overview
Presents a the results of a study on the feasibility of implementing a grant-funded reimbursement system for ambulance service providers in North Dakota. Explores the financial stability of North Dakota's EMS providers under the fee-for-service model and highlights gaps and shortfalls in reimbursement. Discusses the effect of these reimbursement issues in both rural and urban areas.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organizations: North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, North Dakota EMS Association, North Dakota Legislative Council
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