Rural Health
Resources by Topic: State-by-state data
Pain in the Nation 2026: The Epidemics of Alcohol, Drug, and Suicide Deaths
Report focuses on alcohol, drug, and mortality statistics and trends, with a special feature on suicide and well-being in the United States. Includes data on substance use and mortality, with U.S. maps showing overdose and suicide rates, breakdowns according to metro versus nonmetro location, and state-by-state statistical trends. Provides policy recommendations to address substance use and offers examples from rural areas.
Author(s): Molly Warren, Lauren Battle
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Trust for America's Health
view details
Report focuses on alcohol, drug, and mortality statistics and trends, with a special feature on suicide and well-being in the United States. Includes data on substance use and mortality, with U.S. maps showing overdose and suicide rates, breakdowns according to metro versus nonmetro location, and state-by-state statistical trends. Provides policy recommendations to address substance use and offers examples from rural areas.
Author(s): Molly Warren, Lauren Battle
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Trust for America's Health
view details
MBQIP Quality Measures National Annual Report - 2024
Summarizes quality measure reporting rates and performance among Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in 2024. Presents data on the five Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) domains: global measures, patient safety, patient engagement, care coordination, and emergency department.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
view details
Summarizes quality measure reporting rates and performance among Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in 2024. Presents data on the five Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) domains: global measures, patient safety, patient engagement, care coordination, and emergency department.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
view details
The 2025 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress
Presents a point-in-time estimate of the number of people experiencing sheltered and unsheltered homelessness in January 2025. Explores national estimates on homeless individuals, families, unaccompanied youth, veterans, and chronically homeless individuals. Provides data on homelessness trends over time, demographics of homeless individuals, sheltered individuals, and differences by geography.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
view details
Presents a point-in-time estimate of the number of people experiencing sheltered and unsheltered homelessness in January 2025. Explores national estimates on homeless individuals, families, unaccompanied youth, veterans, and chronically homeless individuals. Provides data on homelessness trends over time, demographics of homeless individuals, sheltered individuals, and differences by geography.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
view details
CAH Financial Indicators Report: Summary of Indicator Medians by State
Presents state and national median values of 30 financial indicators included in the Critical Access Hospital Measurement and Performance Assessment System (CAHMPAS). Provides an overview of each measurement and reports median values by state. Indicators represent seven areas of financial performance: profitability, liquidity, capital structure, revenue, cost, utilization, and other.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
view details
Presents state and national median values of 30 financial indicators included in the Critical Access Hospital Measurement and Performance Assessment System (CAHMPAS). Provides an overview of each measurement and reports median values by state. Indicators represent seven areas of financial performance: profitability, liquidity, capital structure, revenue, cost, utilization, and other.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
view details
Geographic Variation in Average Salary Expense Among Rural Hospitals Nationwide, 2018–2022
Examines the change in hospital wages between 2018–2019 and 2021–2022, with a focus on the geographic variation in these changes among Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and rural Prospective Payment System (PPS) hospitals. Describes the variation in average salary expense per full-time equivalent (FTE) employee for rural hospitals from 2018 to 2022. Appendices include the median salary expense per FTE of rural hospitals each year by U.S. Census region, state Medicaid expansion status, Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA), Frontier and Remote Area (FAR) code, and by state.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
view details
Examines the change in hospital wages between 2018–2019 and 2021–2022, with a focus on the geographic variation in these changes among Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and rural Prospective Payment System (PPS) hospitals. Describes the variation in average salary expense per full-time equivalent (FTE) employee for rural hospitals from 2018 to 2022. Appendices include the median salary expense per FTE of rural hospitals each year by U.S. Census region, state Medicaid expansion status, Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA), Frontier and Remote Area (FAR) code, and by state.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
view details
Value-based Payment Strategies Used by Medicaid Managed Care Organizations
Presents findings from a review of 36 state Medicaid program websites that detail value-based payment (VBP) strategies deployed by state-contracted Managed Care Organizations (MCO). Describes how Medicaid MCOs approach VBP strategies and implications for rural healthcare providers and organizations.
Additional links: Appendix: State Medicaid Programs with VBP Elements
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
view details
Presents findings from a review of 36 state Medicaid program websites that detail value-based payment (VBP) strategies deployed by state-contracted Managed Care Organizations (MCO). Describes how Medicaid MCOs approach VBP strategies and implications for rural healthcare providers and organizations.
Additional links: Appendix: State Medicaid Programs with VBP Elements
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
view details
A Roadmap for Building and Implementing a Comprehensive State Graduate Medical Education Strategy: Actionable Steps to Align Investments with Workforce Needs
Offers an evidence-based framework that organizes a graduate medical education (GME) growth strategy into 5 stages. Can be used as part of federal Rural Health Transformation Program activities to strengthen workforce recruitment and retention and to improve healthcare access in rural areas. Table 1 shows state GME models and technical assistance initiatives.
Author(s): Lori Rodefeld, Emily M. Hawes, Raquel Davis, et al.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
view details
Offers an evidence-based framework that organizes a graduate medical education (GME) growth strategy into 5 stages. Can be used as part of federal Rural Health Transformation Program activities to strengthen workforce recruitment and retention and to improve healthcare access in rural areas. Table 1 shows state GME models and technical assistance initiatives.
Author(s): Lori Rodefeld, Emily M. Hawes, Raquel Davis, et al.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
view details
Ambulance Deserts and Health Care Deserts
Story maps illustrating the intersection of ambulance deserts and rural healthcare deserts in 2020 across 41 states. Maps include the locations of hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Presents data on the number and percent of rural residents living in ambulance deserts and healthcare deserts in each state and by region. Builds on a 2023 chartbook, Ambulance Deserts: Geographic Disparities in the Provision of Ambulance Services.
Author(s): Yvonne Jonk, Tyler DeAngelis, Celia Jewell, Thomas Griffin, Heidi O'Connor
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Northeast Rural Health Research Center
view details
Story maps illustrating the intersection of ambulance deserts and rural healthcare deserts in 2020 across 41 states. Maps include the locations of hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Presents data on the number and percent of rural residents living in ambulance deserts and healthcare deserts in each state and by region. Builds on a 2023 chartbook, Ambulance Deserts: Geographic Disparities in the Provision of Ambulance Services.
Author(s): Yvonne Jonk, Tyler DeAngelis, Celia Jewell, Thomas Griffin, Heidi O'Connor
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Northeast Rural Health Research Center
view details
Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Medicare Advantage Enrollment 2025
Describes the percentage of rural and urban Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans between 2021-2025. Presents data on the changes in MA penetration rates in urban and rural counties during this time. Includes data on MA penetration rates in 2025 in urban and rural counties by state.
Author(s): Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
view details
Describes the percentage of rural and urban Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans between 2021-2025. Presents data on the changes in MA penetration rates in urban and rural counties during this time. Includes data on MA penetration rates in 2025 in urban and rural counties by state.
Author(s): Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
view details
Home Health Care Chartbook 2025
Provides an overview of home health, including patient demographics and clinical profiles, organizational trends, the economic contribution of home health agencies, and patient outcomes. Includes charts and graphs throughout, as well as state-by-state data. Slide 11 highlights the rural-urban distribution of home health users.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organizations: KNG Health Consulting, National Alliance for Care at Home, Research Institute for Home Care
view details
Provides an overview of home health, including patient demographics and clinical profiles, organizational trends, the economic contribution of home health agencies, and patient outcomes. Includes charts and graphs throughout, as well as state-by-state data. Slide 11 highlights the rural-urban distribution of home health users.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organizations: KNG Health Consulting, National Alliance for Care at Home, Research Institute for Home Care
view details