Rural Health
Resources by Type: Document
Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS): Eligibility and Participation in the 2026 Performance Year
Provides an overview of the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) eligibility criteria. Addresses calculation of the low-volume threshold exclusion at the individual and group levels, opt-in and voluntary reporting options, and the impact of special status designations such as rural and small practices.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) eligibility criteria. Addresses calculation of the low-volume threshold exclusion at the individual and group levels, opt-in and voluntary reporting options, and the impact of special status designations such as rural and small practices.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Cardiovascular Mortality Risk After Cancer Diagnosis by County‐Level Characteristics in the United States 2000–2021
Examines how cardiovascular disease mortality among cancer survivors differs by county rural or urban status, persistent poverty, and racial composition, using 2000-2021 SEER 17 Registries data.
Author(s): Yenan Zhu, Ryan Suk, Yueh‐Yun Lin, Young‐Rock Hong, Beth Virnig
Citation: Cancer Medicine, 15(3), e71675
Date: 02/2026
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Examines how cardiovascular disease mortality among cancer survivors differs by county rural or urban status, persistent poverty, and racial composition, using 2000-2021 SEER 17 Registries data.
Author(s): Yenan Zhu, Ryan Suk, Yueh‐Yun Lin, Young‐Rock Hong, Beth Virnig
Citation: Cancer Medicine, 15(3), e71675
Date: 02/2026
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Expanding Behavioral Health Teams in Care Deserts With Community Health Workers and Peer Support Specialists
Report explores the role community health workers can play in expanding behavioral health access to rural areas and care deserts. Highlights how community health workers can support behavioral health access through outreach activities, serving as community liaisons, screening for behavioral health concerns, and providing community education, among other measures.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Report explores the role community health workers can play in expanding behavioral health access to rural areas and care deserts. Highlights how community health workers can support behavioral health access through outreach activities, serving as community liaisons, screening for behavioral health concerns, and providing community education, among other measures.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Trends and Inequities in Peptic Ulcer Mortality Across the United States, 1999–2023
Examines peptic ulcer disease (PUD) mortality across demographic groups and rural versus urban location. Utilizes 1999-2023 CDC WONDER data and analyzes mortality according to year of death, type of ulcer, demographic variables, and metro versus nonmetro location.
Author(s): Xiaoming Lin, Shuai Wang, Yunan Guan, Helei Wang
Citation: BMC Gastroenterology, 26, 174
Date: 02/2026
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Examines peptic ulcer disease (PUD) mortality across demographic groups and rural versus urban location. Utilizes 1999-2023 CDC WONDER data and analyzes mortality according to year of death, type of ulcer, demographic variables, and metro versus nonmetro location.
Author(s): Xiaoming Lin, Shuai Wang, Yunan Guan, Helei Wang
Citation: BMC Gastroenterology, 26, 174
Date: 02/2026
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Demographic and Geographic Heterogeneity in Tongue Cancer Mortality in the United States, 1999–2020
Analyzes trends in tongue cancer mortality rates by sex, race or ethnicity, rurality, and more, using 1999-2020 CDC WONDER data. See Table 1 and Figure 1 for rural-urban comparison data.
Author(s): Aifeng Gong, Hengfa Ge, Chenchen Yang
Citation: Risk Management and Healthcare Policy, 19
Date: 02/2026
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Analyzes trends in tongue cancer mortality rates by sex, race or ethnicity, rurality, and more, using 1999-2020 CDC WONDER data. See Table 1 and Figure 1 for rural-urban comparison data.
Author(s): Aifeng Gong, Hengfa Ge, Chenchen Yang
Citation: Risk Management and Healthcare Policy, 19
Date: 02/2026
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2024 Indiana Pharmacist Health Workforce Data Report
Provides an overview of the pharmacist healthcare workforce in Indiana as of 2024, with a focus on total licenses, employment status and practice location, workforce demographics, practice characteristics, and more. Includes county-level data on geographic distribution of pharmacists as well as population per pharmacist ratios.
Additional links: Workforce Brief
Author(s): Cleveland Dietz, Sierra Vaughn, Brittany Daulton
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy
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Provides an overview of the pharmacist healthcare workforce in Indiana as of 2024, with a focus on total licenses, employment status and practice location, workforce demographics, practice characteristics, and more. Includes county-level data on geographic distribution of pharmacists as well as population per pharmacist ratios.
Additional links: Workforce Brief
Author(s): Cleveland Dietz, Sierra Vaughn, Brittany Daulton
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy
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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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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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Scaling Medical-Dental Integration Nationally: Outcomes from the MORE Care Initiative
Presents a study evaluating the implementation of the MORE Care initiative, an oral health integration model, into six rural counties in Ohio. Details the outcomes of the two year pilot program, including oral health assessments, fluoride varnish, and dental referral systems implemented into primary care practices.
Author(s): Matthew Vermillion, Christine Kanan, Caroline McLeod, Caroline McLeod, et al.
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 14
Date: 02/2026
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Presents a study evaluating the implementation of the MORE Care initiative, an oral health integration model, into six rural counties in Ohio. Details the outcomes of the two year pilot program, including oral health assessments, fluoride varnish, and dental referral systems implemented into primary care practices.
Author(s): Matthew Vermillion, Christine Kanan, Caroline McLeod, Caroline McLeod, et al.
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 14
Date: 02/2026
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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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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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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
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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
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