CMS to Celebrate the Power of Rural

Rural communities face their own unique challenges when it comes to accessing and receiving quality health care.

Approximately 60 million Americans live in rural areas, with nearly every state having at least one rural county. Research has shown that rural Americans are disproportionately affected by certain health conditions compared to their urban counterparts due to factors such as:

  • lack of access to quality health care
  • increased likelihood of being uninsured or underinsured
  • higher rates of poverty
  • increased likelihood to live further away from health services
  • lack of access to internet. 

Moreover, with the current COVID-19 pandemic, rural populations have been disproportionately impacted by the virus due to issues with accessing quality care.

National Rural Health Day provides an opportunity for CMS OMH to recognize our partners who provide quality care to the nearly one in five Americans who reside in rural communities.

View the resources below to learn more about the unique health needs of patients in rural communities and to download resources you can include in your programs. 

Resources

Contact RuralHealth@cms.hhs.gov for any questions or inquiries related to rural health policies and programs.