The Role of Medicaid in Rural America

This brief describes Medicaid’s role for 52 million nonelderly children and adults living in the most rural areas in the United States and discusses how expansions or reductions in Medicaid could affect rural areas. It shows:  Rural populations face significant challenges to their health care coverage and access. People who live in the most rural counties of America are spread across almost 2,500 counties that are heavily concentrated in the South and Midwest. Individuals living in rural areas are less likely to be employed and more likely to be low-income than individuals living in other areas. Individuals in rural areas also face significant barriers to accessing care, including provider shortages, recent closures of rural hospitals, and long travel distances to providers.