State Policy
Study Finds One in Three Maternity Hospitals Serve Medicaid Patients in Rural Areas
KFF researchers found that one in three hospitals providing inpatient maternity care serve Medicaid beneficiaries in rural areas and small towns. The research paper examines the role of Medicaid in sustaining maternity services at rural hospitals. The analysis comes as part of CCF's Rural Health Project tracking Medicaid's impact on rural healthcare access. The findings are relevant for states evaluating maternity care network adequacy requirements and rural hospital reimbursement policies.
Why it mattersStates designing managed care maternity networks and rural access standards need baseline data on which hospitals serve Medicaid obstetric populations and how reimbursement changes could affect rural maternity deserts.