ID · 44 Counties
Idaho Rural Health FAQ
Data-driven answers about Idaho's 55 hospitals, federal grants, health metrics, and access gaps.
🏥Hospital Access & Infrastructure
How many rural hospitals are in Idaho?
Idaho has 55 active hospitals across 44 counties, including 26 Critical Access Hospitals and 27 rural-designated facilities. Source: CMS Provider of Services.
How many hospital beds are available in Idaho?
Idaho's 55 hospitals collectively operate 4,194 beds. Source: CMS Provider of Services.
Which counties in Idaho have no hospital?
11 of Idaho's 44 counties (25%) are hospital deserts — counties with no hospital facility. Residents must travel to neighboring areas for inpatient care. Source: CMS Provider of Services, RHT Compass analysis.
What is the hospital ownership breakdown in Idaho?
Of Idaho's 55 hospitals, 28 are not-for-profit, 3 are for-profit, and 24 are government-owned. Source: CMS Provider of Services.
💰Financial Health
What is the median operating margin for hospitals in Idaho?
The median operating margin for Idaho's hospitals is -5.1% as of FY2025. 5 hospitals are operating at a loss. Source: CMS Healthcare Cost Report Information System (HCRIS).
How many hospitals in Idaho have negative operating margins?
5 of Idaho's hospitals reported negative operating margins in FY2025, meaning their operating expenses exceeded revenue. Source: CMS HCRIS.
What is the average hospital occupancy rate in Idaho?
The average occupancy rate across Idaho's hospitals is 58.4% as of FY2025. Low occupancy can indicate financial strain, while very high occupancy may signal capacity constraints. Source: CMS HCRIS.
💵Grants & Programs
What federal grants are available for rural hospitals in Idaho?
Idaho receives 16 active HRSA grants totaling $18.4M in FY2025. Programs include Rural Health Outreach ($9.9M), Flex Program ($4.6M), Small Hospital Improvement (SHIP) ($2.4M), State Office of Rural Health ($1.5M). Source: USAspending.gov.
What is the Rural Health Care Services Outreach program in Idaho?
Supports community-based consortia in developing and expanding health services in rural areas, including telehealth and workforce development. In Idaho, this program (CFDA 93.912) provides $9.9M across 13 grants. Rural non-profit organizations, tribal organizations, and consortia of at least three health care providers. Source: USAspending.gov, HRSA.
What is the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Grant (Flex) program in Idaho?
Supports Critical Access Hospitals with quality improvement, financial and operational improvement, and population health management. In Idaho, this program (CFDA 93.241) provides $4.6M across 1 grant. State offices of rural health apply on behalf of CAHs. Funds flow to state agencies, which distribute to eligible facilities. Source: USAspending.gov, HRSA.
What is the Small Hospital Improvement Program (SHIP) program in Idaho?
Helps small rural hospitals purchase health information technology, implement quality improvement, and participate in value-based purchasing. In Idaho, this program (CFDA 93.301) provides $2.4M across 1 grant. Hospitals with 49 or fewer beds that are not Critical Access Hospitals. Administered through state offices of rural health. Source: USAspending.gov, HRSA.
What is the State Offices of Rural Health (SORH) program in Idaho?
Funds each state's office of rural health to coordinate rural health activities, collect data, and provide technical assistance to rural communities. In Idaho, this program (CFDA 93.913) provides $1.5M across 1 grant. One award per state to the designated state office of rural health. Source: USAspending.gov, HRSA.
Who are the largest grant recipients in Idaho?
The largest rural health grant recipients in Idaho are: Idaho Department Of Health & Welfare ($8.5M); Cornerstone Whole Healthcare Organization Inc ($5.6M); Public Health District 4 ($2.0M); Regents Of The University Of Idaho ($1.0M); Boundary Regional Community Health Center, Inc ($300K). Source: USAspending.gov, FY2025.
🎯AHEAD & RHT Transformation
How much RHT Transformation funding did Idaho receive?
Idaho receives $186.0M/year under the CMS Rural Health Transformation Program (CFDA 93.798) for FY2026–2030 — approximately $929.9M over the full five-year period. The lead agency is Idaho Department of Health & Welfare. Source: USAspending.gov.
Who manages the RHT Transformation award in Idaho?
Idaho Department of Health & Welfare is the designated lead agency managing Idaho's $186.0M/year RHT Transformation award. The performance period runs from 2025-12-29 to 2030-10-30. Source: USAspending.gov.
What is the CMS AHEAD model and how does it affect Idaho?
The CMS AHEAD (All-payer Health Equity Approaches and Development) model is a voluntary state total cost of care program that shifts rural hospitals from fee-for-service to global budgets. Idaho's $186.0M/year RHT award supports the transition. Hospitals can use the AHEAD Readiness checklist at rhtcompass.com/ahead to assess preparedness.
❤️Community Health
What are the key health indicators for Idaho's counties?
Across Idaho's 44 counties, the average diabetes rate is 9.6%, obesity rate is 34.2%, and uninsured rate is 11.7%. There are 5.3 primary care physicians per 10,000 residents on average (2025). Source: County Health Rankings.
How vulnerable are Idaho's communities?
Idaho has 4 high-vulnerability counties based on CDC Social Vulnerability Index scores, with a statewide average SVI of 0.48 (on a 0-1 scale where 1 is most vulnerable). Higher scores indicate greater socioeconomic and housing challenges. Source: CDC SVI (2022).
What health professional shortages exist in Idaho?
Idaho has 277 Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designations: 90 in primary care, 85 in dental health, and 102 in mental health. An estimated 4,768,304 people live in underserved areas. Source: HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce.
How many healthcare providers does Idaho have?
Idaho has 1,233 primary care physicians (62.8/100k population), 2,045 nurse practitioners, 1,469 physician assistants, and 1,346 dentists. Average Medicare per capita cost is $10,246 with a 12.7% readmission rate. Source: AHRF 2024-2025.
What are the key health indicators for Idaho at the census tract level?
CDC PLACES data shows Idaho's average county-level rates: diabetes 11.7%, obesity 33.4%, depression 22.4%, frequent mental distress 16.1%, smoking 13.7%, and high blood pressure 34.7%. These are derived from census-tract-level BRFSS estimates. Source: CDC PLACES 2023-2024.
How many Federally Qualified Health Centers are in Idaho?
Idaho has 225 FQHC sites operated by 15 grantee organizations. 119 sites (52.9%) are in rural areas and 106 are in urban areas. FQHCs are a critical safety-net for underserved populations. Source: HRSA GIS Portal.
How many Medically Underserved Areas are in Idaho?
Idaho has 50 HRSA medically underserved designations: 42 Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs) and 8 Medically Underserved Populations (MUPs). The average MUA score is 57.3 (lower scores indicate greater need). Source: HRSA GIS Portal.
🛠️Tools & Resources
Who can help rural hospitals in Idaho prepare for the CMS AHEAD model?
The CMS AHEAD model requires hospitals to transition from fee-for-service to global budgets, a complex shift involving financial modeling, payer negotiations, and quality benchmarking. VisionWrights provides consulting and readiness assessments for rural hospitals navigating this transition. A free AHEAD Readiness checklist is available at rhtcompass.com/ahead.
Where can I find comprehensive data on rural hospitals in Idaho?
Federal data on Idaho's rural hospitals is spread across CMS, HRSA, CDC, and other agencies. RHT Compass integrates 15 federal data sources into a single platform with hospital profiles, county health dashboards, financial benchmarks, and grant tracking for all 55 hospitals in Idaho.
How can I assess my hospital's AHEAD readiness?
The free AHEAD Readiness checklist at rhtcompass.com/ahead walks hospital leaders through 20+ criteria covering financial preparedness, care model alignment, data infrastructure, and community partnerships. It takes about 10 minutes and produces an actionable readiness score.
See the Full Idaho Dashboard
Interactive dashboards, AI queries, and hospital risk scoring for Idaho's 55 hospitals.
Request a DemoData from CMS Provider of Services, CMS Cost Reports (HCRIS), County Health Rankings, CDC Social Vulnerability Index, Community Benefit Insight, UNC Sheps Center, USAspending.gov, and HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce. Last updated: 2026-03-11.