MA · 14 Counties
Massachusetts Rural Health FAQ
Data-driven answers about Massachusetts's 115 hospitals, federal grants, health metrics, and access gaps.
🏥Hospital Access & Infrastructure
How many rural hospitals are in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts has 115 active hospitals across 14 counties, including 4 Critical Access Hospitals and 2 rural-designated facilities. Source: CMS Provider of Services.
How many hospital beds are available in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts's 115 hospitals collectively operate 24,786 beds. Source: CMS Provider of Services.
Which counties in Massachusetts have no hospital?
Every county in Massachusetts has at least one hospital. Source: CMS Provider of Services.
What is the hospital ownership breakdown in Massachusetts?
Of Massachusetts's 115 hospitals, 36 are not-for-profit, 11 are for-profit, and 68 are government-owned. Source: CMS Provider of Services.
💰Financial Health
What is the median operating margin for hospitals in Massachusetts?
The median operating margin for Massachusetts's hospitals is -18.4% as of FY2025. 4 hospitals are operating at a loss. Source: CMS Healthcare Cost Report Information System (HCRIS).
How many hospitals in Massachusetts have negative operating margins?
4 of Massachusetts'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 Massachusetts?
The average occupancy rate across Massachusetts's hospitals is 79.6% 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 Massachusetts?
Massachusetts receives 5 active HRSA grants totaling $6.7M in FY2025. Programs include Flex Program ($2.4M), Rural Health Outreach ($2.3M), State Office of Rural Health ($1.4M), Small Hospital Improvement (SHIP) ($541K). Source: USAspending.gov.
What is the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Grant (Flex) program in Massachusetts?
Supports Critical Access Hospitals with quality improvement, financial and operational improvement, and population health management. In Massachusetts, this program (CFDA 93.241) provides $2.4M 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 Rural Health Care Services Outreach program in Massachusetts?
Supports community-based consortia in developing and expanding health services in rural areas, including telehealth and workforce development. In Massachusetts, this program (CFDA 93.912) provides $2.3M across 2 grants. Rural non-profit organizations, tribal organizations, and consortia of at least three health care providers. Source: USAspending.gov, HRSA.
What is the State Offices of Rural Health (SORH) program in Massachusetts?
Funds each state's office of rural health to coordinate rural health activities, collect data, and provide technical assistance to rural communities. In Massachusetts, this program (CFDA 93.913) provides $1.4M across 1 grant. One award per state to the designated state office of rural health. Source: USAspending.gov, HRSA.
What is the Small Hospital Improvement Program (SHIP) program in Massachusetts?
Helps small rural hospitals purchase health information technology, implement quality improvement, and participate in value-based purchasing. In Massachusetts, this program (CFDA 93.301) provides $541K 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.
Who are the largest grant recipients in Massachusetts?
The largest rural health grant recipients in Massachusetts are: Public Health, Massachusetts Department Of ($4.4M); Athol Memorial Hospital ($2.0M); Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ($300K). Source: USAspending.gov, FY2025.
🎯AHEAD & RHT Transformation
How much RHT Transformation funding did Massachusetts receive?
Massachusetts receives $162.0M/year under the CMS Rural Health Transformation Program (CFDA 93.798) for FY2026–2030 — approximately $810.0M over the full five-year period. The lead agency is Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services. Source: USAspending.gov.
Who manages the RHT Transformation award in Massachusetts?
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services is the designated lead agency managing Massachusetts's $162.0M/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 Massachusetts?
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. Massachusetts's $162.0M/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 Massachusetts's counties?
Across Massachusetts's 14 counties, the average diabetes rate is 8.4%, obesity rate is 29.0%, and uninsured rate is 3.0%. There are 8.8 primary care physicians per 10,000 residents on average (2025). Source: County Health Rankings.
How vulnerable are Massachusetts's communities?
Massachusetts has 2 high-vulnerability counties based on CDC Social Vulnerability Index scores, with a statewide average SVI of 0.41 (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 Massachusetts?
Massachusetts has 343 Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designations: 139 in primary care, 150 in dental health, and 54 in mental health. An estimated 2,372,657 people live in underserved areas. Source: HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce.
How many healthcare providers does Massachusetts have?
Massachusetts has 7,158 primary care physicians (102.2/100k population), 12,177 nurse practitioners, 5,369 physician assistants, and 7,923 dentists. Average Medicare per capita cost is $13,533 with a 18.8% readmission rate. Source: AHRF 2024-2025.
What are the key health indicators for Massachusetts at the census tract level?
CDC PLACES data shows Massachusetts's average county-level rates: diabetes 10.1%, obesity 28.1%, depression 24.6%, frequent mental distress 16.7%, smoking 12%, and high blood pressure 32.1%. These are derived from census-tract-level BRFSS estimates. Source: CDC PLACES 2023-2024.
How many Federally Qualified Health Centers are in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts has 275 FQHC sites operated by 37 grantee organizations. 18 sites (6.5%) are in rural areas and 257 are in urban areas. FQHCs are a critical safety-net for underserved populations. Source: HRSA GIS Portal.
How many Medically Underserved Areas are in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts has 46 HRSA medically underserved designations: 42 Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs) and 4 Medically Underserved Populations (MUPs). The average MUA score is 54.5 (lower scores indicate greater need). Source: HRSA GIS Portal.
🛠️Tools & Resources
Who can help rural hospitals in Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts?
Federal data on Massachusetts'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 115 hospitals in Massachusetts.
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 Massachusetts Dashboard
Interactive dashboards, AI queries, and hospital risk scoring for Massachusetts's 115 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.