NE · 93 Counties
Nebraska Rural Health FAQ
Data-driven answers about Nebraska's 100 hospitals, federal grants, health metrics, and access gaps.
🏥Hospital Access & Infrastructure
How many rural hospitals are in Nebraska?
Nebraska has 100 active hospitals across 93 counties, including 62 Critical Access Hospitals and 67 rural-designated facilities. Source: CMS Provider of Services.
How many hospital beds are available in Nebraska?
Nebraska's 100 hospitals collectively operate 6,967 beds. Source: CMS Provider of Services.
Which counties in Nebraska have no hospital?
27 of Nebraska's 93 counties (29%) 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 Nebraska?
Of Nebraska's 100 hospitals, 43 are not-for-profit, 1 are for-profit, and 56 are government-owned. Source: CMS Provider of Services.
How many hospitals have closed in Nebraska?
2 rural hospitals have closed in Nebraska since 2005. Source: UNC Sheps Center for Health Services Research.
💰Financial Health
What is the median operating margin for hospitals in Nebraska?
The median operating margin for Nebraska's hospitals is -4.9% as of FY2025. 37 hospitals are operating at a loss. Source: CMS Healthcare Cost Report Information System (HCRIS).
How many hospitals in Nebraska have negative operating margins?
37 of Nebraska'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 Nebraska?
The average occupancy rate across Nebraska's hospitals is 25.7% 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 Nebraska?
Nebraska receives 9 active HRSA grants totaling $20.4M in FY2025. Programs include Rural Health Outreach ($6.7M), Flex Program ($6.5M), Small Hospital Improvement (SHIP) ($5.7M), State Office of Rural Health ($1.5M). Source: USAspending.gov.
What is the Rural Health Care Services Outreach program in Nebraska?
Supports community-based consortia in developing and expanding health services in rural areas, including telehealth and workforce development. In Nebraska, this program (CFDA 93.912) provides $6.7M across 6 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 Nebraska?
Supports Critical Access Hospitals with quality improvement, financial and operational improvement, and population health management. In Nebraska, this program (CFDA 93.241) provides $6.5M 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 Nebraska?
Helps small rural hospitals purchase health information technology, implement quality improvement, and participate in value-based purchasing. In Nebraska, this program (CFDA 93.301) provides $5.7M 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 Nebraska?
Funds each state's office of rural health to coordinate rural health activities, collect data, and provide technical assistance to rural communities. In Nebraska, 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 Nebraska?
The largest rural health grant recipients in Nebraska are: Nebraska Department Of Health & Human Services ($13.7M); Ponca Tribe Of Nebraska ($2.0M); Nebraska Association Of Local Health Directors ($1.5M); St. Mary'S Community Hospital ($1.5M); Community Access To Coordinated Healthcare Inc ($900K). Source: USAspending.gov, FY2025.
🎯AHEAD & RHT Transformation
How much RHT Transformation funding did Nebraska receive?
Nebraska receives $218.5M/year under the CMS Rural Health Transformation Program (CFDA 93.798) for FY2026–2030 — approximately $1.1B over the full five-year period. The lead agency is Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services. Source: USAspending.gov.
Who manages the RHT Transformation award in Nebraska?
Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services is the designated lead agency managing Nebraska's $218.5M/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 Nebraska?
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. Nebraska's $218.5M/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 Nebraska's counties?
Across Nebraska's 93 counties, the average diabetes rate is 9.7%, obesity rate is 39.8%, and uninsured rate is 8.1%. There are 6.6 primary care physicians per 10,000 residents on average (2025). Source: County Health Rankings.
How vulnerable are Nebraska's communities?
Nebraska has 1 high-vulnerability counties based on CDC Social Vulnerability Index scores, with a statewide average SVI of 0.22 (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 Nebraska?
Nebraska has 391 Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designations: 141 in primary care, 98 in dental health, and 152 in mental health. An estimated 5,585,349 people live in underserved areas. Source: HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce.
How many healthcare providers does Nebraska have?
Nebraska has 1,486 primary care physicians (75.1/100k population), 2,588 nurse practitioners, 1,604 physician assistants, and 1,673 dentists. Average Medicare per capita cost is $12,240 with a 15.8% readmission rate. Source: AHRF 2024-2025.
What are the key health indicators for Nebraska at the census tract level?
CDC PLACES data shows Nebraska's average county-level rates: diabetes 12.5%, obesity 39.6%, depression 17.2%, frequent mental distress 13.7%, smoking 14.5%, and high blood pressure 37.3%. These are derived from census-tract-level BRFSS estimates. Source: CDC PLACES 2023-2024.
How many Federally Qualified Health Centers are in Nebraska?
Nebraska has 88 FQHC sites operated by 8 grantee organizations. 29 sites (33%) are in rural areas and 59 are in urban areas. FQHCs are a critical safety-net for underserved populations. Source: HRSA GIS Portal.
How many Medically Underserved Areas are in Nebraska?
Nebraska has 88 HRSA medically underserved designations: 86 Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs) and 2 Medically Underserved Populations (MUPs). The average MUA score is 50.9 (lower scores indicate greater need). Source: HRSA GIS Portal.
🛠️Tools & Resources
Who can help rural hospitals in Nebraska 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 Nebraska?
Federal data on Nebraska'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 100 hospitals in Nebraska.
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 Nebraska Dashboard
Interactive dashboards, AI queries, and hospital risk scoring for Nebraska's 100 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.