NV · 17 Counties
Nevada Rural Health FAQ
Data-driven answers about Nevada's 61 hospitals, federal grants, health metrics, and access gaps.
🏥Hospital Access & Infrastructure
How many rural hospitals are in Nevada?
Nevada has 61 active hospitals across 17 counties, including 13 Critical Access Hospitals and 12 rural-designated facilities. Source: CMS Provider of Services.
How many hospital beds are available in Nevada?
Nevada's 61 hospitals collectively operate 9,394 beds. Source: CMS Provider of Services.
Which counties in Nevada have no hospital?
3 of Nevada's 17 counties (18%) 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 Nevada?
Of Nevada's 61 hospitals, 37 are not-for-profit, 2 are for-profit, and 22 are government-owned. Source: CMS Provider of Services.
How many hospitals have closed in Nevada?
2 rural hospitals have closed in Nevada since 2005. Source: UNC Sheps Center for Health Services Research.
💰Financial Health
What is the median operating margin for hospitals in Nevada?
The median operating margin for Nevada's hospitals is -3.0% as of FY2025. 11 hospitals are operating at a loss. Source: CMS Healthcare Cost Report Information System (HCRIS).
How many hospitals in Nevada have negative operating margins?
11 of Nevada'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 Nevada?
The average occupancy rate across Nevada's hospitals is 44.0% 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 Nevada?
Nevada receives 14 active HRSA grants totaling $16.0M in FY2025. Programs include Rural Health Outreach ($9.1M), Flex Program ($4.3M), State Office of Rural Health ($1.5M), Small Hospital Improvement (SHIP) ($1.2M). Source: USAspending.gov.
What is the Rural Health Care Services Outreach program in Nevada?
Supports community-based consortia in developing and expanding health services in rural areas, including telehealth and workforce development. In Nevada, this program (CFDA 93.912) provides $9.1M across 11 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 Nevada?
Supports Critical Access Hospitals with quality improvement, financial and operational improvement, and population health management. In Nevada, this program (CFDA 93.241) provides $4.3M 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 State Offices of Rural Health (SORH) program in Nevada?
Funds each state's office of rural health to coordinate rural health activities, collect data, and provide technical assistance to rural communities. In Nevada, 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.
What is the Small Hospital Improvement Program (SHIP) program in Nevada?
Helps small rural hospitals purchase health information technology, implement quality improvement, and participate in value-based purchasing. In Nevada, this program (CFDA 93.301) provides $1.2M 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 Nevada?
The largest rural health grant recipients in Nevada are: Board Of Regents Of Nevada System Of Higher Education ($7.0M); Westcare Nevada, Inc. ($2.9M); Community Chest Inc ($2.0M); Healthy Communities Coalition Of Lyon & Storey Counties ($1.7M); Nye Communities Coalition ($998K). Source: USAspending.gov, FY2025.
🎯AHEAD & RHT Transformation
How much RHT Transformation funding did Nevada receive?
Nevada receives $179.9M/year under the CMS Rural Health Transformation Program (CFDA 93.798) for FY2026–2030 — approximately $899.7M over the full five-year period. The lead agency is Nevada Health Authority. Source: USAspending.gov.
Who manages the RHT Transformation award in Nevada?
Nevada Health Authority is the designated lead agency managing Nevada's $179.9M/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 Nevada?
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. Nevada's $179.9M/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 Nevada's counties?
Across Nevada's 17 counties, the average diabetes rate is 9.9%, obesity rate is 33.3%, and uninsured rate is 11.7%. There are 5.0 primary care physicians per 10,000 residents on average (2025). Source: County Health Rankings.
How vulnerable are Nevada's communities?
Nevada has 4 high-vulnerability counties based on CDC Social Vulnerability Index scores, with a statewide average SVI of 0.59 (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 Nevada?
Nevada has 187 Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designations: 91 in primary care, 51 in dental health, and 45 in mental health. An estimated 1,409,828 people live in underserved areas. Source: HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce.
How many healthcare providers does Nevada have?
Nevada has 1,865 primary care physicians (58.4/100k population), 3,391 nurse practitioners, 1,405 physician assistants, and 2,211 dentists. Average Medicare per capita cost is $11,147 with a 16.4% readmission rate. Source: AHRF 2024-2025.
What are the key health indicators for Nevada at the census tract level?
CDC PLACES data shows Nevada's average county-level rates: diabetes 13.1%, obesity 35.1%, depression 21.8%, frequent mental distress 18.3%, smoking 17%, and high blood pressure 37%. These are derived from census-tract-level BRFSS estimates. Source: CDC PLACES 2023-2024.
How many Federally Qualified Health Centers are in Nevada?
Nevada has 74 FQHC sites operated by 11 grantee organizations. 13 sites (17.6%) are in rural areas and 61 are in urban areas. FQHCs are a critical safety-net for underserved populations. Source: HRSA GIS Portal.
How many Medically Underserved Areas are in Nevada?
Nevada has 25 HRSA medically underserved designations: 18 Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs) and 7 Medically Underserved Populations (MUPs). The average MUA score is 51.2 (lower scores indicate greater need). Source: HRSA GIS Portal.
🛠️Tools & Resources
Who can help rural hospitals in Nevada 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 Nevada?
Federal data on Nevada'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 61 hospitals in Nevada.
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 Nevada Dashboard
Interactive dashboards, AI queries, and hospital risk scoring for Nevada's 61 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.