VT · 14 Counties
Vermont Rural Health FAQ
Data-driven answers about Vermont's 18 hospitals, federal grants, health metrics, and access gaps.
🏥Hospital Access & Infrastructure
How many rural hospitals are in Vermont?
Vermont has 18 active hospitals across 14 counties, including 8 Critical Access Hospitals and 15 rural-designated facilities. Source: CMS Provider of Services.
How many hospital beds are available in Vermont?
Vermont's 18 hospitals collectively operate 2,094 beds. Source: CMS Provider of Services.
Which counties in Vermont have no hospital?
2 of Vermont's 14 counties (14%) 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 Vermont?
Of Vermont's 18 hospitals, 2 are not-for-profit, 1 are for-profit, and 15 are government-owned. Source: CMS Provider of Services.
💰Financial Health
What is the median operating margin for hospitals in Vermont?
The median operating margin for Vermont's hospitals is -17.6% as of FY2024. 10 hospitals are operating at a loss. Source: CMS Healthcare Cost Report Information System (HCRIS).
How many hospitals in Vermont have negative operating margins?
10 of Vermont's hospitals reported negative operating margins in FY2024, meaning their operating expenses exceeded revenue. Source: CMS HCRIS.
What is the average hospital occupancy rate in Vermont?
The average occupancy rate across Vermont's hospitals is 54.2% as of FY2024. 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 Vermont?
Vermont receives 11 active HRSA grants totaling $39.2M in FY2025. Programs include Rural Health Outreach ($34.7M), Flex Program ($2.4M), State Office of Rural Health ($1.4M), Small Hospital Improvement (SHIP) ($763K). Source: USAspending.gov.
What is the Rural Health Care Services Outreach program in Vermont?
Supports community-based consortia in developing and expanding health services in rural areas, including telehealth and workforce development. In Vermont, this program (CFDA 93.912) provides $34.7M across 8 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 Vermont?
Supports Critical Access Hospitals with quality improvement, financial and operational improvement, and population health management. In Vermont, 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 State Offices of Rural Health (SORH) program in Vermont?
Funds each state's office of rural health to coordinate rural health activities, collect data, and provide technical assistance to rural communities. In Vermont, 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 Vermont?
Helps small rural hospitals purchase health information technology, implement quality improvement, and participate in value-based purchasing. In Vermont, this program (CFDA 93.301) provides $763K 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 Vermont?
The largest rural health grant recipients in Vermont are: University Of Vermont & State Agricultural College ($27.0M); Human Services Vermont Agency Of ($4.5M); Health Care And Rehabilitation Services ($2.0M); New England Rural Health Association, Inc. ($1.9M); Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, Inc. ($1.9M). Source: USAspending.gov, FY2025.
🎯AHEAD & RHT Transformation
How much RHT Transformation funding did Vermont receive?
Vermont receives $195.1M/year under the CMS Rural Health Transformation Program (CFDA 93.798) for FY2026–2030 — approximately $975.3M over the full five-year period. The lead agency is Vermont Agency of Human Services. Source: USAspending.gov.
Who manages the RHT Transformation award in Vermont?
Vermont Agency of Human Services is the designated lead agency managing Vermont's $195.1M/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 Vermont?
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. Vermont's $195.1M/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 Vermont's counties?
Across Vermont's 14 counties, the average diabetes rate is 6.9%, obesity rate is 28.1%, and uninsured rate is 5.1%. There are 8.9 primary care physicians per 10,000 residents on average (2025). Source: County Health Rankings.
How vulnerable are Vermont's communities?
Vermont has 0 high-vulnerability counties based on CDC Social Vulnerability Index scores, with a statewide average SVI of 0.23 (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 Vermont?
Vermont has 39 Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designations: 15 in primary care, 12 in dental health, and 12 in mental health. An estimated 6,603 people live in underserved areas. Source: HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce.
How many healthcare providers does Vermont have?
Vermont has 740 primary care physicians (114.3/100k population), 838 nurse practitioners, 406 physician assistants, and 482 dentists. Average Medicare per capita cost is $10,928 with a 15.8% readmission rate. Source: AHRF 2024-2025.
What are the key health indicators for Vermont at the census tract level?
CDC PLACES data shows Vermont's average county-level rates: diabetes 9.6%, obesity 30.7%, depression 26.6%, frequent mental distress 16.1%, smoking 12.5%, and high blood pressure 33.6%. These are derived from census-tract-level BRFSS estimates. Source: CDC PLACES 2023-2024.
How many Federally Qualified Health Centers are in Vermont?
Vermont has 96 FQHC sites operated by 11 grantee organizations. 86 sites (89.6%) are in rural areas and 10 are in urban areas. FQHCs are a critical safety-net for underserved populations. Source: HRSA GIS Portal.
How many Medically Underserved Areas are in Vermont?
Vermont has 24 HRSA medically underserved designations: 21 Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs) and 3 Medically Underserved Populations (MUPs). The average MUA score is 43.7 (lower scores indicate greater need). Source: HRSA GIS Portal.
🛠️Tools & Resources
Who can help rural hospitals in Vermont 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 Vermont?
Federal data on Vermont'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 18 hospitals in Vermont.
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 Vermont Dashboard
Interactive dashboards, AI queries, and hospital risk scoring for Vermont's 18 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.