WI · 72 Counties
Wisconsin Rural Health FAQ
Data-driven answers about Wisconsin's 158 hospitals, federal grants, health metrics, and access gaps.
🏥Hospital Access & Infrastructure
How many rural hospitals are in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has 158 active hospitals across 72 counties, including 58 Critical Access Hospitals and 60 rural-designated facilities. Source: CMS Provider of Services.
How many hospital beds are available in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin's 158 hospitals collectively operate 19,235 beds. Source: CMS Provider of Services.
Which counties in Wisconsin have no hospital?
8 of Wisconsin's 72 counties (11%) 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 Wisconsin?
Of Wisconsin's 158 hospitals, 33 are not-for-profit, 2 are for-profit, and 123 are government-owned. Source: CMS Provider of Services.
How many hospitals have closed in Wisconsin?
1 rural hospital has closed in Wisconsin since 2005. Source: UNC Sheps Center for Health Services Research.
💰Financial Health
What is the median operating margin for hospitals in Wisconsin?
The median operating margin for Wisconsin's hospitals is 4.5% as of FY2025. 19 hospitals are operating at a loss. Source: CMS Healthcare Cost Report Information System (HCRIS).
How many hospitals in Wisconsin have negative operating margins?
19 of Wisconsin'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 Wisconsin?
The average occupancy rate across Wisconsin's hospitals is 49.6% 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 Wisconsin?
Wisconsin receives 12 active HRSA grants totaling $20.9M in FY2025. Programs include Rural Health Outreach ($7.8M), Flex Program ($6.0M), Small Hospital Improvement (SHIP) ($5.6M), State Office of Rural Health ($1.5M). Source: USAspending.gov.
What is the Rural Health Care Services Outreach program in Wisconsin?
Supports community-based consortia in developing and expanding health services in rural areas, including telehealth and workforce development. In Wisconsin, this program (CFDA 93.912) provides $7.8M across 9 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 Wisconsin?
Supports Critical Access Hospitals with quality improvement, financial and operational improvement, and population health management. In Wisconsin, this program (CFDA 93.241) provides $6.0M 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 Wisconsin?
Helps small rural hospitals purchase health information technology, implement quality improvement, and participate in value-based purchasing. In Wisconsin, this program (CFDA 93.301) provides $5.6M 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 Wisconsin?
Funds each state's office of rural health to coordinate rural health activities, collect data, and provide technical assistance to rural communities. In Wisconsin, 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 Wisconsin?
The largest rural health grant recipients in Wisconsin are: University Of Wisconsin System ($13.0M); Core Treatment Services, Inc ($1.5M); Family Health Center Of Marshfield, Inc. ($1.3M); Metastar, Inc. ($1.0M); Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative ($900K). Source: USAspending.gov, FY2025.
🎯AHEAD & RHT Transformation
How much RHT Transformation funding did Wisconsin receive?
Wisconsin receives $203.7M/year under the CMS Rural Health Transformation Program (CFDA 93.798) for FY2026–2030 — approximately $1.0B over the full five-year period. The lead agency is State of Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Source: USAspending.gov.
Who manages the RHT Transformation award in Wisconsin?
State of Wisconsin Department of Health Services is the designated lead agency managing Wisconsin's $203.7M/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 Wisconsin?
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. Wisconsin's $203.7M/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 Wisconsin's counties?
Across Wisconsin's 72 counties, the average diabetes rate is 9.1%, obesity rate is 39.2%, and uninsured rate is 7.0%. There are 6.5 primary care physicians per 10,000 residents on average (2025). Source: County Health Rankings.
How vulnerable are Wisconsin's communities?
Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has 1406 Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designations: 506 in primary care, 487 in dental health, and 413 in mental health. An estimated 45,807,677 people live in underserved areas. Source: HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce.
How many healthcare providers does Wisconsin have?
Wisconsin has 4,803 primary care physicians (81.3/100k population), 7,492 nurse practitioners, 3,920 physician assistants, and 4,479 dentists. Average Medicare per capita cost is $10,428 with a 15.9% readmission rate. Source: AHRF 2024-2025.
What are the key health indicators for Wisconsin at the census tract level?
CDC PLACES data shows Wisconsin's average county-level rates: diabetes 12.5%, obesity 39.2%, depression 23.4%, frequent mental distress 15.8%, smoking 15.4%, and high blood pressure 35.8%. These are derived from census-tract-level BRFSS estimates. Source: CDC PLACES 2023-2024.
How many Federally Qualified Health Centers are in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has 298 FQHC sites operated by 17 grantee organizations. 149 sites (50%) are in rural areas and 149 are in urban areas. FQHCs are a critical safety-net for underserved populations. Source: HRSA GIS Portal.
How many Medically Underserved Areas are in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has 78 HRSA medically underserved designations: 70 Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs) and 8 Medically Underserved Populations (MUPs). The average MUA score is 53 (lower scores indicate greater need). Source: HRSA GIS Portal.
🛠️Tools & Resources
Who can help rural hospitals in Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin?
Federal data on Wisconsin'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 158 hospitals in Wisconsin.
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 Wisconsin Dashboard
Interactive dashboards, AI queries, and hospital risk scoring for Wisconsin's 158 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.