WV · 55 Counties
West Virginia Rural Health FAQ
Data-driven answers about West Virginia's 67 hospitals, federal grants, health metrics, and access gaps.
🏥Hospital Access & Infrastructure
How many rural hospitals are in West Virginia?
West Virginia has 67 active hospitals across 55 counties, including 21 Critical Access Hospitals and 28 rural-designated facilities. Source: CMS Provider of Services.
How many hospital beds are available in West Virginia?
West Virginia's 67 hospitals collectively operate 8,765 beds. Source: CMS Provider of Services.
Which counties in West Virginia have no hospital?
15 of West Virginia's 55 counties (27%) 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 West Virginia?
Of West Virginia's 67 hospitals, 24 are not-for-profit, 3 are for-profit, and 40 are government-owned. Source: CMS Provider of Services.
How many hospitals have closed in West Virginia?
4 rural hospitals have closed in West Virginia since 2005. Source: UNC Sheps Center for Health Services Research.
💰Financial Health
What is the median operating margin for hospitals in West Virginia?
The median operating margin for West Virginia's hospitals is -14.9% as of FY2025. 10 hospitals are operating at a loss. Source: CMS Healthcare Cost Report Information System (HCRIS).
How many hospitals in West Virginia have negative operating margins?
10 of West Virginia'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 West Virginia?
The average occupancy rate across West Virginia's hospitals is 53.9% 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 West Virginia?
West Virginia receives 26 active HRSA grants totaling $31.6M in FY2025. Programs include Rural Health Outreach ($24.4M), Flex Program ($4.1M), Small Hospital Improvement (SHIP) ($1.8M), State Office of Rural Health ($1.3M). Source: USAspending.gov.
What is the Rural Health Care Services Outreach program in West Virginia?
Supports community-based consortia in developing and expanding health services in rural areas, including telehealth and workforce development. In West Virginia, this program (CFDA 93.912) provides $24.4M across 23 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 West Virginia?
Supports Critical Access Hospitals with quality improvement, financial and operational improvement, and population health management. In West Virginia, this program (CFDA 93.241) provides $4.1M 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 West Virginia?
Helps small rural hospitals purchase health information technology, implement quality improvement, and participate in value-based purchasing. In West Virginia, this program (CFDA 93.301) provides $1.8M 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 West Virginia?
Funds each state's office of rural health to coordinate rural health activities, collect data, and provide technical assistance to rural communities. In West Virginia, this program (CFDA 93.913) provides $1.3M 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 West Virginia?
The largest rural health grant recipients in West Virginia are: West Virginia Department Of Health ($7.2M); West Virginia University Research Corporation ($3.9M); West Virginia School Of Osteopathic Medicine Clinic Inc ($3.0M); Marshall University Research Corporation ($3.0M); Southern Highlands Community Mental Health Center, Inc ($2.0M). Source: USAspending.gov, FY2025.
🎯AHEAD & RHT Transformation
How much RHT Transformation funding did West Virginia receive?
West Virginia receives $199.5M/year under the CMS Rural Health Transformation Program (CFDA 93.798) for FY2026–2030 — approximately $997.4M over the full five-year period. The lead agency is West Virginia State Health Department. Source: USAspending.gov.
Who manages the RHT Transformation award in West Virginia?
West Virginia State Health Department is the designated lead agency managing West Virginia's $199.5M/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 West Virginia?
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. West Virginia's $199.5M/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 West Virginia's counties?
Across West Virginia's 55 counties, the average diabetes rate is 13.1%, obesity rate is 40.9%, and uninsured rate is 7.6%. There are 5.4 primary care physicians per 10,000 residents on average (2025). Source: County Health Rankings.
How vulnerable are West Virginia's communities?
West Virginia has 2 high-vulnerability counties based on CDC Social Vulnerability Index scores, with a statewide average SVI of 0.43 (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 West Virginia?
West Virginia has 366 Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designations: 123 in primary care, 119 in dental health, and 124 in mental health. An estimated 1,701,856 people live in underserved areas. Source: HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce.
How many healthcare providers does West Virginia have?
West Virginia has 1,445 primary care physicians (81.6/100k population), 2,753 nurse practitioners, 1,388 physician assistants, and 1,063 dentists. Average Medicare per capita cost is $10,962 with a 19.5% readmission rate. Source: AHRF 2024-2025.
What are the key health indicators for West Virginia at the census tract level?
CDC PLACES data shows West Virginia's average county-level rates: diabetes 17.1%, obesity 41.8%, depression 30.8%, frequent mental distress 21.5%, smoking 21.5%, and high blood pressure 46%. These are derived from census-tract-level BRFSS estimates. Source: CDC PLACES 2023-2024.
How many Federally Qualified Health Centers are in West Virginia?
West Virginia has 503 FQHC sites operated by 31 grantee organizations. 325 sites (64.6%) are in rural areas and 178 are in urban areas. FQHCs are a critical safety-net for underserved populations. Source: HRSA GIS Portal.
How many Medically Underserved Areas are in West Virginia?
West Virginia has 62 HRSA medically underserved designations: 53 Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs) and 9 Medically Underserved Populations (MUPs). The average MUA score is 52.6 (lower scores indicate greater need). Source: HRSA GIS Portal.
🛠️Tools & Resources
Who can help rural hospitals in West Virginia 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 West Virginia?
Federal data on West Virginia'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 67 hospitals in West Virginia.
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 West Virginia Dashboard
Interactive dashboards, AI queries, and hospital risk scoring for West Virginia's 67 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.