People living in rural areas are more likely to be covered by Medicaid and face different barriers to access than people living in urban areas. For example, there are fewer primary care physicians in rural areas than in urban areas. In addition, rural residents must travel long distances—but often lack reliable transportation—to see their health care providers.
This issue brief uses data from the combined 2013–2015 National Health Interview Surveys to compare characteristics, access to care, and use of services of Medicaid-covered children and adults who live in rural areas with their urban-dwelling counterparts. We also compare their experiences to those of privately insured and uninsured children and adults.
This issue brief provides results using the National Health Interview Survey. More up-to-date information on the role that Medicaid plays in rural health can be found in: Medicaid and Rural Health.