For millions of Americans, where you live is quietly becoming one of the biggest predictors of lifespan.
In rural communities across the country, the healthcare system is undergoing a rapid and irreversible shift. More than 200 rural hospitals have closed since 2005, and many more are vulnerable to closure. The White House’s Rural Health Transformation Program, led by Dr. Mehmet Oz and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), has warned that the nation is entering a period where ZIP code increasingly predicts life expectancy.
The health disparities facing rural Americans are well documented. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people living in rural counties are more likely to die early from the nation’s five leading causes of death—heart disease, cancer, stroke, chronic respiratory disease and unintentional injuries—than those living in urban areas. Many of these deaths are preventable with timely access to care. But access is the challenge.
The traditional model of large hospitals serving as the central hub of care is becoming difficult to sustain. Communities without a hospital leave residents driving long distances for basic services or emergency treatment—or skipping care altogether. Adding risk to populations that often have significant health needs.
This reality requires a different approach—one that combines technology, community partnerships and a deep understanding of local needs. Community health plans are uniquely positioned to help lead that transition because our teams work alongside local providers, pharmacies and community organizations every day. That proximity matters because rural healthcare is not a one-size-fits-all system.
Technology will play a meaningful role in improving access. Artificial intelligence and digital health advancements are already improving clinician efficiency. AI-enabled tools, when they are evidence-based, patient-centered and used under proper clinical oversight, can help accelerate diagnostics and reduce administrative burden. Physicians are using technologies that automate documentation, allowing them to spend more time with patients. Advanced imaging systems transmit scans instantly to specialists hundreds of miles away, enabling faster decisions and potentially life-saving treatment.
The future of rural healthcare will not be driven by technology alone. It will depend just as much on strengthening the trusted relationships that already exist inside communities—and few health professionals are more embedded in rural life than pharmacists. Pharmacies remain one of the most accessible entry points into the health system. Nearly 90 percent of Americans live within five miles of a pharmacy. In many rural towns, the pharmacist may be the only healthcare professional readily available.
Recognizing that reality, we have cultivated a longstanding partnership with the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Care Network through its EngageRx program, which reimburses community pharmacists for services that previously went unpaid, a vital revenue stream for businesses often under intense financial strain. We encourage other plans to build upon this vision and explore innovative strategies that meet the distinct needs of the rural communities they serve, creating next-generation care plans that expand the role of pharmacists and enables them to provide care coordination, medication management and support for health-related social needs such as food access and transportation.
In rural areas especially, care must be flexible and collaborative. Pharmacists, nurses, physicians, community health workers and digital tools all have roles to play in helping patients navigate a system that can be difficult even under the best circumstances.
The future of rural healthcare will be different than the past; more distributed, more collaborative and more personalized to the needs of each community. Community health plans have a responsibility to help design that future—working alongside government leaders, providers and local organizations—to ensure that geography does not determine whether someone lives a long and healthy life.