Usual Source of Care for Rural Medicare Fee-for-Service Beneficiaries in 2021
Having a regular place to go for health care—often called a usual source of care (USC)—is important because it helps people get timely and consistent medical attention. This brief describes where rural Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) beneficiaries received their routine care in 2021 and which groups were most likely to lack a regular care source. It also looks at how access differs across rural areas and regions of the country. Understanding these patterns is important for policymakers working to strengthen rural health care systems and reduce gaps in access.
Key Findings:
A USC is typically defined as a health care provider or facility that patients visit for consistent and ongoing primary care. This study found:
- Overall, 89.1 percent of rural Medicare FFS beneficiaries had a USC, 10.9 percent did not. Most beneficiaries used private provider offices as their USC, followed by Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), Federally Qualified Health Centers, Prospective Payment System hospitals, and Critical Access Hospitals.
- Beneficiaries more likely to lack a USC included males and those under age 65 who qualify based on disability.
- Beneficiaries using private provider offices were predominantly from large rural areas, while RHC use grew with increasing rurality.
- Regional patterns varied: the South had the highest use of private provider offices; the Midwest had the greatest reliance on RHCs; and the West had the highest percentage without a USC.