The 2025 Minnesota Rural Health Policy Summit Report looks at five policy priority area definitions

• Access: Ensuring all Minnesotans—regardless of geography—can obtain timely, affordable, and individually appropriate care.
• Funding: Advocate for sustainable and equitable funding models that reflect the unique needs of rural providers and communities.
• Innovation: Promoting rural-centered innovation in care delivery, technology, and community partnerships to ensure sustainability.
• Regulation: Supporting regulatory frameworks that protect patient safety and reduce administrative burdens that build flexible rural health systems.
• Workforce: Strengthening the rural health workforce by expanding education pathways, incentivizing rural practice, and embracing community-rooted solutions

I was expecting “access” to discussion access to broadband with an eye toward using telehealth. It didn’t. I don’t have a lot more to say about that, except that broadband – and telehealth – weren’t hot topics.

The exception was a mention of remote access under the umbrella of innovation…

Policy solutions focused on payment or incentive solutions that focus on prevention, address specific needs, or provide specific services, have controls for security, and means to monitor outcomes. The group emphasized that innovations should integrate environmental impacts. Policy suggestions include making the virtual visits telehealth extender permanent and aligning payments for virtual visit models with in-person visit models.

The extension of funding will help those who can access online visits but still leaves out those without adequate broadband.