Healthcare access desk

Where Americans can — and cannot — see the providers they need.

Studies measuring per-capita provider density, shortage-area exposure, and specialty-level access across U.S. states and metros. Anchored on CMS NPPES, HRSA HPSA, and U.S. Census Bureau data.

CMS NPPES
HRSA HPSA
U.S. Census Bureau

STUDIES IN THIS DESK · 21

June 2026
Hospital Price Transparency Enforcement: 11,440 CMS Actions Since 2021
28 civil monetary penalties, 2,993 warning notices, and a 5-year federal enforcement record — every action CMS has taken against non-compliant hospitals under the Price Transparency rule.
- CMS Price Transparency
11,440 records
May 2026
NSA Surprise Billing Compliance: IDR Data Analysis 2026
The No Surprises Act generated over 580,000 IDR disputes in its first 18 months — far exceeding CMS projections. Providers win ~71% of completed arbitrations, receiving payment above the Qualifying Payment Amount. MRF compliance improved significantly after CMS enforcement notices, but gaps persist among smaller regional issuers.
- CMS NSA IDR
- CMS MRF Compliance
580,000 records
May 2026
FQHC Healthcare Access Gaps by State (HRSA UDS 2022)
1,373 Health Center Program awardees operating ~9,000 FQHC sites served 30.5 million patients in 2022. Medicaid and uninsured patients make up 68% of FQHC patient volume. Wyoming and the Dakotas have the lowest site density in the nation — less than 1 FQHC per 50,000 residents.
- HRSA UDS
- HRSA HPSA
1,373 records
May 2026
OIG Exclusion Patterns: Who Gets Barred from Medicare
Analysis of 68,055 OIG LEIE records spanning 1977–2026: exclusion-type breakdown, statutory authority distribution, NPI match rate, and state concentration patterns.
- OIG LEIE
- HHS OIG
68,055 records
May 2026
Medicare Facility Mix: 68K Providers in the CMS POS Registry
Breakdown of 68,211 CMS Provider of Services records by facility type and state — the CCN-keyed backbone that underlies all Care Compare cross-referencing.
- CMS POS
- CMS iQIES
68,211 records
May 2026
National Chiropractor Supply by State — NPPES 2026 Snapshot
Active U.S. chiropractors per 100,000 residents, by state, from the public CMS NPI Registry. Public-records methodology with per-state coverage flags.
- CMS NPPES
- U.S. Census Bureau
97,017 recordsCSV ↓
May 2026
U.S. Orthopedic Surgeon Supply by State 2026 — NPPES Per-Capita Density
Active U.S. orthopedic surgeons per 100,000 residents, by state, from the public CMS NPI Registry — individually-enumerated providers (NPPES Type 1). Musculoskeletal disease is the leading source of disability in the United States; orthopedic supply per state tells a sharper story than national totals.
- CMS NPPES
- U.S. Census Bureau
30,447 recordsCSV ↓
May 2026
U.S. Ophthalmologist Supply by State 2026 — NPPES Per-Capita Density
Active U.S. ophthalmologists per 100,000 residents, by state, from the public CMS NPI Registry — individually-enumerated providers (NPPES Type 1). Vision care is the most common medical specialty referral; ophthalmologist supply per state tells the access story national totals obscure.
- CMS NPPES
- U.S. Census Bureau
24,811 recordsCSV ↓
May 2026
U.S. Gastroenterologist Supply by State 2026 — NPPES Per-Capita Density
Active U.S. gastroenterologists per 100,000 residents, by state, from the public CMS NPI Registry — individually-enumerated providers (NPPES Type 1). Colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death; gastroenterologist supply per state is the leading indicator of screening capacity.
- CMS NPPES
- U.S. Census Bureau
21,236 recordsCSV ↓
May 2026
U.S. Urologist Supply by State 2026 — NPPES Per-Capita Density
Active U.S. urologists per 100,000 residents, by state, from the public CMS NPI Registry — individually-enumerated providers (NPPES Type 1). Rural urology shortages are the most extensively documented specialty access gap in the United States; state-level supply is the leading indicator.
- CMS NPPES
- U.S. Census Bureau
14,748 recordsCSV ↓
May 2026
U.S. Otolaryngologist (ENT) Supply by State 2026 — NPPES Per-Capita Density
Active U.S. otolaryngologists per 100,000 residents, by state, from the public CMS NPI Registry — individually-enumerated providers (NPPES Type 1). Hearing loss, head and neck cancer, and sleep apnea all funnel through ENT supply; state-level density tells the access story.
- CMS NPPES
- U.S. Census Bureau
12,453 recordsCSV ↓
May 2026
National Cardiology Supply by State — NPPES 2026 Snapshot
Active U.S. cardiologists per 100,000 residents, by state, from the public CMS NPI Registry. Heart disease remains the #1 cause of U.S. death; cardiologist supply per state tells a sharper story than national totals.
- CMS NPPES
- U.S. Census Bureau
35,006 recordsCSV ↓
May 2026
National OBGYN Supply by State — NPPES 2026 Snapshot
Active U.S. obstetrician-gynecologists per 100,000 residents, by state, from the public CMS NPI Registry — individually-enumerated providers (NPPES Type 1) only. Maternity care deserts now affect tens of millions of Americans; state-level OBGYN supply is the leading indicator.
- CMS NPPES
- U.S. Census Bureau
8,572 recordsCSV ↓
May 2026
National Pediatrics Supply by State — NPPES 2026 Snapshot
Active U.S. pediatricians per 100,000 residents, by state, from the public CMS NPI Registry — individually-enumerated providers (NPPES Type 1) only. Pediatrician supply is uneven across states with material implications for child health access.
- CMS NPPES
- U.S. Census Bureau
33,410 recordsCSV ↓
May 2026
National Neurology Supply by State — NPPES 2026 Snapshot
Active U.S. neurologists per 100,000 residents, by state, from the public CMS NPI Registry. Aging population + dementia growth are colliding with a documented neurologist supply gap.
- CMS NPPES
- U.S. Census Bureau
24,659 recordsCSV ↓
May 2026
National Medical Oncology Supply by State — NPPES 2026 Snapshot
Active U.S. medical oncologists per 100,000 residents, by state, from the public CMS NPI Registry. Cancer care access is geographically concentrated; state oncologist supply maps to cancer mortality patterns.
- CMS NPPES
- U.S. Census Bureau
7,286 recordsCSV ↓
May 2026
National Psychiatry Supply by State — NPPES 2026 Snapshot
Active U.S. psychiatrists per 100,000 residents, by state, from the public CMS NPI Registry. Mental health access remains one of the largest public-health gaps in U.S. medicine; state psychiatrist density tells a sharper story than national headlines.
- CMS NPPES
- U.S. Census Bureau
62,118 recordsCSV ↓
May 2026
National Plastic Surgery Supply by State — NPPES 2026 Snapshot
Active U.S. plastic surgeons per 100,000 residents, by state, from the public CMS NPI Registry. Backs the verifysurgeon.com hero-vertical research surface.
- CMS NPPES
- U.S. Census Bureau
6,712 recordsCSV ↓
May 2026
National Dermatology Supply by State — NPPES 2026 Snapshot
Active U.S. dermatologists per 100,000 residents, by state, from the public CMS NPI Registry.
- CMS NPPES
- U.S. Census Bureau
18,765 recordsCSV ↓
May 2026
Dermatology Access and Practice Density Report 2026 — Indexed Practice Coverage Across the United States
How dermatology-practice supply distributes across the United States — 3,339 NPPES-active dermatology NPIs, May 2026 NPPES snapshot. All counts derive from the CMS NPPES weekly full-replacement file.
- Fonteum indexed dataset
- CMS NPPES
- BLS OEWS
3,339 recordsCSV ↓
April 2026
The 2026 US Medical Weight Loss Market: 3,039 Clinics Mapped Across America
An original data study mapping 3,039 active medical weight loss clinics across 44 US states — with a full 50-state access gap analysis, GLP-1 adoption data, and the geographic mismatch between where obesity is highest and where clinics actually exist.
- Fonteum indexed dataset
3,039 recordsCSV ↓

Where Americans can — and cannot — see the providers they need.

Studies measuring per-capita provider density, shortage-area exposure, and specialty-level access across U.S. states and metros. Anchored on CMS NPPES, HRSA HPSA, and U.S. Census Bureau data.

CMS NPPES
HRSA HPSA
U.S. Census Bureau

STUDIES IN THIS DESK · 21

June 2026
Hospital Price Transparency Enforcement: 11,440 CMS Actions Since 2021
28 civil monetary penalties, 2,993 warning notices, and a 5-year federal enforcement record — every action CMS has taken against non-compliant hospitals under the Price Transparency rule.
- CMS Price Transparency
11,440 records
May 2026
NSA Surprise Billing Compliance: IDR Data Analysis 2026
The No Surprises Act generated over 580,000 IDR disputes in its first 18 months — far exceeding CMS projections. Providers win ~71% of completed arbitrations, receiving payment above the Qualifying Payment Amount. MRF compliance improved significantly after CMS enforcement notices, but gaps persist among smaller regional issuers.
- CMS NSA IDR
- CMS MRF Compliance
580,000 records
May 2026
FQHC Healthcare Access Gaps by State (HRSA UDS 2022)
1,373 Health Center Program awardees operating ~9,000 FQHC sites served 30.5 million patients in 2022. Medicaid and uninsured patients make up 68% of FQHC patient volume. Wyoming and the Dakotas have the lowest site density in the nation — less than 1 FQHC per 50,000 residents.
- HRSA UDS
- HRSA HPSA
1,373 records
May 2026
OIG Exclusion Patterns: Who Gets Barred from Medicare
Analysis of 68,055 OIG LEIE records spanning 1977–2026: exclusion-type breakdown, statutory authority distribution, NPI match rate, and state concentration patterns.
- OIG LEIE
- HHS OIG
68,055 records
May 2026
Medicare Facility Mix: 68K Providers in the CMS POS Registry
Breakdown of 68,211 CMS Provider of Services records by facility type and state — the CCN-keyed backbone that underlies all Care Compare cross-referencing.
- CMS POS
- CMS iQIES
68,211 records
May 2026
National Chiropractor Supply by State — NPPES 2026 Snapshot
Active U.S. chiropractors per 100,000 residents, by state, from the public CMS NPI Registry. Public-records methodology with per-state coverage flags.
- CMS NPPES
- U.S. Census Bureau
97,017 recordsCSV ↓
May 2026
U.S. Orthopedic Surgeon Supply by State 2026 — NPPES Per-Capita Density
Active U.S. orthopedic surgeons per 100,000 residents, by state, from the public CMS NPI Registry — individually-enumerated providers (NPPES Type 1). Musculoskeletal disease is the leading source of disability in the United States; orthopedic supply per state tells a sharper story than national totals.
- CMS NPPES
- U.S. Census Bureau
30,447 recordsCSV ↓
May 2026
U.S. Ophthalmologist Supply by State 2026 — NPPES Per-Capita Density
Active U.S. ophthalmologists per 100,000 residents, by state, from the public CMS NPI Registry — individually-enumerated providers (NPPES Type 1). Vision care is the most common medical specialty referral; ophthalmologist supply per state tells the access story national totals obscure.
- CMS NPPES
- U.S. Census Bureau
24,811 recordsCSV ↓
May 2026
U.S. Gastroenterologist Supply by State 2026 — NPPES Per-Capita Density
Active U.S. gastroenterologists per 100,000 residents, by state, from the public CMS NPI Registry — individually-enumerated providers (NPPES Type 1). Colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death; gastroenterologist supply per state is the leading indicator of screening capacity.
- CMS NPPES
- U.S. Census Bureau
21,236 recordsCSV ↓
May 2026
U.S. Urologist Supply by State 2026 — NPPES Per-Capita Density
Active U.S. urologists per 100,000 residents, by state, from the public CMS NPI Registry — individually-enumerated providers (NPPES Type 1). Rural urology shortages are the most extensively documented specialty access gap in the United States; state-level supply is the leading indicator.
- CMS NPPES
- U.S. Census Bureau
14,748 recordsCSV ↓
May 2026
U.S. Otolaryngologist (ENT) Supply by State 2026 — NPPES Per-Capita Density
Active U.S. otolaryngologists per 100,000 residents, by state, from the public CMS NPI Registry — individually-enumerated providers (NPPES Type 1). Hearing loss, head and neck cancer, and sleep apnea all funnel through ENT supply; state-level density tells the access story.
- CMS NPPES
- U.S. Census Bureau
12,453 recordsCSV ↓
May 2026
National Cardiology Supply by State — NPPES 2026 Snapshot
Active U.S. cardiologists per 100,000 residents, by state, from the public CMS NPI Registry. Heart disease remains the #1 cause of U.S. death; cardiologist supply per state tells a sharper story than national totals.
- CMS NPPES
- U.S. Census Bureau
35,006 recordsCSV ↓
May 2026
National OBGYN Supply by State — NPPES 2026 Snapshot
Active U.S. obstetrician-gynecologists per 100,000 residents, by state, from the public CMS NPI Registry — individually-enumerated providers (NPPES Type 1) only. Maternity care deserts now affect tens of millions of Americans; state-level OBGYN supply is the leading indicator.
- CMS NPPES
- U.S. Census Bureau
8,572 recordsCSV ↓
May 2026
National Pediatrics Supply by State — NPPES 2026 Snapshot
Active U.S. pediatricians per 100,000 residents, by state, from the public CMS NPI Registry — individually-enumerated providers (NPPES Type 1) only. Pediatrician supply is uneven across states with material implications for child health access.
- CMS NPPES
- U.S. Census Bureau
33,410 recordsCSV ↓
May 2026
National Neurology Supply by State — NPPES 2026 Snapshot
Active U.S. neurologists per 100,000 residents, by state, from the public CMS NPI Registry. Aging population + dementia growth are colliding with a documented neurologist supply gap.
- CMS NPPES
- U.S. Census Bureau
24,659 recordsCSV ↓
May 2026
National Medical Oncology Supply by State — NPPES 2026 Snapshot
Active U.S. medical oncologists per 100,000 residents, by state, from the public CMS NPI Registry. Cancer care access is geographically concentrated; state oncologist supply maps to cancer mortality patterns.
- CMS NPPES
- U.S. Census Bureau
7,286 recordsCSV ↓
May 2026
National Psychiatry Supply by State — NPPES 2026 Snapshot
Active U.S. psychiatrists per 100,000 residents, by state, from the public CMS NPI Registry. Mental health access remains one of the largest public-health gaps in U.S. medicine; state psychiatrist density tells a sharper story than national headlines.
- CMS NPPES
- U.S. Census Bureau
62,118 recordsCSV ↓
May 2026
National Plastic Surgery Supply by State — NPPES 2026 Snapshot
Active U.S. plastic surgeons per 100,000 residents, by state, from the public CMS NPI Registry. Backs the verifysurgeon.com hero-vertical research surface.
- CMS NPPES
- U.S. Census Bureau
6,712 recordsCSV ↓
May 2026
National Dermatology Supply by State — NPPES 2026 Snapshot
Active U.S. dermatologists per 100,000 residents, by state, from the public CMS NPI Registry.
- CMS NPPES
- U.S. Census Bureau
18,765 recordsCSV ↓
May 2026
Dermatology Access and Practice Density Report 2026 — Indexed Practice Coverage Across the United States
How dermatology-practice supply distributes across the United States — 3,339 NPPES-active dermatology NPIs, May 2026 NPPES snapshot. All counts derive from the CMS NPPES weekly full-replacement file.
- Fonteum indexed dataset
- CMS NPPES
- BLS OEWS
3,339 recordsCSV ↓
April 2026
The 2026 US Medical Weight Loss Market: 3,039 Clinics Mapped Across America
An original data study mapping 3,039 active medical weight loss clinics across 44 US states — with a full 50-state access gap analysis, GLP-1 adoption data, and the geographic mismatch between where obesity is highest and where clinics actually exist.
- Fonteum indexed dataset
3,039 recordsCSV ↓