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Healthcare in Nebraska

Nebraska's healthcare system is concentrated in Omaha and Lincoln, which together house the state's academic medical centers and major hospital systems. Nebraska Medicine, affiliated with the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), gained international recognition for its biocontainment unit and infectious disease expertise during the Ebola crisis. The state has approximately 5,200 active physicians with a per capita rate of 266 per 100,000. Nebraska has two medical schools: UNMC and Creighton University School of Medicine, both in Omaha, producing a steady physician workforce. The western two-thirds of the state is predominantly rural and faces significant physician shortages, with many communities relying on a single primary care provider. Nebraska's critical access hospital network ensures basic hospital services remain available in rural areas, but specialty care often requires travel to Omaha or Lincoln. The state has expanded Medicaid following voter approval in 2018, extending coverage to approximately 90,000 residents. Agriculture-related health concerns, including pesticide exposure and farm injuries, are important aspects of rural healthcare in Nebraska. Grand Island, Kearney, and North Platte serve as regional healthcare outposts in central and western Nebraska, providing essential services that reduce the need for long-distance travel to urban centers.