McBride honored for rural health advocacy

Tim McBride, the Bernard Becker Professor at the Brown School, has received the 2024 Rural Excellence in Advocacy Award from the Missouri Rural Health Association (MRHA). The honor recognizes outstanding contributions to healthcare in rural Missouri.

“For over 30 years, I’ve been working on rural health issues with a commitment to bringing the best possible research to advance policy and practice, to improve the well-being of rural people,” McBride said. “Receiving this award from my colleagues in the Missouri Rural Health Association is a real honor.”

McBride is a nationally renowned health policy analyst and health economist, whose expertise has shaped the national agenda on health insurance, rural health care, Medicare and Medicaid policy, and healthcare access. His extensive research portfolio includes work on state and federal health reforms, diabetes policy, and long-term entitlement reform.

“Professor McBride’s dedication to rural health advocacy exemplifies the Brown School’s commitment to research and policy that make a meaningful impact,” said Dorian Traube, the Neidorff Family and Centene Corporation Dean of the Brown School and a professor. “His work has significantly advanced healthcare access and equity, not only in Missouri but across the nation. We are immensely proud of this well-deserved recognition of his contributions.”

The MRHA commended McBride for his advocacy in health policy and rural economic issues, noting his significant role in improving healthcare access across the state. He received the award during the Missouri Rural Health Conference on Nov. 7. 

Celebrating 30 years of rural policy leadership

In addition to the MRHA honor, November also marked a major career milestone for McBride: the 30th anniversary of his work with the Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) Health Panel, which provides expert advice on rural health issues to Congress and other policymakers.

“The panel was formed as we were considering the Clinton Administration’s Health Security Act in 1993,” said McBride, a founding member. “And some of us, including myself, have remained involved for all 30 years.”

The anniversary was celebrated with a three-day event in Washington, D.C. In an interview with the Rural Health Information Hub, McBride credited the panel’s success to its focus on unbiased policy analysis and bipartisan support for rural healthcare.

“What I like to tell my students is that when you go to Capitol Hill and start talking to staffers, they often turn first to discussing more partisan issues, but then they say, ‘Okay, tell us how we can help the hospitals in our district’ — because they all care about that.”

The RUPRI Health Panel publishes annual policy briefs, comment letters, and reports. Panel members, including experts in economics, medicine, and political science, meet biweekly online and convene in person several times a year to develop consensus-driven recommendations.