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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access

Health Insurance Marketplaces: Issuer Participation Trends in Non-Metropolitan Places, 2014-22
Policy brief examining the changes in Health Insurance Marketplace (HIM) plan issuers from 2014-2022. Presents statistics on the average number of issuers per county in each year for metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore counties and by region.
Author(s): Eliot Jost, Abigail Barker, Leah Kemper, et al.
Date: 08/2022
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Update on Rural Independently Owned Pharmacy Closures in the United States, 2003-2021
Provides updated information on independently owned rural pharmacy closures from 2003 to 2021. Compares the annual retail pharmacy counts and percent change in the number of pharmacies by pharmacy type and metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore county status. Builds on past publications from RUPRI regarding rural pharmacy closures.
Author(s): Edmer Lazaro, Fred Ullrich, Keith J. Mueller
Date: 08/2022
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Long Drives and Red Tape: Mapping Rural Veteran Access to Primary Care Using Causal-Loop Diagramming
Explores the factors that contribute to barriers to primary care for rural veterans. Discusses how factors such as physical distance to VA facilities, the efficacy of VA programs, and other factors combine to affect levels of primary care access for veterans in rural areas.
Author(s): Erin S. Kenzie, Mary Patzel, Erik Nelson, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health, 22, 1075
Date: 08/2022
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Preserving Independence among Under-Resourced Older Adults in the Southeastern United States: Existing Barriers and Potential Strategies for Research
Literature review examining barriers to independent aging in the Southeast, including physical, mental, and social challenges related to chronic conditions, health disparities, and access to care. Includes a section on barriers for older adults in rural areas of the Southeast.
Author(s): Ene M. Enogela, Taylor Buchanan, Christy S. Carter, et al.
Citation: International Journal for Equity in Health, 21, 119
Date: 08/2022
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Health Panel Comment Letter – Medicare Advantage Program
Offers comments in response to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Request for Information on various aspects of the Medicare Advantage (MA) program. Presents a rural perspective on the MA program and discusses health equity in the MA program, expanding access to care, and value-based contracting. Includes data on the proportion of MA plans offering supplemental benefits in noncore, micropolitan, and metropolitan counties in 2020.
Date: 08/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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"How Do We Get to Them?" Insights on Preconception and Interconception Health for Women in Rural Northwest Ohio
Examines preconception and interconception health concerns for women of a reproductive age living in rural Hardin County. Analyzes semistructured interviews with 14 community participants and discusses 3 themes related to women's health: available resources, community observations about social determinants and access, and potential health intervention strategies.
Author(s): Akia D. Clark, Natalie A. DiPietro Mager
Citation: Ohio Journal of Public Health, 5(1), 85-93
Date: 08/2022
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Perceptions of How Integrated Care Impacts Treatment in Rural Settings
Examines provider perceptions when working in rural integrated care contexts. Analyzes 8 interviews from primary and behavioral health professionals in Ohio, Maine, and Tennessee about their experiences on integrated care teams and discusses themes such as healthcare access, interprofessional education, and provider communication.
Author(s): Dawn Graham, Samantha Nandyal, Salonas Ayad
Citation: Ohio Journal of Public Health, 5(1), 79-84
Date: 08/2022
Sponsoring organization: Ohio Public Health Association
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Households in Rural Communities with Persistent Poverty Have Less Access to Internet at Home
Chart depicting internet access in relation to persistent poverty for metro and nonmetro counties based on data from the USDA Economic Research Service and 2019 American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Date: 08/2022
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Medicare Beneficiary Access to Prescription Drugs in Rural Areas
Policy brief identifying the types of pharmacies used by Medicare beneficiaries in rural areas with limited or no access to pharmacies, using data from July 2016 to December 2017. Features statistics on county and beneficiary characteristics and claim event counts, with breakdowns by county pharmacy cohort.
Author(s): Onyinye Oyeka, Fred Ullrich, Keith J. Mueller
Date: 08/2022
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Integrated Care for Kids (InCK) Model Evaluation: Report 1
Presents findings from the 2020-2021 pre-implementation period of the Integrated Care for Kids (InCK) Model, which aims to improve health outcomes for Medicaid-enrolled children with complex physical and behavioral health needs. Provides an overview of the InCK Model and profiles each InCK award recipient's model, community context, planned approach, and progress with implementing the model. Identifies models serving rural areas and service gaps in these areas.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance
Date: 08/2022
Sponsoring organizations: Abt Associates, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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