Drug Discount Program: Federal Oversight of Compliance at 340B Contract Pharmacies Needs Improvement
Focuses on the 340B Drug Pricing Program, which allows certain facilities such as Disproportionate Share Hospitals (DSHs), Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) to purchase prescription and non-prescription medications at reduced cost. Describes financial arrangements participating facilities have with contract pharmacies, the extent to which they provide discounts on 340B drugs dispensed by contract pharmacies to low-income, uninsured patients, and examines the Health Resources and Services Administration's efforts to ensure compliance with 340B Program requirements at contract pharmacies.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 06/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Community Health Center Chartbook
Features graphs, figures, and maps to document services provided by health centers, characteristics of the patients served, and progress made in improving access to healthcare, including in rural areas. Also reports on health centers' financial health, workforce status, economic impact, remaining challenges, and more. Includes statistics on telehealth service offerings with breakdowns by urban or rural status.
Date: 06/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Community Health Centers
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Veterans Choice Program: Improvements Needed to Address Access-Related Challenges as VA Plans Consolidation of Its Community Care Programs
Presents a study on the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Veterans Choice Program. Evaluates the VHA's ability to consolidate Community Care Programs without affecting access for rural veterans. Highlights findings and provides recommendations for changes.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 06/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Immigrant Health Policy Paper
Policy position brief about new immigrants in rural areas, in terms of health care access, health disparities, economic contributions, health care facilities and Community Health Workers, and service strategies to benefit immigrants. Includes case studies of immigrants in Minnesota and immigrants employed in the meat-processing industry and in rural farming.
Author(s): Susan Kunz, April Fernandez, Matt Gilleskie, et al.
Date: 05/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Toolkit: State Strategies to Develop Value-Based Payment Methodologies for Federally Qualified Health Centers
Designed to help policymakers implement Medicaid value-based payment (VBP) methodologies, by providing background information, key considerations, and state strategies. Table 1 in the Payment Methodologies section gives an overview of select state VBP methodologies for FQHCs.
Author(s): Rachel Donlon, Hannah Dorr, Kitty Purington
Date: 05/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Telehealth and Health Centers
Discusses Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and the increased use of telehealth to provide healthcare services in underserved areas. Covers Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement policies and provides federal and state policy recommendations.
Date: 04/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Community Health Centers
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Community Health Centers and Family Planning in an Era of Policy Uncertainty
Report discusses a study assessing community health centers' role in providing access to contraception and family planning services in rural and underserved areas. Details the role of the Title X family planning program and Medicaid in providing access.
Author(s): Susan F. Wood, Julia Strasser, Jessica Sharac, et al.
Date: 03/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Kaiser Family Foundation
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NACRHHS Policy Brief on Modernizing the Rural Health Clinic Act Provisions
Webinar recording discusses the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services (NACRHHS) on proposed enhancements to the Rural Health Clinic Services Act. Features presentations from the NACRHHS Executive Secretary and representatives of the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, the Maine Rural Health Research Center, and the Idaho Dept. of Health and Welfare.
Additional links: Audio Recording, PowerPoint Handout, Webinar Transcript
Date: 03/2018
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Behavioral Health Integration into Primary Care
Profile of a rural health system, Western Wisconsin Health (WWH), and its work to deliver behavioral health services. Provides an overview of how behavioral health providers and services were integrated with primary care, with a cultural change to focus on whole-person care. Includes information on Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement for the behavioral health services provided at WWH's Rural Health Clinic. Discusses how WWH behavioral health providers offer telehealth services to other rural areas of Wisconsin.
Date: 03/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Minnie Hamilton Health Care Center: SRHT Project Well Under Way
Profiles Minnie Hamilton Health Care Center's (MHHCC) progress as part of the Small Rural Hospital Transition (SRHT) Project, completed in 2017, focused on improving quality of care and transitions of care throughout its facilities. MHHCC is an 18-bed, not-for-profit Critical Access Hospital in Grantsville, West Virginia. MHHCC also operates a Rural Health Clinic in Grantsville and a Federally Qualified Health Center in Glenville.
Date: 02/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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