Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Clinics

Texas Medicaid and CHIP Reference Guide: Fifteenth Edition
Reference guide for aspects of Texas's Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) programs, including caseload and costs, eligibility and enrollment, available services, program administration, and quality of care. Features information on rural-specific policies for reimbursement, time and distance standards, the Rural Access to Primary Care and Preventive Services Program, rural hospitals, Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs).
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: Texas Health and Human Services
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How Community Health Centers Respond to Rural Hospital Closures
Describes how community health centers work to fill gaps in healthcare services and impact the economy when a local rural hospital closes.
Author(s): Nick Widmyer, Lena Ben-Gideon
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Community Health Centers
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Low Birthweight Rate Differences Associated with Distinct Perinatal Staffing Mixes at Federally Funded Health Centers
Examines associations between health center staffing models and low birthweight (LBW), utilizing 2011-2021 Uniform Data System files of 1,385 health centers. Includes data on rural-urban differences in distribution of hospitals staffing certified nurse midwives (CNMs), obstetricians-gynecologists (OBs), both, or neither.
Author(s): Paula M Kett, Grace A Guenther, Marieke S van Eijk, David G Patterson, Bianca K Frogner
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 2(12), qxae113
Date: 12/2024
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Ohio Policy Spotlight: School-Based Health Care and Medicaid
Provides an overview of school-based health services in Ohio. Includes county-level data on the percentage of Ohio children enrolled in any public health insurance.
Author(s): Becky Carroll, Sarah Al-Hashemi
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: Health Policy Institute of Ohio
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Calendar Year (CY) 2015 Rural Health Clinic (RHC) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) Updates: Payment Rate Increases for RHCs and FQHCs Billing Under the All-Inclusive Rate System (AIR), and Urban and Rural Designations for FQHCs Billing Under the AIR
Provides updates for RHCs and FQHCs that are submitting claims to Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) for services to Medicare beneficiaries.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Identifying Factors Associated with Variation in Telemental Health Delivery at Federally Qualified Health Centers
Examines telemental health delivery at Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) across the U.S. Analyzes 1,270 FQHCs and their telemental appointments in 2021 and provides statistics according to mental health staffing, rurality of FQHC, state, and patient population descriptors, including age, race/ethnicity, and insurance status.
Author(s): Brianna Lombardi, Connor Sullivan, Maria Gaiser, et al.
Citation: Journal of Primary Care & Community Health
Date: 11/2024
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Federally Qualified Health Centers and Performance of Medicare Accountable Care Organizations
Explores the association between participation of Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) in Medicare Shared Savings Program Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) with ACOs' beneficiary characteristics, utilization, expenditure, and quality. Features statistics including estimated changes in Medicare Shared Savings Program ACO-assigned beneficiaries, utilization, and expenditure, with breakdowns by FQHC and RHC visits and other types of visits.
Author(s): Kun Li, Yucheng Hou, Frank McStay, Jonathan Gonzalez-Smith, Robert S. Saunders
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 7(11), e2445536
Date: 11/2024
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Strengthening Independent Primary Care Practice in California: Understanding Small Practice Perspectives
Examines business and financial factors influencing independent primary care practice in California through interviews with physicians in California's Riverside, San Bernardino, and Humboldt counties and other healthcare leaders and subject matter experts. Identifies common concerns and provides recommendations related to healthcare economics, reimbursement, and policy. Discusses topics related to rural practice, including the Rural Health Clinic designation.
Author(s): Jill M. Yegian
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: California Health Care Foundation
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RHC Regulatory Changes in 2025 - Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Updates You Need to Know!
Recording of a November 18, 2024, webinar providing an overview of telehealth payment rates for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and other regulatory updates and potential changes for 2025. Covers Medicare vaccine reimbursement changes, the elimination of productivity standards, lab requirement changes, intensive outpatient program (IOP) services, telehealth regulations, and more. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare payments under the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and other Medicare Part B issues for calendar year 2025. Summarizes provisions related to telehealth services; advanced primary care management services; behavioral health services; opioid treatment programs; dental and oral health services; Rural Health Clinic (RHC) and Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) care coordination services, telecommunication services, intensive outpatient program (IOP) services, and payment for vaccine costs; and more.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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