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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Critical Access Hospitals

Impact of Swing Beds
Policy brief describes the value of swing beds as a critical healthcare service that provides quality care and can help reduce readmission rates. Discusses how swing beds can create additional revenue for small rural hospitals at risk of experiencing financial challenges.
Author(s): Jim Parrish, Ann Turner, Margaret Woeppel
Date: 02/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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AzCRH 2015 Safety Net Health Care in Arizona Report
Provides an analysis of data from a survey of Arizona's Critical Access Hospitals, Rural Health Clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and county health departments. Addresses insurance coverage with breakdowns by county and for Latinos, American Indians, and adults with disabilities; hospital margins; access to healthcare; staffing FTE and recruitment issues; and services provided.
Author(s): Joe Tabor, Nick Jennings, Lindsay Kohler, et al.
Date: 02/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Arizona Center for Rural Health
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Patients' Experiences in CAHs: HCAHPS Results, Q2 2014 - Q1 2015
Results of the April 2014 - March 2015 Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey of reporting rates and performance in Critical Access Hospitals in the United States. Includes data broken down by state, national ranking, and links to state-specific reports.
Author(s): Michelle Casey, Peiyin Hung, Alex Evenson
Date: 02/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Report to Congress on Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments
First annual report on Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payments, which provide support to safety-net hospitals to help offset uncompensated care costs for Medicaid and uninsured patients. Discusses Medicaid policy, current and future DSH allotments, and data needs. Table B-3 projects FY2018 DSH payments under different scenarios, with data for urban and rural hospitals and for Critical Access Hospitals.
Date: 02/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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CMS Manual System: Revisions to Medicare State Operations Manual, Chapter 9 - Critical Access Hospital (CAH) Recertification Checklist: Rural and Distance or Necessary Provider Verification
Provides a list of the necessary components to be confirmed when Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) are surveyed for recertification to determine if they meet the rural location and distance or necessary provider requirements to maintain their CAH status. Identifies the procedures used by the CMS Regional Office and state survey agencies to determine if CAHs meet the necessary requirements.
Date: 02/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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2016 Rural Hospital Replacement Facility Study
Examines the effects of facility replacement on rural Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), including service volumes, operating efficiency, financial performance, and healthcare quality.
Date: 2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: National Rural Health Association, Stroudwater Associates
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Health in Rural Missouri: The Economic Impact of Critical Access Hospitals
Describes the distribution of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in Missouri. Reports on the economic impact for each CAH, as well as the labor and income impacts on the community.
Date: 2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Missouri Office of Rural Health and Primary Care
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Benefiting Hospitals, Not Patients: An Analysis of Charity Care Provided by Hospitals Enrolled in the 340B Discount Program
Examines charity care levels at 340B Disproportionate Share Hospitals (DSHs) to determine if eligibility criteria for DSH hospitals appropriately align with the 340B programs goal of supporting access to prescription drugs for uninsured and vulnerable populations. Appendix provides additional information and operating statistics specific to Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs).
Date: 2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Alliance for Integrity and Reform of 340B
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Critical Access Hospital-Relevant Measures for Health System Development and Population Health
Describes performance measures for assessing health system development and population health in Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Discusses how the measures can help CAHs and other stakeholders benchmark and improve performance.
Author(s): John Gale, Andrew Coburn, Zach Croll
Date: 12/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Medicare Value-based Payment Reform: Priorities for Transforming Rural Health Systems
Analyzes the provisions within the Affordable Care Act (ACA) regarding Medicare payment and delivery system reforms that affect rural health providers and rural health services. Proposes recommendations that support the inclusion of rural appropriate payment systems.
Additional links: Policy Brief
Author(s): Keith Mueller, Charles Alfero, Andy Coburn, et al.
Date: 11/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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