Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health insurance
Mountain-Pacific Quality Health Pilot: Closing the Gaps in Rural Complex Care
Profiles Mountain-Pacific Quality Health, a nonprofit corporation that established a pilot program to improve the health of rural patients through the use of technology and interdisciplinary care teams working together in Montana's Flathead Valley. Describes a $1 million innovation award from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to support their use of ReSource Teams and help care for high-cost, high-need Medicare patients in the region.
Additional links: Case Study: Shared Military Background Helps Community Health Workers Connect with Patients in Rural Montana
Date: 10/2017
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Profiles Mountain-Pacific Quality Health, a nonprofit corporation that established a pilot program to improve the health of rural patients through the use of technology and interdisciplinary care teams working together in Montana's Flathead Valley. Describes a $1 million innovation award from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to support their use of ReSource Teams and help care for high-cost, high-need Medicare patients in the region.
Additional links: Case Study: Shared Military Background Helps Community Health Workers Connect with Patients in Rural Montana
Date: 10/2017
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Ambulance Services for Medicare Beneficiaries: State Differences in Usage, 2012-2014
Policy brief analyzing how ambulance use varies among U.S. communities. Features state-level statistics including number of Medicare patients transported by ambulance, miles transported, and number of days ambulance transport was used per patient. Compares mean characteristics of states by census division, including percentage of population living in rural areas.
Author(s): SuZanne Troske, Alison Davis
Date: 10/2017
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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Policy brief analyzing how ambulance use varies among U.S. communities. Features state-level statistics including number of Medicare patients transported by ambulance, miles transported, and number of days ambulance transport was used per patient. Compares mean characteristics of states by census division, including percentage of population living in rural areas.
Author(s): SuZanne Troske, Alison Davis
Date: 10/2017
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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Medicare Inappropriately Paid Acute-Care Hospitals for Outpatient Services They Provided to Beneficiaries Who Were Inpatients of Other Facilities
Results of an audit to determine whether Medicare made payments appropriately to acute-care hospitals for outpatient services provided to other facilities' inpatients, from January 2013 through August 2016. Includes recommendations from the Office of Inspector General, and CMS's responses.
Additional links: Report in Brief
Author(s): Daniel R. Levinson
Date: 09/2017
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Results of an audit to determine whether Medicare made payments appropriately to acute-care hospitals for outpatient services provided to other facilities' inpatients, from January 2013 through August 2016. Includes recommendations from the Office of Inspector General, and CMS's responses.
Additional links: Report in Brief
Author(s): Daniel R. Levinson
Date: 09/2017
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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What is the Quality Payment Program?
Provides an overview of the Quality Payment Program (QPP) and its two associated payment tracks: the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and Advanced Alternative Payment Models (Advanced APMs). Describes how the QPP may affect rural practices and includes links to additional resources.
Date: 09/2017
Sponsoring organization: National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
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Provides an overview of the Quality Payment Program (QPP) and its two associated payment tracks: the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and Advanced Alternative Payment Models (Advanced APMs). Describes how the QPP may affect rural practices and includes links to additional resources.
Date: 09/2017
Sponsoring organization: National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
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Medicare Performance-Based Payment Adjustment Programs
Describes three Medicare Performance-Based Payment Adjustment programs for hospitals: the Hospital Acquired Condition Reduction Program (HACRP), the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program (HRRP), and the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program (HVBPP). Explains how these programs may affect rural hospitals.
Date: 09/2017
Sponsoring organization: National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
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Describes three Medicare Performance-Based Payment Adjustment programs for hospitals: the Hospital Acquired Condition Reduction Program (HACRP), the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program (HRRP), and the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program (HVBPP). Explains how these programs may affect rural hospitals.
Date: 09/2017
Sponsoring organization: National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
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MedPAC Report to the Congress: Regional Variation in Medicare Part A, Part B, and Part D Spending and Service Use
Compares Medicare spending and service use based on geographic location, including across metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. Seeks to identify factors that influence regional variation and determine if higher service use and/or spending results in higher quality care and outcomes. Utilizes updated data to build on findings that were published in the January 2011 Report to the Congress: Regional Variation in Medicare Service Use. Data is adjusted to account for differences in payment rates to certain providers, such as Critical Access Hospitals.
Date: 09/2017
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Compares Medicare spending and service use based on geographic location, including across metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. Seeks to identify factors that influence regional variation and determine if higher service use and/or spending results in higher quality care and outcomes. Utilizes updated data to build on findings that were published in the January 2011 Report to the Congress: Regional Variation in Medicare Service Use. Data is adjusted to account for differences in payment rates to certain providers, such as Critical Access Hospitals.
Date: 09/2017
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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State Innovation Models (SIM) Initiative Evaluation: Model Test Year Three Annual Report
Third annual report detailing the findings of CMS's State Innovation Models (SIM) Initiative, which tests the ability of the governments in six states - Arkansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, and Vermont - to accelerate health system transformation in the areas of delivery systems, payment models, information technology, workforce development, and more. Focuses on sharing cross-state progress and findings, state-specific findings and lessons learned, and lessons for policymakers. Additional emphasis is placed on monitoring healthcare experience, utilization, and expenditures in participating SIM states.
Date: 09/2017
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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Third annual report detailing the findings of CMS's State Innovation Models (SIM) Initiative, which tests the ability of the governments in six states - Arkansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, and Vermont - to accelerate health system transformation in the areas of delivery systems, payment models, information technology, workforce development, and more. Focuses on sharing cross-state progress and findings, state-specific findings and lessons learned, and lessons for policymakers. Additional emphasis is placed on monitoring healthcare experience, utilization, and expenditures in participating SIM states.
Date: 09/2017
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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Financing Project ECHO: Options for State Medicaid Programs
Outlines how 4 states are using Medicaid funds to support Project ECHO and enhance services in California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Oregon. Shares design considerations for specific delivery system environments and ways to ensure long-term program sustainability. Project ECHO seeks to expand access to specialty healthcare services in rural and underserved areas.
Author(s): Greg Howe, Allison Hamblin, Lauren Moran
Date: 09/2017
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Outlines how 4 states are using Medicaid funds to support Project ECHO and enhance services in California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Oregon. Shares design considerations for specific delivery system environments and ways to ensure long-term program sustainability. Project ECHO seeks to expand access to specialty healthcare services in rural and underserved areas.
Author(s): Greg Howe, Allison Hamblin, Lauren Moran
Date: 09/2017
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Medicaid Financing Models for Project ECHO
Explains the different Medicaid financing mechanisms available for supporting current and potential Project ECHO strategies. Options are listed in table format and organized into three categories: managed care, care management programs, and value-based payment strategies and integrated care programs.
Date: 09/2017
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Explains the different Medicaid financing mechanisms available for supporting current and potential Project ECHO strategies. Options are listed in table format and organized into three categories: managed care, care management programs, and value-based payment strategies and integrated care programs.
Date: 09/2017
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2016
Provides statistics on health insurance coverage in 2016 and also focuses on changes between 2015 and 2016, as well as changes between 2013 and 2016. Tables 5 and A-4 list statistics for metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. Based on data from the Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement and the American Community Survey.
Author(s): Jessica C. Barnett, Edward R. Berchick
Date: 09/2017
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Provides statistics on health insurance coverage in 2016 and also focuses on changes between 2015 and 2016, as well as changes between 2013 and 2016. Tables 5 and A-4 list statistics for metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. Based on data from the Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement and the American Community Survey.
Author(s): Jessica C. Barnett, Edward R. Berchick
Date: 09/2017
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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