Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health insurance
Shared Savings Program Fast Facts
Provides summary statistics on the Medicare Shared Savings Program as of January 1, 2026. Offers data on the number of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), assigned beneficiaries, total earned shared savings, and quality scores each year since 2012; the number and percent of ACOs in each track; and more. Includes information on ACO participants, including the number of Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) participating in the program.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides summary statistics on the Medicare Shared Savings Program as of January 1, 2026. Offers data on the number of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), assigned beneficiaries, total earned shared savings, and quality scores each year since 2012; the number and percent of ACOs in each track; and more. Includes information on ACO participants, including the number of Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) participating in the program.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provider-Level Variation in the Delivery of Primary Care Telehealth for the Rural Medicare Advantage Population
Results of a study comparing use of telehealth primary care between rural and nonrural Medicare Advantage (MA) beneficiaries by providers' level of telehealth delivery. Based on data from claims for MA beneficiaries enrolled in Humana Inc. plans from January 2021 to June 2024.
Author(s): Debra Bozzi, Amanda Sutherland, Melanie Canterberry, Emily Boudreau, Gosia Sylwestrzak
Citation: The Journal of Rural Health, 42(1), e70127
Date: 02/2026
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Results of a study comparing use of telehealth primary care between rural and nonrural Medicare Advantage (MA) beneficiaries by providers' level of telehealth delivery. Based on data from claims for MA beneficiaries enrolled in Humana Inc. plans from January 2021 to June 2024.
Author(s): Debra Bozzi, Amanda Sutherland, Melanie Canterberry, Emily Boudreau, Gosia Sylwestrzak
Citation: The Journal of Rural Health, 42(1), e70127
Date: 02/2026
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Telehealth FAQ Calendar Year 2026
Provides information on Medicare telehealth regulations and payment policy for calendar year 2026. Includes information on audio-only services, behavioral health services, direct supervision, and more.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides information on Medicare telehealth regulations and payment policy for calendar year 2026. Includes information on audio-only services, behavioral health services, direct supervision, and more.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Health Panel Comment Letter - Contract Year 2027 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Programs
Offers comments in response to a November 28, 2025, proposed rule regarding policy and technical changes to the Medicare Advantage, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit, and Medicare Cost Plan programs for contract year 2027. Includes data on trends in chronic condition special need plans (C-SNPs) and institutional special needs plans (I-SNPs) between 2016 and 2025 and MA plan offerings by county metropolitan status.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Offers comments in response to a November 28, 2025, proposed rule regarding policy and technical changes to the Medicare Advantage, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit, and Medicare Cost Plan programs for contract year 2027. Includes data on trends in chronic condition special need plans (C-SNPs) and institutional special needs plans (I-SNPs) between 2016 and 2025 and MA plan offerings by county metropolitan status.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Rural Emergency Hospital Educational Webinar and Fireside Chat
Recording of a January 8, 2026, webinar for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and other small rural hospitals exploring the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation. Describes the REH designation, policy and regulatory requirements, and REH Technical Assistance Center (TAC) services and resources. Features a discussion with two hospital executives that led their facilities through the conversion to REH status. Transcript available in the video description.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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Recording of a January 8, 2026, webinar for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and other small rural hospitals exploring the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation. Describes the REH designation, policy and regulatory requirements, and REH Technical Assistance Center (TAC) services and resources. Features a discussion with two hospital executives that led their facilities through the conversion to REH status. Transcript available in the video description.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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Medicare Advantage Demographics Report, 2023
Summarizes demographics data on Medicare Advantage enrollment in 2023. Compares rural/urban residence of Medicare Advantage, Original Medicare, and dually eligible enrollees in Appendix B.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: AHIP
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Summarizes demographics data on Medicare Advantage enrollment in 2023. Compares rural/urban residence of Medicare Advantage, Original Medicare, and dually eligible enrollees in Appendix B.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: AHIP
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Medicare Fee-for-Service Health Care Expenditures among Rural and Urban Beneficiaries During 2009-2019
Examines trends in Medicare Fee-for-Service spending among rural noncore, rural micropolitan, and urban beneficiaries, utilizing 2009-2019 CMS Medicare Geographic Variation Public Use files data. Details rural-urban differences in spending over time on per-patient hospital inpatient, hospital outpatient, physician services, and post-acute care, among other categories. Discusses implications for healthcare access and quality.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Theodoros Giannouchos, Xuanzi Qin, et al.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
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Examines trends in Medicare Fee-for-Service spending among rural noncore, rural micropolitan, and urban beneficiaries, utilizing 2009-2019 CMS Medicare Geographic Variation Public Use files data. Details rural-urban differences in spending over time on per-patient hospital inpatient, hospital outpatient, physician services, and post-acute care, among other categories. Discusses implications for healthcare access and quality.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Theodoros Giannouchos, Xuanzi Qin, et al.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
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Small Practices Guide: Getting Started with Electronic Clinical Quality Measure (CQM) Reporting
Provides an overview of electronic clinical quality measures (eCQMs) under the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). Describes how small practices can report eCQMs, whether participating as an individual clinician, group, subgroup, or Alternative Payment Model (APM) Entity.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of electronic clinical quality measures (eCQMs) under the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). Describes how small practices can report eCQMs, whether participating as an individual clinician, group, subgroup, or Alternative Payment Model (APM) Entity.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Advancing Medicaid Primary Care Population-Based Payment Models: Four Lessons for States
Discusses the impact of Medicaid policy, the Rural Health Transformation Program, and reimbursement models on primary healthcare. Discusses population-based payment (PC PBP) and value-based payment (VBP) models, sharing examples from Colorado meant to enhance payments to rural and small primary care practices.
Author(s): Kelsey Brykman
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Discusses the impact of Medicaid policy, the Rural Health Transformation Program, and reimbursement models on primary healthcare. Discusses population-based payment (PC PBP) and value-based payment (VBP) models, sharing examples from Colorado meant to enhance payments to rural and small primary care practices.
Author(s): Kelsey Brykman
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Doula Services for Medicaid Beneficiaries in Virginia: Access, Utilization, and Policy Lessons
Discusses barriers and facilitators of access to doula care for Medicaid beneficiaries in Virginia after evaluation of a collection of both qualitative and quantitative data gathered between January 2022 and January 2025. Discusses geographic disparities including concerns for access in rural areas and policies to address access.
Author(s): Desirae Leaphart Mensah, Alison E. Cuellar
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(1)
Date: 01/2026
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Discusses barriers and facilitators of access to doula care for Medicaid beneficiaries in Virginia after evaluation of a collection of both qualitative and quantitative data gathered between January 2022 and January 2025. Discusses geographic disparities including concerns for access in rural areas and policies to address access.
Author(s): Desirae Leaphart Mensah, Alison E. Cuellar
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(1)
Date: 01/2026
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