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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health insurance

Federal Policy & Telehealth: What to be Aware of Going Forward
Webinar describing the telehealth policy landscape following the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated public health emergency, highlighting federal policy issues as of October 2022. Describes policy flexibilities, Medicare telehealth during the pandemic, and research initiatives examining telehealth.
Additional links: Presentation Slide Deck
Date: 10/2022
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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The Future of Telehealth After COVID-19: New Opportunities and Challenges
Provides an overview of the current evidence regarding telehealth's impact on equitable access to care and on quality of care, patient outcomes, and cost. Describes the COVID-19 pandemic-related regulatory flexibilities for mental health and substance use disorder services. Discusses the importance of telehealth on primary and specialty care during the public health emergency (PHE). Offers recommendations for Medicare telehealth policies to promote better outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries and value for the Medicare program.
Additional links: Medicare Telehealth Utilization and Spending Impacts 2019-2021, Webinar Recording
Author(s): Julia Harris, Sabah Bhatnagar, Brady Newell, et al.
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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A Career of Influencing Rural Healthcare Delivery: Bill Finerfrock and the NARHC Origin Story
Reviews the founding of the National Association of Rural Health Clinics (NARHC), with insights from long-time NARHC executive director Bill Finerfrock about collaborative work with other rural health organizations to support the Rural Health Clinic program.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Rural Health Clinic Program at 45 Years: Created for Access and Still Delivering Care
Features rural health policy experts, researchers, and clinicians discussing the impact of the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) program on outpatient healthcare delivery.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Advancing Health Equity and Integrated Care for Rural Dual Eligibles
Discusses health disparities for rural individuals dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. Presents an overview of a toolkit to advance health equity for rural dual eligibles and findings from roundtables of 50 stakeholders across 3 states regarding solutions for the workforce and service needs of this population.
Author(s): Ellen Breslin, Samantha Di Paola, Susan McGeehan, Rebecca Kellenberg, Andrea Maresca
Citation: Health Affairs Forefront
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
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The Costs of Cancer in Rural Communities
Explores the financial impact cancer has on individuals in rural communities. Includes information and data related to health insurance, income levels, and how cost is connected to healthcare access and deferred treatment.
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
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Maternal Health: Availability of Hospital-Based Obstetric Care in Rural Areas
Explores the availability of hospital-based obstetric services in rural areas. Summarizes stakeholder perspectives on the factors affecting the availability of these services and on the efforts federal agencies, states, and others could take to increase the access to obstetric care. Highlights six programs identified by researchers and provider associations as effective at increasing obstetric care in rural areas.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Safety Assurance Factors for EHR Resilience (SAFER) Guides Requirements
Infographic displaying the differences in the Safety Assurance Factors for EHR Resilience (SAFER) Guide requirements for hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) participating in the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program and eligible clinicians participating in the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Promoting Interoperability performance category for eligible clinicians.
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Health Care Access Among Self-Employed Workers in Nonmetropolitan Counties
Webinar recording highlighting a May 2022 report that examines access to healthcare for self-employed workers, their families, and their households in rural areas. Utilizes 2014-2020 data to discuss health insurance coverage and affordability, availability of healthcare services, and changes in work, income, health status, and healthcare access.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Author(s): Elizabeth A. Dobis, Jessica E. Todd
Date: 10/2022
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: North Central Regional Center for Rural Development
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Nowhere to Go: Maternity Care Deserts Across the U.S. 2022
Explores maternal healthcare access and provides county-level U.S. maps that show maternity care deserts, hospitals and birth centers that offer obstetric (OB) care, distribution of OB providers, percentage of women without health insurance, percentage of births covered by Medicaid, and more. Includes rural versus urban characteristics of maternity care deserts as well as access and policy discussions specific to rural areas.
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: March of Dimes
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