Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health insurance
Health Inclusive Poverty Measure Estimates in the United States: 2014 to 2021
Reports on the Health Inclusive Poverty Measure (HIPM), which expands the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) by including health insurance values. Tables 3 and 6 include data on poverty rates for the HIPM and SPM for those inside and outside metro areas in 2021.
Author(s): John Creamer
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Reports on the Health Inclusive Poverty Measure (HIPM), which expands the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) by including health insurance values. Tables 3 and 6 include data on poverty rates for the HIPM and SPM for those inside and outside metro areas in 2021.
Author(s): John Creamer
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Accountable Health Communities (AHC) Model Evaluation: Second Evaluation Report
Provides an overview of the Accountable Health Communities (ACH) Model, which tests whether identifying and addressing core health-related social needs (HRSNs) of community-dwelling beneficiaries improves health outcomes, reduces healthcare costs, and reduces unnecessary healthcare utilization. Explores the context in which the AHC Model was implemented and the model's impacts on Medicaid, FFS Medicare, and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries. Presents information on participating organizations that had rural areas within their geographic target areas (GTAs) and compares outcomes among urban and rural participants.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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Provides an overview of the Accountable Health Communities (ACH) Model, which tests whether identifying and addressing core health-related social needs (HRSNs) of community-dwelling beneficiaries improves health outcomes, reduces healthcare costs, and reduces unnecessary healthcare utilization. Explores the context in which the AHC Model was implemented and the model's impacts on Medicaid, FFS Medicare, and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries. Presents information on participating organizations that had rural areas within their geographic target areas (GTAs) and compares outcomes among urban and rural participants.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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Health Care Capsule: Accessing Health Care in Rural America
Discusses challenges rural communities face related to healthcare access, such as limited healthcare providers, travel distance and transportation issues, insurance coverage, and access to broadband. Provides policy recommendations from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to address rural healthcare disparities.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Discusses challenges rural communities face related to healthcare access, such as limited healthcare providers, travel distance and transportation issues, insurance coverage, and access to broadband. Provides policy recommendations from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to address rural healthcare disparities.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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How Regional Partnerships Bolster Rural Hospitals
Explores how Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and other rural providers partner to overcome challenges. Profiles six regional partnerships that address staffing, quality improvement, contracts with payers, value-based payment, and community development. Offers lessons learned that could inform policy changes to strengthen rural providers.
Author(s): Martha Hostetter, Sarah Klein
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Explores how Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and other rural providers partner to overcome challenges. Profiles six regional partnerships that address staffing, quality improvement, contracts with payers, value-based payment, and community development. Offers lessons learned that could inform policy changes to strengthen rural providers.
Author(s): Martha Hostetter, Sarah Klein
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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340B Drug Discount Program: Information about Hospitals That Received an Eligibility Exception as a Result of COVID-19
Provides an overview of a provision of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022, that allowed hospitals to request an exception to the disproportionate share hospital (DSH) percentage eligibility requirement if they were unable to meet it due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Explores the exception process and provides information on hospitals that received the exception. Discusses the amount of 340B drug purchases and discounts that excepted hospitals indicated they had in 2020 and 2021; the extent to which excepted hospitals indicated providing discounts on 340B drugs to low-income, uninsured patients; and results of the Health Resources and Services Administration's audits and oversight activities to assess program compliance.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Provides an overview of a provision of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022, that allowed hospitals to request an exception to the disproportionate share hospital (DSH) percentage eligibility requirement if they were unable to meet it due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Explores the exception process and provides information on hospitals that received the exception. Discusses the amount of 340B drug purchases and discounts that excepted hospitals indicated they had in 2020 and 2021; the extent to which excepted hospitals indicated providing discounts on 340B drugs to low-income, uninsured patients; and results of the Health Resources and Services Administration's audits and oversight activities to assess program compliance.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Barriers to Mental Health Care: Improving Provider Directory Accuracy to Reduce the Prevalence of Ghost Networks
Recording of a May 3, 2023, hearing of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance regarding inaccurate healthcare provider directories that impede access to mental healthcare. Features testimony from Robert L. Trestman, Professor and Chair of Behavioral Medicine at the Carilion Clinic and Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, on access to care in rural Virginia.
Additional links: Robert L. Trestman, American Psychiatric Association - Testimony
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Finance
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Recording of a May 3, 2023, hearing of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance regarding inaccurate healthcare provider directories that impede access to mental healthcare. Features testimony from Robert L. Trestman, Professor and Chair of Behavioral Medicine at the Carilion Clinic and Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, on access to care in rural Virginia.
Additional links: Robert L. Trestman, American Psychiatric Association - Testimony
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Finance
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Medicaid in Midlife: A Profile of Enrollees Ages 50 to 64
Provides an overview of Medicaid eligibility requirements for adults aged 50-64. Presents data on demographic characteristics of Medicaid beneficiaries in this age group, including race and ethnicity, sex, age, geography, and disability.
Author(s): James McSpadden, Sari Siegel
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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Provides an overview of Medicaid eligibility requirements for adults aged 50-64. Presents data on demographic characteristics of Medicaid beneficiaries in this age group, including race and ethnicity, sex, age, geography, and disability.
Author(s): James McSpadden, Sari Siegel
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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Guidance for the Expiration of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE)
Outlines the emergency waivers related to the minimum health and safety requirements for long-term care and acute continuing care providers that expired at the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). Describes the timelines for certain regulatory requirements issued during the PHE through interim final rules.
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Outlines the emergency waivers related to the minimum health and safety requirements for long-term care and acute continuing care providers that expired at the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). Describes the timelines for certain regulatory requirements issued during the PHE through interim final rules.
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Access to Maternity Providers: Midwives and Birth Centers
Provides an overview of the role of certified nurse-midwives and birth centers in Medicaid and how beneficiaries use these services. Describes policy issues and barriers to expanding access to midwives and birth centers, including payment policies; contracting with managed care organizations; licensure, certification, and accreditation; scope of practice; and limited supply. Includes rural considerations throughout.
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Provides an overview of the role of certified nurse-midwives and birth centers in Medicaid and how beneficiaries use these services. Describes policy issues and barriers to expanding access to midwives and birth centers, including payment policies; contracting with managed care organizations; licensure, certification, and accreditation; scope of practice; and limited supply. Includes rural considerations throughout.
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Frequently Asked Questions: CMS Waivers, Flexibilities, and the End of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
Provides information related to COVID-19 flexibilities after the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) that expired May 11, 2023. Addresses issues impacting Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and private insurance including concerns related to COVID-19 vaccines and treatment, telehealth, and more. Includes information about which changes have ended, as well as end dates for those that extend after the PHE.
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides information related to COVID-19 flexibilities after the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) that expired May 11, 2023. Addresses issues impacting Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and private insurance including concerns related to COVID-19 vaccines and treatment, telehealth, and more. Includes information about which changes have ended, as well as end dates for those that extend after the PHE.
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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