Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health insurance
Medicare Reimbursement in Rural America
Policy brief discussing Medicare reimbursement for services provided at rural hospitals and how it impacts hospital finances. Provides policy recommendations for rural health reimbursement, and identifies and other considerations for addressing rural healthcare sustainability.
Author(s): Eric Schlidt, Cody Wilkinson
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Policy brief discussing Medicare reimbursement for services provided at rural hospitals and how it impacts hospital finances. Provides policy recommendations for rural health reimbursement, and identifies and other considerations for addressing rural healthcare sustainability.
Author(s): Eric Schlidt, Cody Wilkinson
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Rural Obstetric Unit Closures and Maternal and Infant Health
Policy paper examining the discontinuation of obstetric services in rural communities. Discusses factors contributing to obstetric unit closures, including hospital financial constraints, Medicaid reimbursement rates, and maternal health workforce concerns. Offers policy recommendations to prevent additional obstetric unit closures in rural areas.
Author(s): Lindsay Corcoran, Catherine Clary, Sarah Brinkman
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Policy paper examining the discontinuation of obstetric services in rural communities. Discusses factors contributing to obstetric unit closures, including hospital financial constraints, Medicaid reimbursement rates, and maternal health workforce concerns. Offers policy recommendations to prevent additional obstetric unit closures in rural areas.
Author(s): Lindsay Corcoran, Catherine Clary, Sarah Brinkman
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Availability of Supplemental Benefits in Medicare Advantage Plans in Rural and Urban Areas
Examines differences in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans with supplemental benefits that are available to enrollees in nonmetropolitan and metropolitan areas. Features statistics including average number of organizations offering MA plans, proportion of MA plans offering supplemental benefits, and MA plan premiums as of 2020, with breakdowns by noncore, micropolitan, and metropolitan counties.
Author(s): Jason Semprini, Fred Ullrich, Keith J. Mueller
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Examines differences in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans with supplemental benefits that are available to enrollees in nonmetropolitan and metropolitan areas. Features statistics including average number of organizations offering MA plans, proportion of MA plans offering supplemental benefits, and MA plan premiums as of 2020, with breakdowns by noncore, micropolitan, and metropolitan counties.
Author(s): Jason Semprini, Fred Ullrich, Keith J. Mueller
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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COVID Relief Funding for Medicaid Providers
Analyzes the distribution of COVID-19 provider relief funds to Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) providers. Discusses barriers Medicaid providers experience in applying for COVID relief funding. Presents data on the share of potentially eligible providers who received funding by enrollment in Medicare and provider type. Includes information on the distribution of funding to hospitals by hospital type, urban or rural status, and deemed DSH status.
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Analyzes the distribution of COVID-19 provider relief funds to Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) providers. Discusses barriers Medicaid providers experience in applying for COVID relief funding. Presents data on the share of potentially eligible providers who received funding by enrollment in Medicare and provider type. Includes information on the distribution of funding to hospitals by hospital type, urban or rural status, and deemed DSH status.
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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High-Functioning Rural Medicare ACOs – A Qualitative Review
Describes the success factors common to high-performing Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) based in rural areas of New York, Maine, Missouri and Arkansas, and New Hampshire. Examines these organizations' governance, ACO history, operations, finances, population health, and lessons learned.
Author(s): Thomas Vaughn, Keith Mueller, Clinton MacKinney
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Describes the success factors common to high-performing Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) based in rural areas of New York, Maine, Missouri and Arkansas, and New Hampshire. Examines these organizations' governance, ACO history, operations, finances, population health, and lessons learned.
Author(s): Thomas Vaughn, Keith Mueller, Clinton MacKinney
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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CMS Needs to Implement Risk-Based Oversight of Puerto Rico's Procurement Process
Report details the lack of oversight by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) of contractors hired to facilitate Puerto Rico's Medicaid program. Discusses Puerto Rico's Medicaid procurement process and outlines the risk of fraud, waste, and abuse of funds due to lack oversight.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Report details the lack of oversight by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) of contractors hired to facilitate Puerto Rico's Medicaid program. Discusses Puerto Rico's Medicaid procurement process and outlines the risk of fraud, waste, and abuse of funds due to lack oversight.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Medicaid's Role in Health Care for American Indians and Alaska Natives
Provides an overview of the federal government's role in providing healthcare to American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN). Discusses AI/AN demographics, economic and health disparities, and access to healthcare and insurance coverage. Describes the structure of the Indian Health Service (IHS), services provided, and IHS financing and spending. Highlights special rules and protections that apply to AI/AN Medicaid beneficiaries. Presents a series of policy issues that have been raised regarding the Medicaid and IHS relationship, as well as opportunities for improving Medicaid's role in providing healthcare to AI/AN populations.
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Provides an overview of the federal government's role in providing healthcare to American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN). Discusses AI/AN demographics, economic and health disparities, and access to healthcare and insurance coverage. Describes the structure of the Indian Health Service (IHS), services provided, and IHS financing and spending. Highlights special rules and protections that apply to AI/AN Medicaid beneficiaries. Presents a series of policy issues that have been raised regarding the Medicaid and IHS relationship, as well as opportunities for improving Medicaid's role in providing healthcare to AI/AN populations.
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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MBQIP Quality Measures National Annual Report - 2019
Summarizes quality measure reporting rates and performance among Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in 2019. Presents data on the four Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) domains: patient safety/inpatient, outpatient, patient engagement, and care transitions.
Author(s): Megan Lahr, Madeleine Pick, Tongtan Chantarat, Nathan Bean, Ira Moscovice
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Summarizes quality measure reporting rates and performance among Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in 2019. Presents data on the four Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) domains: patient safety/inpatient, outpatient, patient engagement, and care transitions.
Author(s): Megan Lahr, Madeleine Pick, Tongtan Chantarat, Nathan Bean, Ira Moscovice
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Health System Challenges for Critical Access Hospitals: Findings from a National Survey of CAH Executives
Results of a 2019 survey of 174 respondents, examining challenges including uncompensated care, affordability of health insurance, patients seeking care beyond their local hospital, and prescription drug prices. Intended to help rural health policymakers in development of strategies to maintain Critical Access Hospital viability and access to healthcare in rural communities.
Author(s): Sharita Thomas, Kristie Thompson, Kathleen Knocke, George Pink
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Results of a 2019 survey of 174 respondents, examining challenges including uncompensated care, affordability of health insurance, patients seeking care beyond their local hospital, and prescription drug prices. Intended to help rural health policymakers in development of strategies to maintain Critical Access Hospital viability and access to healthcare in rural communities.
Author(s): Sharita Thomas, Kristie Thompson, Kathleen Knocke, George Pink
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Medicaid and CHIP in the U.S. Virgin Islands
Summarizes key requirements and design features of Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Features statistics on program costs from fiscal years 2011-2019, with breakdowns by federal spending and U.S. Virgin Islands spending.
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Summarizes key requirements and design features of Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Features statistics on program costs from fiscal years 2011-2019, with breakdowns by federal spending and U.S. Virgin Islands spending.
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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