Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare business and finance
Quality Improvement in Rural Health Care
Policy position paper regarding challenges rural providers face in participating in quality improvement initiatives. Offers policy recommendations on the establishment and support of rural-relevant quality measures.
Author(s): Michelle Mills, Roger Wells
Date: 02/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Policy position paper regarding challenges rural providers face in participating in quality improvement initiatives. Offers policy recommendations on the establishment and support of rural-relevant quality measures.
Author(s): Michelle Mills, Roger Wells
Date: 02/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation Initiatives to Address Rural Health and Health Disparities
Policy brief describing three national Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) value-based initiatives that allow providers to work toward health equity. Provides policy recommendations to design and refine programs to engage rural providers.
Author(s): Andrea Mitchell, Alyssa Meller, Hunter Nostrant
Date: 02/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Policy brief describing three national Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) value-based initiatives that allow providers to work toward health equity. Provides policy recommendations to design and refine programs to engage rural providers.
Author(s): Andrea Mitchell, Alyssa Meller, Hunter Nostrant
Date: 02/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Health Care's Role in Rural Economic Development: How Work Support Programs Improve Health and Stimulate Rural Economies
Policy brief exploring how work support programs – Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid, and Child Care and Development Funds (CCDF) – and other state and federal programs can address social determinants of health, improve health, and stimulate economic activity in rural America. Offers policy recommendations to increase access to these programs in rural areas.
Author(s): David Jordan
Date: 02/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Policy brief exploring how work support programs – Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid, and Child Care and Development Funds (CCDF) – and other state and federal programs can address social determinants of health, improve health, and stimulate economic activity in rural America. Offers policy recommendations to increase access to these programs in rural areas.
Author(s): David Jordan
Date: 02/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Health Policy for Rural Illinois, Data for Policy Development
Provides information on various metrics representing healthcare access, cost, quality, and equity in metro and nonmetro areas of Illinois. Includes further breakdowns of data by White, Hispanic, and Black categories and discusses policy issues related to health disparities in nonmetro areas and for various demographic groups.
Author(s): Adee Athiyaman
Date: 02/2023
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
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Provides information on various metrics representing healthcare access, cost, quality, and equity in metro and nonmetro areas of Illinois. Includes further breakdowns of data by White, Hispanic, and Black categories and discusses policy issues related to health disparities in nonmetro areas and for various demographic groups.
Author(s): Adee Athiyaman
Date: 02/2023
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
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Leadership Dialogue Series: Strengthening Rural Health Care with Jennifer Havens
Discussion between John Haupert, president and CEO of Grady Health System, and Jennifer Havens, CEO of UnityPoint Health – Grinnell Regional Medical Center (GRMC). Describes challenges facing rural hospitals and health systems, as well as access to maternal health services. Explores how GRMC has addressed these challenges and improved care delivery. Transcript is available in the video description.
Date: 02/2023
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Discussion between John Haupert, president and CEO of Grady Health System, and Jennifer Havens, CEO of UnityPoint Health – Grinnell Regional Medical Center (GRMC). Describes challenges facing rural hospitals and health systems, as well as access to maternal health services. Explores how GRMC has addressed these challenges and improved care delivery. Transcript is available in the video description.
Date: 02/2023
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Rural Hospitals Face Renewed Financial Challenges, Especially in States That Have Not Expanded Medicaid
Provides an overview of rural hospital finances before the COVID-19 pandemic and compares operating margins in hospitals in states that expanded Medicaid with those that did not expand Medicaid. Describes financial trends during pandemic. Highlights selected policy initiatives intended to support rural hospitals or restructure the rural healthcare delivery system.
Author(s): Zachary Levinson, Jamie Godwin, Scott Hulver
Date: 02/2023
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Provides an overview of rural hospital finances before the COVID-19 pandemic and compares operating margins in hospitals in states that expanded Medicaid with those that did not expand Medicaid. Describes financial trends during pandemic. Highlights selected policy initiatives intended to support rural hospitals or restructure the rural healthcare delivery system.
Author(s): Zachary Levinson, Jamie Godwin, Scott Hulver
Date: 02/2023
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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The Effect of Geographic Origin and Destination on Congenital Heart Disease Outcomes: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Examines surgical outcomes related to rural versus urban residence, distance to tertiary care, and reporting characteristics of associated surgical centers for Department of Defense (DoD) health insurance beneficiaries with congenital heart disease (CHD). Analyzes outcomes by cost, length of stay, readmission within 90 days, and patient mortality, further broken down by patient demographics, including Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA).
Author(s): Spencer M. Millen, Cara H. Olsen, Ryan P. Flanagan, John S. Scott, Craig P. Dobson
Citation: BMC Cardiovascular Disorders, 23, 99
Date: 02/2023
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Examines surgical outcomes related to rural versus urban residence, distance to tertiary care, and reporting characteristics of associated surgical centers for Department of Defense (DoD) health insurance beneficiaries with congenital heart disease (CHD). Analyzes outcomes by cost, length of stay, readmission within 90 days, and patient mortality, further broken down by patient demographics, including Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA).
Author(s): Spencer M. Millen, Cara H. Olsen, Ryan P. Flanagan, John S. Scott, Craig P. Dobson
Citation: BMC Cardiovascular Disorders, 23, 99
Date: 02/2023
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Federal Telehealth Flexibilities in Private Health Insurance During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency: In Brief
Provides an overview of how private health insurance plans cover telehealth services, as well as federal flexibilities that encouraged private health insurance plans to promote telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Summarizes the two main types of laws at the state level addressing telehealth coverage in private health insurance. Outlines considerations for telehealth coverage after the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Date: 02/2023
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Provides an overview of how private health insurance plans cover telehealth services, as well as federal flexibilities that encouraged private health insurance plans to promote telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Summarizes the two main types of laws at the state level addressing telehealth coverage in private health insurance. Outlines considerations for telehealth coverage after the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Date: 02/2023
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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The Role of Telehealth in Achieving a High Performing Rural Health System: Priorities in a Post-Pandemic System
Presents a review of the potential for expanded use of telehealth in rural America and the use of telehealth services during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). Examines the uses of telehealth in a high-performing rural health system. Expands on considerations outlined in the October 2020 publication The Evolving Landscape of National Telehealth Policies during a Public Health Emergency: Responsiveness to Rural Needs.
Author(s): Joel M. James, Keith J. Mueller, Joanne Constantin, et al.
Date: 02/2023
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Presents a review of the potential for expanded use of telehealth in rural America and the use of telehealth services during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). Examines the uses of telehealth in a high-performing rural health system. Expands on considerations outlined in the October 2020 publication The Evolving Landscape of National Telehealth Policies during a Public Health Emergency: Responsiveness to Rural Needs.
Author(s): Joel M. James, Keith J. Mueller, Joanne Constantin, et al.
Date: 02/2023
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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State-Based Recommendations to Support Rural Ambulance Agencies
Discusses challenges faced by rural ambulance agencies and emergency medical services (EMS) agencies. Identifies state-based policy opportunities to support rural ambulance agencies. Covers EMS as an essential service, professional management, EMS zones, and standby costs.
Author(s): A. Clinton MacKinney, Keith J. Mueller, Alva O. Ferdinand, et al.
Date: 02/2023
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Discusses challenges faced by rural ambulance agencies and emergency medical services (EMS) agencies. Identifies state-based policy opportunities to support rural ambulance agencies. Covers EMS as an essential service, professional management, EMS zones, and standby costs.
Author(s): A. Clinton MacKinney, Keith J. Mueller, Alva O. Ferdinand, et al.
Date: 02/2023
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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