Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare business and finance
Provider and Patient Perspectives on Labor and Delivery Unit Closures in Rural New Hampshire
Explores how the closure of labor and delivery units in New Hampshire has impacted the providers and patients in the affected communities. Describes the top reasons for labor and delivery unit closures among five hospitals, staffing challenges, and the effect of closures on prenatal and postpartum care for women in the community. Presents recommendations to ensure access to safe and secure pregnancies and deliveries after closures.
Author(s): Sarah Benatar, Stacey McMorrow, Timothy J. Fisher
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Urban Institute
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Explores how the closure of labor and delivery units in New Hampshire has impacted the providers and patients in the affected communities. Describes the top reasons for labor and delivery unit closures among five hospitals, staffing challenges, and the effect of closures on prenatal and postpartum care for women in the community. Presents recommendations to ensure access to safe and secure pregnancies and deliveries after closures.
Author(s): Sarah Benatar, Stacey McMorrow, Timothy J. Fisher
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Urban Institute
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State Policy Changes Could Increase Access to Opioid Treatment via Telehealth
Issue brief discussing barriers to opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment via telehealth and policy recommendations to support telehealth, including reimbursement and regulatory policies. Discusses issues of broadband access, infrastructure, and data collection in relation to telehealth implementation.
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Pew
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Issue brief discussing barriers to opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment via telehealth and policy recommendations to support telehealth, including reimbursement and regulatory policies. Discusses issues of broadband access, infrastructure, and data collection in relation to telehealth implementation.
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Pew
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Medicare and Beneficiaries Pay More for Preadmission Services at Affiliated Hospitals Than at Wholly Owned Settings
Provides an overview of the Medicare diagnosis-related group (DRG) window policy. Examines how much Medicare and Medicare beneficiaries paid affiliated settings, including Critical Access Hospitals, for admission-related outpatient services in 2019 that would have otherwise been covered by the DRG policy at wholly-owned hospitals. Offers recommendations to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for updating the DRG policy.
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Provides an overview of the Medicare diagnosis-related group (DRG) window policy. Examines how much Medicare and Medicare beneficiaries paid affiliated settings, including Critical Access Hospitals, for admission-related outpatient services in 2019 that would have otherwise been covered by the DRG policy at wholly-owned hospitals. Offers recommendations to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for updating the DRG policy.
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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COVID-19 National Emergency: Early Trends in Hospitalizations for Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program Health Conditions and 30-Day Readmission Rates
Provides an overview of the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP). Describes monthly trends in hospitalizations of Medicare beneficiaries for HRRP conditions before and after the implementation of COVID-19 emergency measures through September 30, 2020. Examines how monthly trends in unadjusted 30-day readmission rates before and after implementation of COVID-19 emergency measures and how these rates differ by sociodemographic characteristics, including rurality. Discusses policy opportunities and interventions to enhance post-discharge follow-up and reduce readmission rates.
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP). Describes monthly trends in hospitalizations of Medicare beneficiaries for HRRP conditions before and after the implementation of COVID-19 emergency measures through September 30, 2020. Examines how monthly trends in unadjusted 30-day readmission rates before and after implementation of COVID-19 emergency measures and how these rates differ by sociodemographic characteristics, including rurality. Discusses policy opportunities and interventions to enhance post-discharge follow-up and reduce readmission rates.
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Oral Health in America: Advances and Challenges
Report explores the relationship oral health has to overall health and wellness. Discusses the societal factors that affect oral health and oral healthcare access. Features a discussion on rural oral health disparities and access to care in rural areas.
Additional links: Errata Notice, Executive Summary
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organizations: National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health
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Report explores the relationship oral health has to overall health and wellness. Discusses the societal factors that affect oral health and oral healthcare access. Features a discussion on rural oral health disparities and access to care in rural areas.
Additional links: Errata Notice, Executive Summary
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organizations: National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health
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December 2021 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) December 2021 meeting. Covers payment adequacy and updates for hospital inpatient and outpatient services and the mandated report on changes to the low-volume hospital payment adjustment, physician and other health professional services, ambulatory surgical center services, outpatient dialysis services, and hospice services. Highlights the effect of COVID-19 relief funding on rural hospital margins, rural hospital bypass, and rural hospice payment utilization, among other rural references.
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) December 2021 meeting. Covers payment adequacy and updates for hospital inpatient and outpatient services and the mandated report on changes to the low-volume hospital payment adjustment, physician and other health professional services, ambulatory surgical center services, outpatient dialysis services, and hospice services. Highlights the effect of COVID-19 relief funding on rural hospital margins, rural hospital bypass, and rural hospice payment utilization, among other rural references.
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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No Surprises Act Webinar
Recording of a December 14, 2021, webinar providing an overview of the No Surprises Act and how it impacts Rural Health Clinics. Outlines price transparency and good faith estimate requirements and enforcement. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: CMS Regulations, CMS-10791 Good Faith Estimate for Health Care Items and Services, Good Faith Estimate Information and Webinar Q&A Follow-Up, Presentation Slides, Transcript
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Recording of a December 14, 2021, webinar providing an overview of the No Surprises Act and how it impacts Rural Health Clinics. Outlines price transparency and good faith estimate requirements and enforcement. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: CMS Regulations, CMS-10791 Good Faith Estimate for Health Care Items and Services, Good Faith Estimate Information and Webinar Q&A Follow-Up, Presentation Slides, Transcript
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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For-profit Hospitals as Anchor Institutions in the United States: A Study of Organizational Stability
Examines whether for-profit hospitals are stable enough to fulfill the role of long-standing anchor institutions through a long-term presence in communities. Analyzes if for-profit hospitals had higher odds of closing and merging, and discusses the potential economic contributions of for-profit anchor institution hospitals to the surrounding community. Includes statistics by hospital characteristics, including rural location, and a discussion of rural hospital closures.
Author(s): Berkeley Franz, Cory E. Cronin, Vanessa Rodriguez, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 21
Date: 12/2021
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Examines whether for-profit hospitals are stable enough to fulfill the role of long-standing anchor institutions through a long-term presence in communities. Analyzes if for-profit hospitals had higher odds of closing and merging, and discusses the potential economic contributions of for-profit anchor institution hospitals to the surrounding community. Includes statistics by hospital characteristics, including rural location, and a discussion of rural hospital closures.
Author(s): Berkeley Franz, Cory E. Cronin, Vanessa Rodriguez, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 21
Date: 12/2021
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Understanding the "Tool-ish-ness" of Telehealth: Q&A with Dr. Jonathan Neufeld
An interview with clinical psychologist and program director for the Great Plains Telehealth Resource & Assistance Center, Dr. Jonathan Neufeld. Discusses the role of telehealth in healthcare delivery. Describes how telecommunications tools can be used by providers to bring quality care to rural areas.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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An interview with clinical psychologist and program director for the Great Plains Telehealth Resource & Assistance Center, Dr. Jonathan Neufeld. Discusses the role of telehealth in healthcare delivery. Describes how telecommunications tools can be used by providers to bring quality care to rural areas.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Outcome Measures for State Flex Program Financial and Operational Improvement Interventions
Discusses strategies for State Flex Programs (SFP) to monitor Critical Access Hospital (CAH) financial and operational improvement (FOI) interventions and the underlying theories of the activities. Provides recommendations for short- and intermediate-term outcome measures to assist SFPs in monitoring FOI initiatives.
Author(s): John Gale, Sara Kahn-Troster, Zach Croll
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Discusses strategies for State Flex Programs (SFP) to monitor Critical Access Hospital (CAH) financial and operational improvement (FOI) interventions and the underlying theories of the activities. Provides recommendations for short- and intermediate-term outcome measures to assist SFPs in monitoring FOI initiatives.
Author(s): John Gale, Sara Kahn-Troster, Zach Croll
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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