Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare business and finance
The Northern Border Region: A Health-Focused Landscape Analysis
Chartbook examining population health and healthcare access for Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont, and for the region overall. Identifies strengths and assets of the Northern Border region states, as well as opportunities for improvement. Features demographics and statistics on quality of care, health outcomes, health behaviors, mortality rates and causes, Health Professional Shortage Areas, telehealth policies, and telehealth grants awarded from 2018-2021. Includes maps showing locations of substance use treatment facilities, Rural Health Clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and hospitals.
Author(s): Katherine Ahrens, Amanda Burgess, Carly Milkowski, et al.
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organizations: Maine Rural Health Research Center, Northern Border Regional Commission
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Chartbook examining population health and healthcare access for Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont, and for the region overall. Identifies strengths and assets of the Northern Border region states, as well as opportunities for improvement. Features demographics and statistics on quality of care, health outcomes, health behaviors, mortality rates and causes, Health Professional Shortage Areas, telehealth policies, and telehealth grants awarded from 2018-2021. Includes maps showing locations of substance use treatment facilities, Rural Health Clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and hospitals.
Author(s): Katherine Ahrens, Amanda Burgess, Carly Milkowski, et al.
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organizations: Maine Rural Health Research Center, Northern Border Regional Commission
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Evaluation of the Medicare Care Choices Model: Annual Report 4
Evaluates the Medicare Care Choice Model (MCCM), which tests whether offering eligible Medicare beneficiaries the option to receive supportive services without forgoing payment for treatment of their terminal conditions improved their quality of life and care, increased patient and family satisfaction, and reduced Medicare expenditures. Reports on MCCM beneficiary outcomes through March 2021. Includes information on rural beneficiary participation in the model and compares rural and urban beneficiary outcomes.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Mathematica
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Evaluates the Medicare Care Choice Model (MCCM), which tests whether offering eligible Medicare beneficiaries the option to receive supportive services without forgoing payment for treatment of their terminal conditions improved their quality of life and care, increased patient and family satisfaction, and reduced Medicare expenditures. Reports on MCCM beneficiary outcomes through March 2021. Includes information on rural beneficiary participation in the model and compares rural and urban beneficiary outcomes.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Mathematica
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Evaluation of the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Model: Fifth Annual Report
Evaluates the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Model, which tests the impact of providing financial incentives to home health agencies in nine states: Arizona, Florida, Iowa, Massachusetts, Maryland, Nebraska, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Washington. Reports on the experiences of home health agencies and patients through 2020, the fifth performance year of the HHVBP Model, and the third year that agencies in the HHVBP states received a payment adjustment. Examines the impacts of the HHVBP Model on Medicare expenditures, healthcare utilization, quality of care and patient experience, and agency operations. Discusses rural access to high-quality home health agencies and the impact of HHVBP on rural home health patients.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance, Technical Appendices
Author(s): Alyssa Pozniak, Marc Turenne, Eric Lammers, et al.
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Evaluates the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Model, which tests the impact of providing financial incentives to home health agencies in nine states: Arizona, Florida, Iowa, Massachusetts, Maryland, Nebraska, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Washington. Reports on the experiences of home health agencies and patients through 2020, the fifth performance year of the HHVBP Model, and the third year that agencies in the HHVBP states received a payment adjustment. Examines the impacts of the HHVBP Model on Medicare expenditures, healthcare utilization, quality of care and patient experience, and agency operations. Discusses rural access to high-quality home health agencies and the impact of HHVBP on rural home health patients.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance, Technical Appendices
Author(s): Alyssa Pozniak, Marc Turenne, Eric Lammers, et al.
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Medicaid Coverage of Community Health Worker Services
Provides an overview of types of community health workers (CHWs) and the services they provide. Summarizes studies examining the effects of CHW programs on health outcomes and costs. Discusses state approaches to covering CHW services through Medicaid, including the services covered, regulatory authorities used to provide Medicaid payment, the populations served, and training and certification requirements.
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Provides an overview of types of community health workers (CHWs) and the services they provide. Summarizes studies examining the effects of CHW programs on health outcomes and costs. Discusses state approaches to covering CHW services through Medicaid, including the services covered, regulatory authorities used to provide Medicaid payment, the populations served, and training and certification requirements.
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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MACPAC Response to CMS Request for Information on Access and Coverage in Medicaid and CHIP
Letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) responding to a request for information on access to coverage and care in Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Discusses strategies related to enrolling in and maintaining coverage, accessing services, and ensuring adequate payment rates. Includes information on physical and behavioral health integration, substance use disorder treatment for pregnant and postpartum women, telehealth, and more.
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) responding to a request for information on access to coverage and care in Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Discusses strategies related to enrolling in and maintaining coverage, accessing services, and ensuring adequate payment rates. Includes information on physical and behavioral health integration, substance use disorder treatment for pregnant and postpartum women, telehealth, and more.
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Health Panel Comment Letter – Access to Coverage and Care in Medicaid & CHIP
Offers comments in response to the Access to Coverage and Care in Medicaid and CHIP Request for Information. Discusses ways the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) can support states in addressing barriers to enrollment and retention, minimum access standards, and monitoring care availability and access to care.
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Offers comments in response to the Access to Coverage and Care in Medicaid and CHIP Request for Information. Discusses ways the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) can support states in addressing barriers to enrollment and retention, minimum access standards, and monitoring care availability and access to care.
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Changes of Ownership of Hospital and Skilled Nursing Facilities: An Analysis of Newly-Released CMS Data
Examines data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding changes in hospital and skilled nursing facility (SNF) ownership between 2016 and 2021. Presents data on rates of hospital ownership changes by hospital characteristics, including rural and urban location and Critical Access Hospital status. Discusses how future research can support policymaking and research on consolidation, healthcare quality, and healthcare costs.
Author(s): W. Pete Welch, Joel Ruhter, Arielle Bosworth, Nancy De Lew, Benjamin D. Sommers
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Examines data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding changes in hospital and skilled nursing facility (SNF) ownership between 2016 and 2021. Presents data on rates of hospital ownership changes by hospital characteristics, including rural and urban location and Critical Access Hospital status. Discusses how future research can support policymaking and research on consolidation, healthcare quality, and healthcare costs.
Author(s): W. Pete Welch, Joel Ruhter, Arielle Bosworth, Nancy De Lew, Benjamin D. Sommers
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Obstetrics: U.S. Rural Hospitals
Infographic presenting statistics on obstetrics care in rural community hospitals in the U.S. Includes data on the number of births in rural hospitals, rural hospitals without obstetrics units, obstetric unit closures, and the number of women of reproductive age who live in maternity care deserts.
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Infographic presenting statistics on obstetrics care in rural community hospitals in the U.S. Includes data on the number of births in rural hospitals, rural hospitals without obstetrics units, obstetric unit closures, and the number of women of reproductive age who live in maternity care deserts.
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Impact of Cost Report on CAH Decision Making
Webinar recording discussing cost-based reimbursement and the implications of the Medicare cost report for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Describes opportunities for CAHs to maximize reimbursement using the cost report. Part of a series of webinars directed toward rural hospital CEOs and CFOs. Transcript available in video description.
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organizations: Oklahoma Office of Rural Health, Stroudwater Associates
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Webinar recording discussing cost-based reimbursement and the implications of the Medicare cost report for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Describes opportunities for CAHs to maximize reimbursement using the cost report. Part of a series of webinars directed toward rural hospital CEOs and CFOs. Transcript available in video description.
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organizations: Oklahoma Office of Rural Health, Stroudwater Associates
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The Codes of Care: How Words and Numbers Have Transformative Power for Rural Healthcare
Describes the process of translating clinical documentation into medical codes and the impact coding has on healthcare quality and population health. Highlights coding issues specific to rural settings. Also discusses graduate medical education efforts addressing clinical documentation and medical coding.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Describes the process of translating clinical documentation into medical codes and the impact coding has on healthcare quality and population health. Highlights coding issues specific to rural settings. Also discusses graduate medical education efforts addressing clinical documentation and medical coding.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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