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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare business and finance

The Competition Conundrum
Reports on an analysis of hospital and health insurance carrier market competition in Colorado and offers county-level data. Assesses the relationship between market competition and health insurance premiums. Includes discussion on health insurance market challenges specific to rural areas. Offers suggestions to improve market competition and conditions.
Date: 05/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Colorado Health Institute
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The Special Diabetes Program for Indians: Estimates of Medicare Savings
Examines the potential Medicare savings due to the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) efforts in providing diabetes prevention and treatment services to American Indians and Alaska Natives. Focuses on diabetes prevalence and end-stage renal disease related to diabetes. Appendix II includes additional information about the SDPI.
Date: 05/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Rural/Urban and Regional Variation in the 2019 CMS Hospital Wage Index
Findings brief describing the geographic variation in the 2019 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) hospital wage index by rural and urban definitions. Includes data comparisons for rural and urban definitions by Census region, frontier and remote (FAR) codes, and state.
Author(s): Kristie W. Thompson, Ann Howard, George H. Pink
Date: 05/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Opportunities to Advance Complex Care in Rural and Frontier Areas
Examines obstacles rural and frontier healthcare organizations face in providing complex care based on interviews with experts around the U.S. Focuses on rural social determinants of health, workforce shortages, and rural community relationships. Includes examples of models related to community collaboration, care coordination, social determinants of health, the health workforce, technology, and payment.
Author(s): Jim Lloyd
Date: 05/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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The Race to Value-Based Payment
Slides from a presentation at the 2019 National Rural Health Association (NRHA) annual meeting on value-based payment. Highlights different models of payment transitioning from fee-for-service to value-based payment as well as facilitators and strategies used.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller
Date: 05/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Medicare Physician Payment Reform After Two Years: Examining MACRA Implementation and the Road Ahead
Provides a recording of a U.S. Senate Committee on Finance hearing on physician payment reforms under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA). Features testimonies about what is working well and challenges faced, including provisions and challenges for small and rural practices. Contains testimonies from the American Medical Association, American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Surgeons, American Medical Group Association, and Brookings Institution.
Additional links: American Medical Association Testimony, John Cullen Testimony, Scott Hines Testimony
Date: 05/2019
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Finance
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Toward a High Performing Rural Health Care System: Key Issues and Recommendations from Rural Health Care System Innovators
Summarizes key themes and recommendations from a meeting of rural health leaders regarding innovations in rural healthcare financing and service delivery to inform state and national policy discussions. Offers recommendations, examples, and discussion on 3 areas: financing rural health system innovation, creating an infrastructure to support rural health innovation, and promoting governance models that support innovation.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller, Charlie Alfero, Andrew F. Coburn, et al.
Date: 05/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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2019 Wage Index Differences and Selected Characteristics of Rural and Urban Hospitals
Findings brief describing and comparing rural and urban hospitals by Medicare payment classification, amount of patient revenue, and number of beds. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban and rural locations.
Author(s): George H. Pink, Kristie W. Thompson, H. Ann Howard
Date: 05/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Summary of Activities and Value-Added Services, State Fiscal Year 2018: Quality, Timeliness, and Access to Health Care for Texas Medicaid and CHIP Recipients
Reports on an external quality review of the Texas Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) programs. Includes rural/urban breakdowns throughout and provides data specific to Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Addresses screening rates, access to primary care, specialty referrals, maternal morbidity, and shortages of behavioral health providers.
Date: 05/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Texas Health and Human Services
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What You Need to Know: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 2019 ORYX® Performance Measure Reporting Requirements
Provides information for The Joint Commission accredited hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) on the 2019 ORYX performance measure reporting requirements.
Date: 05/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Joint Commission
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