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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare business and finance

Why Are Health Care Expenditures Increasing and Is There a Rural Differential?
Focuses on the factors that account for the rise in health care expenditures, empirical evidence showing whether there are differences between rural and urban areas in health care expenditure increases, and a framework for considering future changes in rural health care systems.
Author(s): Timothy D. McBride
Date: 11/2005
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Assessing the Financial Effect of Medicare Payment on Rural Hospitals: Does the Source of Data Change the Results?
Describes how predictions of changes in hospital financial performance as a result of change in Medicare payment differ when comparing results using data from the Medicare Cost Report (MCR) to results using data from the audited hospital financial statement.
Author(s): Li-Wu Chen, Susan Puumala, Keith J. Mueller, et al.
Date: 11/2005
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Trends in Uninsurance Among Rural Minority Children
Looks at trends in health insurance coverage among rural children from 1979-2001, with data for rural and urban White, African American, and Hispanic children.
Additional links: Fact Sheet
Author(s): Amy Martin, Janice C. Probst, Charity G. Moore, Daniel Patterson, Keith Elder
Date: 10/2005
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
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Revisions to Medicare's Disproportionate Share Payment Policy to Incorporate Bad Debt and Charity Care
Investigates the impact of possible changes to the Medicare disproportionate share (DSH) payment policy, designed to incorporate information on the hospital's uncompensated care burden as well as to improve the payment formula. These analyses are intended to help policymakers evaluate the likely impact of revising the DSH payment methodology.
Author(s): Julie A. Schoenman, Janet P. Sutton, Lan Zhao
Date: 09/2005
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
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Utilization of Home Health Services Among Rural Medicare Beneficiaries Before and After the PPS: Final Report
Describes the results of a study on the rural effects of the Medicare prospective payment system (PPS), including whether the PPS contributed to changes in the demographic and clinical characteristics of home care users; the likelihood of using each of six home care disciplines; and the intensity of services.
Author(s): Janet P. Sutton
Date: 08/2005
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
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The Impact of Medicaid Cuts on Rural Communities
Discusses rural impact of Medicaid changes such as cutting or freezing provider payments, cutting eligibility or service coverage, reducing pharmacy benefits, adding recipient cost-sharing, or changing the program structure.
Author(s): Pam Silberman, Matt Rudolf, Laura Brogan, et al.
Date: 08/2005
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Preparing for Medicare Part D: An Opportunity for State Offices of Rural Health and State Rural Health Associations
Provides a timeline for the implementation of Medicare Part D and discusses how State Offices of Rural Health and state rural health associations could help beneficiaries enroll in prescription drug plans.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller, Lisa Bottsford
Citation: RUPRI Rural Policy Brief, 10(2)
Date: 08/2005
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Health Centers and Rural Clinics: State and Federal Implementation Issues for Medicaid's New Payment System
Reviews states' implementation of the prospective payment system (PPS) for Medicaid payments to Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Includes recommendations for CMS on guidance and oversight for states.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 06/2005
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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MedPAC Report to the Congress: Issues in a Modernized Medicare Program, 2005
Examines issues affecting the Medicare program. Addresses Part D, Medicare's new outpatient prescription drug benefit, with some coverage of rural issues. Includes overview of the Medicare Advantage program. Discusses the effects of the Critical Access Hospital (CAH) provisions in the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA).
Date: 06/2005
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Financial Indicators for Critical Access Hospitals
Discusses the development of a set of financial indicators for the Critical Access Hospital (CAH) program. Includes discussion of the potential usefulness of different types of indicators. Also provides indicator medians for CAHs for 1998-2003.
Author(s): George H. Pink, G. Mark Holmes, Cameron D'Alpe, et al.
Date: 05/2005
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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