Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare business and finance
Bridging Rural Communities: Telehealth Innovations for Appalachia and Beyond
Video series on innovative approaches to telehealth in rural Appalachia, hosted by the Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Center (MATRC) on August 1, 2025. Features speakers on telehealth use in veterans' healthcare, substance use recovery, palliative care, mental health, healthy aging, emergency preparedness and response, cancer screening, and other topics related to healthcare access, quality of care, and healthcare economics. Transcripts are available via video descriptions.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center
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Video series on innovative approaches to telehealth in rural Appalachia, hosted by the Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Center (MATRC) on August 1, 2025. Features speakers on telehealth use in veterans' healthcare, substance use recovery, palliative care, mental health, healthy aging, emergency preparedness and response, cancer screening, and other topics related to healthcare access, quality of care, and healthcare economics. Transcripts are available via video descriptions.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center
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Health Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law
Provides an overview of the healthcare-related provisions of the July 2025 reconciliation law (Public Law 119-21). Offers detailed summaries of provisions that impact Medicaid, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Medicare, private health insurance, and rural health providers. Discusses the Rural Health Transformation Program.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Provides an overview of the healthcare-related provisions of the July 2025 reconciliation law (Public Law 119-21). Offers detailed summaries of provisions that impact Medicaid, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Medicare, private health insurance, and rural health providers. Discusses the Rural Health Transformation Program.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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2025 Indiana State Rural Health Report
Examines the state of rural health in Indiana and provides data on the health of rural citizens. Focuses on access, healthcare workforce shortages, health insurance, healthcare facilities availability, mobile health, telehealth services, maternal and infant health, mental health, substance use, and rural health finances and funding.
Author(s): Amnah Anwar, Kasia Hamman, Anureet Sandhu, et al.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Indiana Rural Health Association
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Examines the state of rural health in Indiana and provides data on the health of rural citizens. Focuses on access, healthcare workforce shortages, health insurance, healthcare facilities availability, mobile health, telehealth services, maternal and infant health, mental health, substance use, and rural health finances and funding.
Author(s): Amnah Anwar, Kasia Hamman, Anureet Sandhu, et al.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Indiana Rural Health Association
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Barriers to Accessible and Affordable Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Care for Older Adults
Discusses challenges in accessing healthcare for mental health and substance use disorders for older adults. Challenges discussed include workforce shortages in rural areas, Medicare regulations, stigma, health insurance coverage, and more.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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Discusses challenges in accessing healthcare for mental health and substance use disorders for older adults. Challenges discussed include workforce shortages in rural areas, Medicare regulations, stigma, health insurance coverage, and more.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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Trends in Hospital Administrative Costs: Urban–Rural Disparities, Barriers, and Reduction Strategies
Compares Medicare cost report data from 2011 and 2022 for over 4,400 rural and urban short-term acute care hospitals to identify shifts in administrative and general (A&G) spending. Discusses 3 themes related to cost growth, barriers in reporting, and strategies to manage and reduce costs. Describes implications for hospital policy.
Author(s): Lauree Handlon, Kit Simpson, Larry Leaming, Dunc Williams
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 3(8)
Date: 08/2025
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Compares Medicare cost report data from 2011 and 2022 for over 4,400 rural and urban short-term acute care hospitals to identify shifts in administrative and general (A&G) spending. Discusses 3 themes related to cost growth, barriers in reporting, and strategies to manage and reduce costs. Describes implications for hospital policy.
Author(s): Lauree Handlon, Kit Simpson, Larry Leaming, Dunc Williams
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 3(8)
Date: 08/2025
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Skill Mix Versus Flexibility: Decoding Nurse Staffing Impacts on Critical Access Hospitals
Presents a study on the skill mix and flexibility of nurse staffing on the financial stability, care quality, and efficacy of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in Pennsylvania from 2000 to 2023. Correlates skill mix and flexibility with hospital outcomes and controls for hospital-specific, socioeconomic, and demographic factors.
Author(s): Dinesh R. Pai, Esmaeil Bahalkeh
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(3), e70075
Date: 08/2025
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Presents a study on the skill mix and flexibility of nurse staffing on the financial stability, care quality, and efficacy of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in Pennsylvania from 2000 to 2023. Correlates skill mix and flexibility with hospital outcomes and controls for hospital-specific, socioeconomic, and demographic factors.
Author(s): Dinesh R. Pai, Esmaeil Bahalkeh
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(3), e70075
Date: 08/2025
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The Need for Medicare Dental Coverage
Details the oral health risks of limited dental coverage by Medicare. Discusses aging-related oral healthcare conditions, the economic barriers to care caused by lack of coverage, and how rurality can affect preexisting oral health disparities.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: CareQuest Institute for Oral Health
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Details the oral health risks of limited dental coverage by Medicare. Discusses aging-related oral healthcare conditions, the economic barriers to care caused by lack of coverage, and how rurality can affect preexisting oral health disparities.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: CareQuest Institute for Oral Health
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Rural Beneficiary Access to Medicare Advantage-Part D Plans
Policy brief updating RUPRI's analysis of Medicare Advantage-Part D plans (MA-PDs) including enhanced benefit plan availability and differences in characteristics across metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore areas. Features statistics including number of MA-PDs and stand-alone prescription drug plans (PDPs), average monthly premium costs, and availability in metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore areas from 2008-2023.
Author(s): Edmer Lazaro, Dan M. Shane, Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Policy brief updating RUPRI's analysis of Medicare Advantage-Part D plans (MA-PDs) including enhanced benefit plan availability and differences in characteristics across metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore areas. Features statistics including number of MA-PDs and stand-alone prescription drug plans (PDPs), average monthly premium costs, and availability in metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore areas from 2008-2023.
Author(s): Edmer Lazaro, Dan M. Shane, Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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End-Stage Renal Disease Treatment Choices (ETC) Model: Third Annual Evaluation Report, Calendar Years 2021-2023
Evaluation of the End-Stage Renal Disease Treatment Choices (ETC) Model, incorporating analyses of home dialysis use, waitlisting for a kidney transplant, living donor and deceased donor transplantation, utilization of services, Medicare payments, and quality of care. Features results from interviews and surveys involving model participants and beneficiaries, and examines impacts of the first three years of the ETC Model, 2021-2023. Explores if the impacts of the ETC Model differed by patient subgroup, including rural residence.
Additional links: Appendices, Executive Summary, Findings at a Glance
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, The Lewin Group
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Evaluation of the End-Stage Renal Disease Treatment Choices (ETC) Model, incorporating analyses of home dialysis use, waitlisting for a kidney transplant, living donor and deceased donor transplantation, utilization of services, Medicare payments, and quality of care. Features results from interviews and surveys involving model participants and beneficiaries, and examines impacts of the first three years of the ETC Model, 2021-2023. Explores if the impacts of the ETC Model differed by patient subgroup, including rural residence.
Additional links: Appendices, Executive Summary, Findings at a Glance
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, The Lewin Group
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Rural/Urban Differences in Health, Health Care Use, and Barriers to Care for Postpartum and Parenting Women, 2006-2018
Presents a study on rural and urban differences in access to and utilization of healthcare for postpartum or parenting women. Highlights barriers women parents face in accessing care and utilizing care that is available. Breaks down data by age of child, barriers to care, rural versus urban location, and compares rates for postpartum and parenting women to all women aged 18-49 by rurality.
Author(s): Julia D. Interrante, Clara E. Busse, Alyssa Fritz, et al.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Presents a study on rural and urban differences in access to and utilization of healthcare for postpartum or parenting women. Highlights barriers women parents face in accessing care and utilizing care that is available. Breaks down data by age of child, barriers to care, rural versus urban location, and compares rates for postpartum and parenting women to all women aged 18-49 by rurality.
Author(s): Julia D. Interrante, Clara E. Busse, Alyssa Fritz, et al.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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