Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare facilities
CY 2025 Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment System Final Rule (CMS 1809-FC)
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare payments for hospital outpatient and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) services for calendar year 2025. Summarizes provisions regarding changes to Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) and partial hospital program rate setting; incorporating an add-on payment to the Medicare outpatient hospital all-inclusive rate (AIR) for certain high-cost drugs for people with Medicare who receive care at Indian Health Service (IHS) or tribal hospitals; updates to the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR), Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR), and Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Programs; a new Conditions of Participation (CoPs) for hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) for obstetrical services; Medicaid and CHIP continuous eligibility; Medicaid clinic services "four walls" exceptions; and more.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare payments for hospital outpatient and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) services for calendar year 2025. Summarizes provisions regarding changes to Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) and partial hospital program rate setting; incorporating an add-on payment to the Medicare outpatient hospital all-inclusive rate (AIR) for certain high-cost drugs for people with Medicare who receive care at Indian Health Service (IHS) or tribal hospitals; updates to the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR), Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR), and Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Programs; a new Conditions of Participation (CoPs) for hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) for obstetrical services; Medicaid and CHIP continuous eligibility; Medicaid clinic services "four walls" exceptions; and more.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Understanding the Impact of Medical Debt in Rural Communities: Perspectives from Rural Hospital Administrators
Presents findings from key informant interviews with rural hospital administrators across seven states regarding the impact of medical debt on hospitals and patients in rural communities. Describes themes related to causes and consequences of medical debt across three domains: hospital, patient/community, and policy.
Author(s): Mariana Tuttle, Ingrid Jacobson, Katie Rydberg, Carrie Henning-Smith
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Presents findings from key informant interviews with rural hospital administrators across seven states regarding the impact of medical debt on hospitals and patients in rural communities. Describes themes related to causes and consequences of medical debt across three domains: hospital, patient/community, and policy.
Author(s): Mariana Tuttle, Ingrid Jacobson, Katie Rydberg, Carrie Henning-Smith
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Final CY 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule: Fact Sheet
Fact sheet covering Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) telehealth policy changes for 2025 as outlined in the final calendar year (CY) 2025 Physician Fee Schedule. Covers audio-only telehealth; eligible services that can be delivered by telehealth; frequency limitations for inpatient visits, nursing facilities, and critical care consults; direct supervision through the use of live video; payment to Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs); opioid treatment programs; and more.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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Fact sheet covering Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) telehealth policy changes for 2025 as outlined in the final calendar year (CY) 2025 Physician Fee Schedule. Covers audio-only telehealth; eligible services that can be delivered by telehealth; frequency limitations for inpatient visits, nursing facilities, and critical care consults; direct supervision through the use of live video; payment to Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs); opioid treatment programs; and more.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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Re-Imagining Rural Health: Themes, Concepts, and Next Steps from the CMS Innovation Center "Hackathon" Series
Summarizes themes that emerged from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center's August 2024 Rural Health Hackathons, which aimed to inform potential payment and service delivery model development and to identify innovative solutions to address the access, care delivery, and workforce needs of rural, Tribal, frontier, and geographically isolated areas communities. Describes lessons learned from previous Innovation Center models focused on rural health and how these lessons were applied during the development of new models. Outlines potential areas for the Innovation Center to explore to advance health in rural, Tribal, frontier, and geographically isolated areas.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Summarizes themes that emerged from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center's August 2024 Rural Health Hackathons, which aimed to inform potential payment and service delivery model development and to identify innovative solutions to address the access, care delivery, and workforce needs of rural, Tribal, frontier, and geographically isolated areas communities. Describes lessons learned from previous Innovation Center models focused on rural health and how these lessons were applied during the development of new models. Outlines potential areas for the Innovation Center to explore to advance health in rural, Tribal, frontier, and geographically isolated areas.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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The Declining Capacity of Nursing Facility Care in Rural Minnesota
Discusses the increasing demand for professional long-term care in Minnesota alongside the decreasing capacity of nursing facility availability. Provides information and statistics on projected demand through 2045, number of available nursing facilities and beds, changes in demand trends, workforce needs, and more, with breakdowns according to county and urbanicity.
Additional links: Summary
Author(s): Kelly Asche
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Policy and Development
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Discusses the increasing demand for professional long-term care in Minnesota alongside the decreasing capacity of nursing facility availability. Provides information and statistics on projected demand through 2045, number of available nursing facilities and beds, changes in demand trends, workforce needs, and more, with breakdowns according to county and urbanicity.
Additional links: Summary
Author(s): Kelly Asche
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Policy and Development
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Improving Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment for Unhealthy Alcohol Use in Diverse, Low-Resourced Primary Care Clinics
Examines primary care clinics participating in a practice-facilitator led implementation study aimed at improving screening brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT) as well as medication-assisted treatment for alcohol use disorder (MAUD). Analyzes 66 clinics located in the northwestern U.S. from 2019-2022 and the supportive activities they used to improve SBIRT and MAUD. Includes commentary on rural and low-resourced primary care clinics.
Author(s): Melinda M. Davis, Jennifer Coury, Victoria Sanchez, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 24, 1384
Date: 11/2024
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Examines primary care clinics participating in a practice-facilitator led implementation study aimed at improving screening brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT) as well as medication-assisted treatment for alcohol use disorder (MAUD). Analyzes 66 clinics located in the northwestern U.S. from 2019-2022 and the supportive activities they used to improve SBIRT and MAUD. Includes commentary on rural and low-resourced primary care clinics.
Author(s): Melinda M. Davis, Jennifer Coury, Victoria Sanchez, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 24, 1384
Date: 11/2024
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Texas Rural Hospital Grant Program Report
Reports on the establishment, functions, and achievements of the Rural Hospital Grant Program in Texas during the 2024 and 2025 state fiscal years. Provides an overview of program funding and awards, and details grant programs supporting hospital stabilization, maternal care, and Alternative Payment Model readiness.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Texas Health and Human Services
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Reports on the establishment, functions, and achievements of the Rural Hospital Grant Program in Texas during the 2024 and 2025 state fiscal years. Provides an overview of program funding and awards, and details grant programs supporting hospital stabilization, maternal care, and Alternative Payment Model readiness.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Texas Health and Human Services
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How Emergency Departments Are Responding to the Opioid Crisis: Results from a Statewide Survey in Kentucky
Examines hospital emergency departments (EDs) in Kentucky and their substance use disorder (SUD) services. Utilizes 2023 survey data from ED directors and discusses themes such as use of buprenorphine, referrals to community providers, social work services, screening processes, care continuity and more. Includes feedback about access to and availability of SUD services in rural areas.
Author(s): Olivia K. Sugarman, Samantha J. Harris, Lauren Byrne, et al.
Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 19, 78
Date: 11/2024
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Examines hospital emergency departments (EDs) in Kentucky and their substance use disorder (SUD) services. Utilizes 2023 survey data from ED directors and discusses themes such as use of buprenorphine, referrals to community providers, social work services, screening processes, care continuity and more. Includes feedback about access to and availability of SUD services in rural areas.
Author(s): Olivia K. Sugarman, Samantha J. Harris, Lauren Byrne, et al.
Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 19, 78
Date: 11/2024
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Texas Rural Hospital Services Strategic Plan Progress Report, 2024
Reports on the progress, strategies, and milestones of the Texas Rural Hospital Services Strategic Plan. Discusses strategies to support rural hospitals, covering policies and initiatives related to Medicaid reimbursements, hospital revenue opportunities, challenges providing care to patients covered by Medicare and other payers, use of state funds for hospital stabilization, and infrastructure development. Provides a map of rural hospitals, Critical Access Hospitals, and Rural Emergency Hospitals in Texas.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Texas Health and Human Services
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Reports on the progress, strategies, and milestones of the Texas Rural Hospital Services Strategic Plan. Discusses strategies to support rural hospitals, covering policies and initiatives related to Medicaid reimbursements, hospital revenue opportunities, challenges providing care to patients covered by Medicare and other payers, use of state funds for hospital stabilization, and infrastructure development. Provides a map of rural hospitals, Critical Access Hospitals, and Rural Emergency Hospitals in Texas.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Texas Health and Human Services
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The Availability of Midwifery Care in Rural United States Communities
Describes the availability of midwifery care at rural hospitals in 2021. Presents results of a survey of 292 rural hospitals with current or recently closed childbirth services. Details whether rural hospitals with current or prior childbirth services had midwifery care with certified nurse-midwives available locally. Compares rural communities with and without midwifery care by hospital-level and county-level characteristics.
Author(s): Emily C. Sheffield, Alyssa H. Fritz, Julia D. Interrante, Katy B. Kozhimannil
Citation: Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health, 69(6), 929-936
Date: 11/2024
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Describes the availability of midwifery care at rural hospitals in 2021. Presents results of a survey of 292 rural hospitals with current or recently closed childbirth services. Details whether rural hospitals with current or prior childbirth services had midwifery care with certified nurse-midwives available locally. Compares rural communities with and without midwifery care by hospital-level and county-level characteristics.
Author(s): Emily C. Sheffield, Alyssa H. Fritz, Julia D. Interrante, Katy B. Kozhimannil
Citation: Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health, 69(6), 929-936
Date: 11/2024
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