Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare needs and services
Congress Must Act to Bring Needed Reforms to the 340B Drug Pricing Program: Majority Staff Report
Presents findings from a U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions majority staff report on how covered entities generate and use revenue from the 340B Drug Pricing Program and how patients benefit from the program. Describes data and information collected from hospital covered entities, Bon Secours Mercy Health and Cleveland Clinic; Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) covered entities, Sun River Health and Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic; contract pharmacies, CVS Health and Walgreens; and drug manufacturers, Eli Lilly and Amgen. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
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Presents findings from a U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions majority staff report on how covered entities generate and use revenue from the 340B Drug Pricing Program and how patients benefit from the program. Describes data and information collected from hospital covered entities, Bon Secours Mercy Health and Cleveland Clinic; Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) covered entities, Sun River Health and Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic; contract pharmacies, CVS Health and Walgreens; and drug manufacturers, Eli Lilly and Amgen. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
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Characteristics of Adults Age 18 and Older Who Took Prescription Medication for Depression: United States, 2023
Provides 2023 data on the characteristics of adults who took prescription medication for depression. Includes a breakdown by region and urbanization level, including nonmetropolitan, medium and small metropolitan, large fringe metropolitan, or large central metropolitan area.
Author(s): Nazik Elgaddal, Julie D. Weeks, Laryssa Mykyta
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Provides 2023 data on the characteristics of adults who took prescription medication for depression. Includes a breakdown by region and urbanization level, including nonmetropolitan, medium and small metropolitan, large fringe metropolitan, or large central metropolitan area.
Author(s): Nazik Elgaddal, Julie D. Weeks, Laryssa Mykyta
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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April 2025 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) April 2025 meeting. Covers physician fee schedule updates and improving the accuracy of relative payment rates; structural differences between the stand-alone prescription drug plan (PDP) and Medicare Advantage–Prescription Drug plan (MA–PD) markets; the utilization and delivery of Medicare Advantage supplemental benefits; the effect of Medicare Advantage on rural hospitals; paying for software technologies in Medicare; access to hospice and certain services under the hospice benefit for beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease and beneficiaries with cancer; and regulations, star ratings, and fee-for-service Medicare policies aimed at improving nursing home quality.
Additional links: Exploring the Effect of Medicare Advantage on Rural Hospitals
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) April 2025 meeting. Covers physician fee schedule updates and improving the accuracy of relative payment rates; structural differences between the stand-alone prescription drug plan (PDP) and Medicare Advantage–Prescription Drug plan (MA–PD) markets; the utilization and delivery of Medicare Advantage supplemental benefits; the effect of Medicare Advantage on rural hospitals; paying for software technologies in Medicare; access to hospice and certain services under the hospice benefit for beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease and beneficiaries with cancer; and regulations, star ratings, and fee-for-service Medicare policies aimed at improving nursing home quality.
Additional links: Exploring the Effect of Medicare Advantage on Rural Hospitals
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Notes from the Field: Suicidal Thoughts and Knowing Someone Who Died by Suicide Among Adults — United States, 2023
Estimates the number of U.S. adults who had suicidal thoughts during the past 12 months and the number who personally knew someone who died by suicide. Includes data by metropolitan and nonmetro areas.
Author(s): Bhavna Singichetti, Jing Wang, Robin Lee, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 74(12), 213-215
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Estimates the number of U.S. adults who had suicidal thoughts during the past 12 months and the number who personally knew someone who died by suicide. Includes data by metropolitan and nonmetro areas.
Author(s): Bhavna Singichetti, Jing Wang, Robin Lee, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 74(12), 213-215
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Controlled Substance Prescribing Patterns Among Fatal Overdose Decedents with an Opioid, Stimulant, or Both Contributing to Death — Pennsylvania, 2017–2022
Reports on deaths involving opioids without stimulants, deaths involving stimulants without opioids, and deaths involving both opioids and stimulants in Pennsylvania between 2017 and 2022. Includes data for rural and urban areas. Discusses the role of opioid prescribing on overdose deaths.
Author(s): Stephanie Hayden, Stanley M. Murzynski, Ashley Bolton, Carrie Thomas Goetz
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 74(12), 205-209
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Reports on deaths involving opioids without stimulants, deaths involving stimulants without opioids, and deaths involving both opioids and stimulants in Pennsylvania between 2017 and 2022. Includes data for rural and urban areas. Discusses the role of opioid prescribing on overdose deaths.
Author(s): Stephanie Hayden, Stanley M. Murzynski, Ashley Bolton, Carrie Thomas Goetz
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 74(12), 205-209
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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The Rural and Urban Supply of Clinicians With a DEA Waiver to Prescribe Buprenorphine in 2022 Prior to the Elimination of the Waiver Requirement
Report explores the differences in rates of clinicians with DEA waivers to prescribe buprenorphine in 2022 in rural versus urban counties. Highlights the rural gaps in access to buprenorphine to treat opioid use disorder prior to the elimination of the DEA waiver requirement in 2023. Provides rural, urban, and regional comparisons.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Report explores the differences in rates of clinicians with DEA waivers to prescribe buprenorphine in 2022 in rural versus urban counties. Highlights the rural gaps in access to buprenorphine to treat opioid use disorder prior to the elimination of the DEA waiver requirement in 2023. Provides rural, urban, and regional comparisons.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Evaluation of FMVSS No. 226: Curtain Air Bags and Ejection Mitigation in Rollover Events
Results of a study evaluating the likelihood of occupant ejection in the presence of curtain air bags deployable during a rollover, and how other factors can affect this outcome. Uses data from the Crash Report Sampling System for 2016-2021. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban and rural areas, and mentions rural throughout.
Author(s): Eliseo Acevedo Díaz
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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Results of a study evaluating the likelihood of occupant ejection in the presence of curtain air bags deployable during a rollover, and how other factors can affect this outcome. Uses data from the Crash Report Sampling System for 2016-2021. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban and rural areas, and mentions rural throughout.
Author(s): Eliseo Acevedo Díaz
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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Occupant Restraint Use in 2023: Results From the NOPUS Controlled Intersection Study
Presents results from the 2023 National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS) Controlled Intersection Study. Features statistics from 2022 and 2023 including child restraint use by age, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Author(s): Lacey B. Werth
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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Presents results from the 2023 National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS) Controlled Intersection Study. Features statistics from 2022 and 2023 including child restraint use by age, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Author(s): Lacey B. Werth
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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The Impacts of New York's Balance Billing Regulation on Ground Ambulance Pricing
Examines the impact of surprise out-of-network (OON) billing regulations on New York emergency ground ambulances. Analyzes 2012-2019 commercial claims data and discusses the impacts of billing regulations on costs of care, with considerations related to transports from rural, super-rural, and urban locations.
Author(s): Wendy Y. Xu, Christopher Garmon, Sheldon M. Retchin, Yiting Li
Citation: Health Services Research, 60(2)
Date: 04/2025
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Examines the impact of surprise out-of-network (OON) billing regulations on New York emergency ground ambulances. Analyzes 2012-2019 commercial claims data and discusses the impacts of billing regulations on costs of care, with considerations related to transports from rural, super-rural, and urban locations.
Author(s): Wendy Y. Xu, Christopher Garmon, Sheldon M. Retchin, Yiting Li
Citation: Health Services Research, 60(2)
Date: 04/2025
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Maternal Mortality in Indiana: Contributing Factors and Policy Recommendations
Discusses causes of maternal mortality and related data in Indiana and the U.S. at large. Includes information on disparities with a focus on rural areas, demographics, and access to maternal health services. Provides county-level map of Indiana showing full, moderate, low, or no access to maternity care. Explores potential solutions to maternal mortality, such as co-location of maternal and behavioral healthcare, substance use disorder (SUD) support, mental health support, and more.
Author(s): Tierra Brooks, Lee Ruess, Kristi Schultz, Elizabeth Thuranira
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Indiana University Public Policy Institute
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Discusses causes of maternal mortality and related data in Indiana and the U.S. at large. Includes information on disparities with a focus on rural areas, demographics, and access to maternal health services. Provides county-level map of Indiana showing full, moderate, low, or no access to maternity care. Explores potential solutions to maternal mortality, such as co-location of maternal and behavioral healthcare, substance use disorder (SUD) support, mental health support, and more.
Author(s): Tierra Brooks, Lee Ruess, Kristi Schultz, Elizabeth Thuranira
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Indiana University Public Policy Institute
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