Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Legislation and regulations
Impact of the Medicare Improvements for Patients And Providers Act on Mental Health Service Utilization And Spending among Older Adults
Examines the impact of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) on outpatient mental healthcare utilization. Utilizes 2008-2017 Medicare claims and administrative data to analyze MIPPA in a pre-implementation phase as well as 4 post-implementation phases. Includes data on mental healthcare outpatient visits by age group, race, dual eligibility status, substance use disorder, comorbidities, and urban, large rural, small rural, or isolated rural location.
Author(s): Matt Toth, Brent Gibbons, Abbie Levinson, et al.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Examines the impact of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) on outpatient mental healthcare utilization. Utilizes 2008-2017 Medicare claims and administrative data to analyze MIPPA in a pre-implementation phase as well as 4 post-implementation phases. Includes data on mental healthcare outpatient visits by age group, race, dual eligibility status, substance use disorder, comorbidities, and urban, large rural, small rural, or isolated rural location.
Author(s): Matt Toth, Brent Gibbons, Abbie Levinson, et al.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Projecting the Impact of the $2,000 Part D Out-Of-Pocket Cap for Medicare Part D Enrollees with High Prescription Drug Spending
Examines the impact of the Medicare Part D $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket prescription drugs. Provides projected savings according to low-income subsidy (LIS) status, state, and demographic characteristics, including urban, rural-micropolitan, rural-other, or unclassified geographic location.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Examines the impact of the Medicare Part D $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket prescription drugs. Provides projected savings according to low-income subsidy (LIS) status, state, and demographic characteristics, including urban, rural-micropolitan, rural-other, or unclassified geographic location.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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The Latest HIPAA Requirements - A Check-In on Your RHC's Compliance
Recording of a January 14, 2025, webinar on HIPAA compliance for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Covers HIPAA related legislation, HIPAA-related complaints and investigations by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR), and new regulations and proposed rules related to patient privacy. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Recording of a January 14, 2025, webinar on HIPAA compliance for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Covers HIPAA related legislation, HIPAA-related complaints and investigations by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR), and new regulations and proposed rules related to patient privacy. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Mississippi State Department of Health 2025 Annual Report
Offers overview of public health indicators for residents of the state of Mississippi including mortality, teen birth rates, various health conditions, and vaccination. Discusses regulation and legislative changes, pharmaceutical programs, lab services, public health outreach, rural health and primary care, Health Professional Shortage Areas, and administrative updates.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: Mississippi State Department of Health
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Offers overview of public health indicators for residents of the state of Mississippi including mortality, teen birth rates, various health conditions, and vaccination. Discusses regulation and legislative changes, pharmaceutical programs, lab services, public health outreach, rural health and primary care, Health Professional Shortage Areas, and administrative updates.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: Mississippi State Department of Health
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The Climate of Working Alone in Agriculture
Summarizes research from 193 articles discussing safety issues for agricultural workers who work alone, U.S. regulations for lone worker safety including enforcement, and similarities with hazards in other industries.
Author(s): Aaron James Etienne, William E. Field, Shawn G. Ehlers, Roger Tormoehlen, Noah Joel Haslett
Citation: Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health, 31(2), 93-108
Date: 2025
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Summarizes research from 193 articles discussing safety issues for agricultural workers who work alone, U.S. regulations for lone worker safety including enforcement, and similarities with hazards in other industries.
Author(s): Aaron James Etienne, William E. Field, Shawn G. Ehlers, Roger Tormoehlen, Noah Joel Haslett
Citation: Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health, 31(2), 93-108
Date: 2025
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Rural Hospitals: Community Cornerstones Face Perilous Threats to Care
Infographic presenting data regarding the importance of rural hospitals to their communities. Includes information on workforce and financial challenges experienced by rural hospitals, as well as the impact of hospital closures on access to care. Provides recommendations on actions to support rural hospitals and communities.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Infographic presenting data regarding the importance of rural hospitals to their communities. Includes information on workforce and financial challenges experienced by rural hospitals, as well as the impact of hospital closures on access to care. Provides recommendations on actions to support rural hospitals and communities.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Understanding MAT Access in the Context of Unused MAT Capacity in the United States: When Increasing Rural MAT Capacity Is Not Enough
Examines the factors related to buprenorphine prescriptions to treat opioid use disorder (OUD) and the impacts of the federal DATA waiver to increase provider capacity. Utilizes multiple data sources to describe medication-assisted treatment (MAT) capacity, access, barriers, availability of MAT, and service area need in rural areas.
Author(s): Carolyn Carpenedo Mun, Rachel Zambrano, Eileen Tallman, et al.
Citation: Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy, 19, 47
Date: 12/2024
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Examines the factors related to buprenorphine prescriptions to treat opioid use disorder (OUD) and the impacts of the federal DATA waiver to increase provider capacity. Utilizes multiple data sources to describe medication-assisted treatment (MAT) capacity, access, barriers, availability of MAT, and service area need in rural areas.
Author(s): Carolyn Carpenedo Mun, Rachel Zambrano, Eileen Tallman, et al.
Citation: Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy, 19, 47
Date: 12/2024
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Variation in Elder Abuse State Statutes by State Level of Rurality
Examines elements of state-level elder abuse statutes' definitions and reporting requirements. Discusses potential differences in these policies by state rurality that could influence the understanding of elder abuse among rural and urban areas. Features statistics including types of abuse and reporting laws, and most common types of mandatory reporter categories, with breakdowns by three levels of rurality.
Author(s): Alexis Swendener, Alyssa Fritz, Marti DeLiema, Carrie Henning-Smith
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Examines elements of state-level elder abuse statutes' definitions and reporting requirements. Discusses potential differences in these policies by state rurality that could influence the understanding of elder abuse among rural and urban areas. Features statistics including types of abuse and reporting laws, and most common types of mandatory reporter categories, with breakdowns by three levels of rurality.
Author(s): Alexis Swendener, Alyssa Fritz, Marti DeLiema, Carrie Henning-Smith
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Racial and Ethnic and Rural Variations in the Use of Hybrid Prenatal Care in the US
Examines how factors of demographics, location, and telehealth restriction waivers during COVID-19 impact the uptake of hybrid prenatal care. Provides demographic breakdowns related to telehealth use of women during pregnancy and the COVID-19 public health emergency, with additional data on health conditions, U.S. region, and urban or rural residence.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Jiani Yu, Sayward E. Harrison, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 7(12)
Date: 12/2024
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Examines how factors of demographics, location, and telehealth restriction waivers during COVID-19 impact the uptake of hybrid prenatal care. Provides demographic breakdowns related to telehealth use of women during pregnancy and the COVID-19 public health emergency, with additional data on health conditions, U.S. region, and urban or rural residence.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Jiani Yu, Sayward E. Harrison, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 7(12)
Date: 12/2024
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Farm Bill Primer: Rural Broadband Provisions
Highlights selected rural broadband programs and provisions included in the 2018 Farm Bill, including the Rural Broadband Program, Community Connect Grant Program, and Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program. Outlines considerations for Congress related to the ReConnect Program, rural health challenges, and expanding broadband to support increased telework opportunities.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Highlights selected rural broadband programs and provisions included in the 2018 Farm Bill, including the Rural Broadband Program, Community Connect Grant Program, and Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program. Outlines considerations for Congress related to the ReConnect Program, rural health challenges, and expanding broadband to support increased telework opportunities.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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