Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Legislation and regulations
Federal Support for Graduate Medical Education: An Overview
Examines how federal programs support graduate medical education for physicians, including available data on funding and the number of physicians in training. Addresses how GME support is used to address physician shortages in rural areas, data available on program effectiveness, and data gaps.
Date: 12/2018
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Examines how federal programs support graduate medical education for physicians, including available data on funding and the number of physicians in training. Addresses how GME support is used to address physician shortages in rural areas, data available on program effectiveness, and data gaps.
Date: 12/2018
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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RAY BAUM'S Act: A Bipartisan Foundation for Bridging the Digital Divide
Presents a congressional hearing from the House Energy & Commerce Committee on the Repack Airwaves Yielding Better Access for Users of Modern Services (RAY BAUM'S) Act, which reauthorized the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) with reforms intended to help promote the deployment of broadband. Includes provisions targeted towards increasing broadband access for rural and tribal areas. Features testimony from representatives of the National Association of Broadcasters, Competitive Carriers Association, APCO International, and the Milwaukee Public Broadcast Station.
Additional links: Bohdan Zachary Testimony, Tim Donovan Testimony
Date: 12/2018
Sponsoring organization: House Committee on Energy and Commerce
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Presents a congressional hearing from the House Energy & Commerce Committee on the Repack Airwaves Yielding Better Access for Users of Modern Services (RAY BAUM'S) Act, which reauthorized the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) with reforms intended to help promote the deployment of broadband. Includes provisions targeted towards increasing broadband access for rural and tribal areas. Features testimony from representatives of the National Association of Broadcasters, Competitive Carriers Association, APCO International, and the Milwaukee Public Broadcast Station.
Additional links: Bohdan Zachary Testimony, Tim Donovan Testimony
Date: 12/2018
Sponsoring organization: House Committee on Energy and Commerce
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Public Health and Other Related Provisions in P.L 115-271, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act
Summarizes Title VII and VIII provisions in the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act (SUPPORT Act). Addresses provisions affecting access to opioid abuse treatment and providers, data collection, child welfare, the Department of Justice, substance abuse prevention, and more. Sections highlighting rural authorize grants for first responder training, data collection on adverse childhood experiences, recovery support services, and reauthorization of the State and Tribal Response to the Opioid Abuse Crisis grant program with technical assistance for rural and underserved communities.
Date: 12/2018
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Summarizes Title VII and VIII provisions in the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act (SUPPORT Act). Addresses provisions affecting access to opioid abuse treatment and providers, data collection, child welfare, the Department of Justice, substance abuse prevention, and more. Sections highlighting rural authorize grants for first responder training, data collection on adverse childhood experiences, recovery support services, and reauthorization of the State and Tribal Response to the Opioid Abuse Crisis grant program with technical assistance for rural and underserved communities.
Date: 12/2018
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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State Laws and Policies Affecting Broadband Access in Eight Northern Region States
Highlights several state-level broadband policies and their effect on healthcare access in rural communities in Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Compares broadband access in rural areas to state and national averages and breaks down the policies in each state.
Date: 11/2018
Sponsoring organization: The Network for Public Health Law
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Highlights several state-level broadband policies and their effect on healthcare access in rural communities in Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Compares broadband access in rural areas to state and national averages and breaks down the policies in each state.
Date: 11/2018
Sponsoring organization: The Network for Public Health Law
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VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks Act of 2018 (VA MISSION Act; P.L.115-182)
Provides an overview of the changes made to the VA MISSION Act, including establishing a permanent Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP) and provisions to help recruit and retain healthcare providers. Discusses provisions specific to healthcare access for veterans in rural and underserved areas.
Date: 11/2018
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Provides an overview of the changes made to the VA MISSION Act, including establishing a permanent Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP) and provisions to help recruit and retain healthcare providers. Discusses provisions specific to healthcare access for veterans in rural and underserved areas.
Date: 11/2018
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on Medicare Shared Savings Program ACOs
Comments on an August 17, 2018, Federal Register proposed rule changing the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP). Focuses on the proposed changes for Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), including a move to two-sided risk models, using regional spending benchmarks, and more. Addresses potential impacts for small ACOs, which include rural ACOs.
Date: 10/2018
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Comments on an August 17, 2018, Federal Register proposed rule changing the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP). Focuses on the proposed changes for Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), including a move to two-sided risk models, using regional spending benchmarks, and more. Addresses potential impacts for small ACOs, which include rural ACOs.
Date: 10/2018
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Developing Telemental Health Partnerships Between State Medical Schools and Federally Qualified Health Centers: Navigating the Regulatory Landscape and Policy Recommendations
Provides recommendations for overcoming barriers to promoting telemental health services partnerships between medical schools and health centers. Discusses rural-urban disparities in provision of mental health services, credentialing, remote electronic health records access, insurance issues, and billing.
Author(s): John C. Fortney, Richard C. Veith, Amy M. Bauer, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 35(3), 287-297
Date: 10/2018
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Provides recommendations for overcoming barriers to promoting telemental health services partnerships between medical schools and health centers. Discusses rural-urban disparities in provision of mental health services, credentialing, remote electronic health records access, insurance issues, and billing.
Author(s): John C. Fortney, Richard C. Veith, Amy M. Bauer, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 35(3), 287-297
Date: 10/2018
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Nurse Practitioners: A Solution to America's Primary Care Crisis
Examines trends in supply and demand of nurse practitioners (NPs), including projected supply of physicians and NPs in rural areas. Includes a table listing state-level scope-of-practice regulatory restrictions on NPs as of 2018.
Author(s): Peter Buerhaus
Date: 09/2018
Sponsoring organization: American Enterprise Institute
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Examines trends in supply and demand of nurse practitioners (NPs), including projected supply of physicians and NPs in rural areas. Includes a table listing state-level scope-of-practice regulatory restrictions on NPs as of 2018.
Author(s): Peter Buerhaus
Date: 09/2018
Sponsoring organization: American Enterprise Institute
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MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Revisions to Part B for CY 2019
Comment on a July 2018 Federal Register proposed rule revising the physician fee schedule to improve payment systems for physicians and other Medicare Part B revisions.
Author(s): Francis J. Crosson
Date: 09/2018
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Comment on a July 2018 Federal Register proposed rule revising the physician fee schedule to improve payment systems for physicians and other Medicare Part B revisions.
Author(s): Francis J. Crosson
Date: 09/2018
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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2018 Update on Priority Strategies: North Carolina Rural Health Action Plan
Details the progress North Carolina has made in 6 priority areas outlined in the 2014 Rural Health Action Plan. These include investment in local industries, ensuring that childhood settings promote educational success, encouraging healthy eating and active living, screening for and treating substance abuse and mental health issues, educating people about insurance and safety net options, and creating incentives to support recruitment and retention of providers to underserved areas.
Date: 08/2018
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Institute of Medicine
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Details the progress North Carolina has made in 6 priority areas outlined in the 2014 Rural Health Action Plan. These include investment in local industries, ensuring that childhood settings promote educational success, encouraging healthy eating and active living, screening for and treating substance abuse and mental health issues, educating people about insurance and safety net options, and creating incentives to support recruitment and retention of providers to underserved areas.
Date: 08/2018
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Institute of Medicine
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