Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Legislation and regulations
Farm Bill Primer: Rural Development Title
Provides an overview of the rural development provisions of the 2018 Farm Bill, including provisions related to rural broadband, water and waste disposal, and business creation and economic development. Offers considerations Congress may consider in the 2025 reauthorization of the Farm Bill related to the ReConnect Program and rural health challenges.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Provides an overview of the rural development provisions of the 2018 Farm Bill, including provisions related to rural broadband, water and waste disposal, and business creation and economic development. Offers considerations Congress may consider in the 2025 reauthorization of the Farm Bill related to the ReConnect Program and rural health challenges.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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National Health Service Corps Site Reference Guide
Provides clarification for National Health Service Corps (NHSC) sites regarding eligibility requirements, qualification factors, compliance, roles and responsibilities, and other factors for becoming an NHSC approved site. Acts as a supplemental resource to the information provided in the online NHSC Site Application.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
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Provides clarification for National Health Service Corps (NHSC) sites regarding eligibility requirements, qualification factors, compliance, roles and responsibilities, and other factors for becoming an NHSC approved site. Acts as a supplemental resource to the information provided in the online NHSC Site Application.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
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340B Benefits Patients and Communities: Examples from the Frontlines
Provides an overview of the 340B Drug Pricing Program and its impact on hospitals. Offers program examples, information, and statistics, with rural community examples included.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Provides an overview of the 340B Drug Pricing Program and its impact on hospitals. Offers program examples, information, and statistics, with rural community examples included.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Expanding Your Reach: Planning Your Rural Non-Congregate Summer Meal Service
A recorded webinar that discusses strategies to maximize the impact of non-congregate meal service in rural areas. Includes information on regulations, tools to locate suitable rural areas, operational considerations, program models, and more. Transcript available below description.
Additional links: Slide Deck
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
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A recorded webinar that discusses strategies to maximize the impact of non-congregate meal service in rural areas. Includes information on regulations, tools to locate suitable rural areas, operational considerations, program models, and more. Transcript available below description.
Additional links: Slide Deck
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
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Policy Considerations: The Future of Group VIII (expansion) Medicaid Coverage in Ohio
Provides information on the impact of Medicaid Expansion legislation in Ohio. Includes county-level data on percentage of population enrolled in Medicaid Group VIII as of January 2025 as well as enrollee county type by metropolitan, suburban, Appalachian, or rural. Discusses access issues and potential policy considerations.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Health Policy Institute of Ohio
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Provides information on the impact of Medicaid Expansion legislation in Ohio. Includes county-level data on percentage of population enrolled in Medicaid Group VIII as of January 2025 as well as enrollee county type by metropolitan, suburban, Appalachian, or rural. Discusses access issues and potential policy considerations.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Health Policy Institute of Ohio
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Comparative Effectiveness of Buprenorphine Adherence with Telemedicine Versus In-Person for Rural and Urban Patients
Compares adherence to buprenorphine for opioid use disorder in telemedicine versus in-person healthcare in rural and urban populations. Utilizes 2017–2022 data from 511 adults and compares 3,302 in-person and 519 telemedicine visits, with breakdowns according to patient characteristics, adherence, gaps in treatment, and rural versus urban location. Discusses changing legislative requirements related to buprenorphine treatment and the potential impact on rural populations.
Author(s): Thomas J. Reese, Nana Addo Padi-Adjirackor, Kevin N. Griffith, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, 65(2), 102318
Date: 03/2025
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Compares adherence to buprenorphine for opioid use disorder in telemedicine versus in-person healthcare in rural and urban populations. Utilizes 2017–2022 data from 511 adults and compares 3,302 in-person and 519 telemedicine visits, with breakdowns according to patient characteristics, adherence, gaps in treatment, and rural versus urban location. Discusses changing legislative requirements related to buprenorphine treatment and the potential impact on rural populations.
Author(s): Thomas J. Reese, Nana Addo Padi-Adjirackor, Kevin N. Griffith, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, 65(2), 102318
Date: 03/2025
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Lower Electronic Health Record Adoption and Interoperability in Rural Versus Urban Physician Participants: A Cross-Sectional Analysis from the CMS Quality Payment Program
Compares rural versus urban physician adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) and interoperability, as related to federal programs such as Medicare Access, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization Act of 2015, and the 21st Century Cures Act. Utilizes 2021 Quality Payment Program Experience Report Public Use File data to analyze 209,152 physicians, with rural versus urban data breakdowns according to physician practice characteristics, EHR adoption, geographic distribution of interoperability scores, and more.
Author(s): A. Jerrod Anzalone, Carol R. Geary, Ran Dai, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 25, 128
Date: 01/2025
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Compares rural versus urban physician adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) and interoperability, as related to federal programs such as Medicare Access, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization Act of 2015, and the 21st Century Cures Act. Utilizes 2021 Quality Payment Program Experience Report Public Use File data to analyze 209,152 physicians, with rural versus urban data breakdowns according to physician practice characteristics, EHR adoption, geographic distribution of interoperability scores, and more.
Author(s): A. Jerrod Anzalone, Carol R. Geary, Ran Dai, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 25, 128
Date: 01/2025
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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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Postpartum Health Care Use in Medicaid During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency: Implications for Extending Postpartum Coverage
Examines the impact of Medicaid continuous enrollment during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) on postpartum healthcare utilization. Utilizes 2018-2023 claims data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System (T-MSIS) to analyze a pre-PHE versus PHE cohort of women. Includes healthcare utilization data with breakdowns according to age, race/ethnicity, eligibility group (Medicaid or other form), rural versus urban location, maternity care desert status, severe maternal morbidity and/or chronic health condition, postpartum month, and state.
Author(s): Amelia Whitman, Anupama Warrier, Sarah Gordon, 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 Medicaid continuous enrollment during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) on postpartum healthcare utilization. Utilizes 2018-2023 claims data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System (T-MSIS) to analyze a pre-PHE versus PHE cohort of women. Includes healthcare utilization data with breakdowns according to age, race/ethnicity, eligibility group (Medicaid or other form), rural versus urban location, maternity care desert status, severe maternal morbidity and/or chronic health condition, postpartum month, and state.
Author(s): Amelia Whitman, Anupama Warrier, Sarah Gordon, 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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