Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Medicare
March 2026 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) March 2026 meeting. Covers research and proposals related to the Medicare ground ambulance data collection system, access to hospice and certain complex palliative services for beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease and beneficiaries with cancer, provider participation in Medicare Advantage (MA) networks, MA encounter data in risk adjustment, the complexity of Medicare enrollment decisions for beneficiaries, and Medicare Part B premium payment basics. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Additional links: Mandated Report: Assessment of the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) March 2026 meeting. Covers research and proposals related to the Medicare ground ambulance data collection system, access to hospice and certain complex palliative services for beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease and beneficiaries with cancer, provider participation in Medicare Advantage (MA) networks, MA encounter data in risk adjustment, the complexity of Medicare enrollment decisions for beneficiaries, and Medicare Part B premium payment basics. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Additional links: Mandated Report: Assessment of the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Medicare Learning Network: Hospital Price Transparency
Contains information on federal hospital price transparency regulations and compliance, what patients need to know, and a list of helpful websites.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Contains information on federal hospital price transparency regulations and compliance, what patients need to know, and a list of helpful websites.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS): Eligibility and Participation in the 2026 Performance Year
Provides an overview of the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) eligibility criteria. Addresses calculation of the low-volume threshold exclusion at the individual and group levels, opt-in and voluntary reporting options, and the impact of special status designations such as rural and small practices.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) eligibility criteria. Addresses calculation of the low-volume threshold exclusion at the individual and group levels, opt-in and voluntary reporting options, and the impact of special status designations such as rural and small practices.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Home Health Care Chartbook 2025
Provides an overview of home health, including patient demographics and clinical profiles, organizational trends, the economic contribution of home health agencies, and patient outcomes. Includes charts and graphs throughout, as well as state-by-state data. Slide 11 highlights the rural-urban distribution of home health users.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organizations: KNG Health Consulting, National Alliance for Care at Home, Research Institute for Home Care
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Provides an overview of home health, including patient demographics and clinical profiles, organizational trends, the economic contribution of home health agencies, and patient outcomes. Includes charts and graphs throughout, as well as state-by-state data. Slide 11 highlights the rural-urban distribution of home health users.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organizations: KNG Health Consulting, National Alliance for Care at Home, Research Institute for Home Care
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NACH Facts and Figures: 2025 Edition
Provides an overview of hospice and palliative care in the United States. Includes information and data on patient characteristics, access to care, reimbursement, barriers and facilitators to care, quality of care, and more. Includes data on geographic locations of hospice services and patients.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Alliance for Care at Home
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Provides an overview of hospice and palliative care in the United States. Includes information and data on patient characteristics, access to care, reimbursement, barriers and facilitators to care, quality of care, and more. Includes data on geographic locations of hospice services and patients.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Alliance for Care at Home
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Rural Health Value Virtual Summit: Designing Rural Value-Based Care for the Future
Summarizes a June 2025 summit of rural value-based care (VBC) thought leaders regarding the current state and future opportunities of rural VBC and payment. Describes summit participants' experiences related to the adoption of VBC initiatives. Identifies strategies to accelerate rural healthcare provider participation and success in VBC and value-based payment.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Summarizes a June 2025 summit of rural value-based care (VBC) thought leaders regarding the current state and future opportunities of rural VBC and payment. Describes summit participants' experiences related to the adoption of VBC initiatives. Identifies strategies to accelerate rural healthcare provider participation and success in VBC and value-based payment.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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2025-2026 Pre-Rulemaking Measure Review Final Recommendations Report
Reviews the 24 pre-rulemaking quality measures the Battelle's Partnership for Quality Measurement (PQM) considered during the 2025-2026 Pre-Rulemaking Measure Review (PRMR) cycle. Discusses measures for clinician, hospital, and post-acute care/long-term care programs. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Partnership for Quality Measurement
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Reviews the 24 pre-rulemaking quality measures the Battelle's Partnership for Quality Measurement (PQM) considered during the 2025-2026 Pre-Rulemaking Measure Review (PRMR) cycle. Discusses measures for clinician, hospital, and post-acute care/long-term care programs. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Partnership for Quality Measurement
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TA Webinar: RHC Billing 101
Recording of a February 24, 2026, webinar providing an overview of traditional Medicare billing guidelines for Rural Health Clinics. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Recording of a February 24, 2026, webinar providing an overview of traditional Medicare billing guidelines for Rural Health Clinics. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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State Medicaid & CHIP Toolkit for Children's Behavioral Health Services and the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) Requirements
Toolkit designed to support state Medicaid and CHIP agencies in ensuring that children and youth experiencing behavioral health conditions get the care they need under the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) requirements. Offers state examples within each strategy and sub-strategy presented. Includes rural considerations throughout.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Toolkit designed to support state Medicaid and CHIP agencies in ensuring that children and youth experiencing behavioral health conditions get the care they need under the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) requirements. Offers state examples within each strategy and sub-strategy presented. Includes rural considerations throughout.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Catalog of Value-Based Initiatives for Rural Providers
Summarizes rural-relevant, value-based programs currently or recently implemented by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the CMS Innovation Center. Designed to help rural healthcare leaders identify HHS value-based programs that are suitable for rural participation. Contains descriptions of each demonstration and provides direct links to the corresponding agency web page.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Summarizes rural-relevant, value-based programs currently or recently implemented by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the CMS Innovation Center. Designed to help rural healthcare leaders identify HHS value-based programs that are suitable for rural participation. Contains descriptions of each demonstration and provides direct links to the corresponding agency web page.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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