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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Medicare

Enhancing Access and Impact of the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program Using Telehealth: A Narrative Review
Evaluates the viability of telehealth delivery of the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) via a literature review of telehealth-based disease prevention program research. Discusses clinical effectiveness, feasibility and acceptability, and policies affecting MDPP implementation. Highlights rural-relevant research findings and discusses access benefits of remote delivery.
Author(s): Natalie D. Ritchie, Melanie T. Turk
Citation: mHealth, 10, 10
Date: 12/2023
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Medicare Advantage Growth and Its Impact on Rural Health Care
Policy position paper regarding the impact of the increase of Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollment in rural areas on healthcare access, delivery, and financial viability. Offers policy recommendations to support rural MA beneficiaries, healthcare providers, and hospitals at a local level, as well as rural healthcare provision within the MA framework.
Author(s): Carrie Shaver, Kevin Lambing, Lisa Rantz
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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December 2023 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) December 2023 meeting. Covers payment adequacy and updates for physician and other health professional services, hospital inpatient and outpatient services, hospice services, outpatient dialysis services, ambulatory surgical center services, skilled nursing facilities, skilled nursing facility services, home health services, and inpatient rehabilitation facility services. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Alternative Payment Models in the Quality Payment Program as of December 2023
A set of three tables that list brief information about Alternative Payment Models (APMs) that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) operates or has announced, as of December 2023. Identifies Advanced APMs, Merit Based Incentive Program (MIPs) APMs, and Other Payer Advanced APMs, which include Medicaid Other Payer Advanced APMs, Medicare Health Plan Payment Arrangements, and commercial payment arrangements.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Independent Evaluation of Comprehensive Primary Care Plus (CPC+): Final Annual Report
Reports on the Comprehensive Primary Care Plus (CPC+) model, a CMS primary care payment and delivery reform effort that ran from 2017-2021. Outlines key findings from the model, including CPC+ supports to practices, care delivery changes made by practices, impacts on outcomes for Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries, and implications for primary care models. Describes the experiences of payers, practices, health IT vendors, and patients. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Appendices to the Final Report, Volume 1, Appendices to the Final Report, Volume 2, Findings at a Glance
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Mathematica
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Disparities in Health Measures By Race and Ethnicity Among Beneficiaries in Medicare Advantage: A Review of the Literature
Summarizes the results of a review of 20 studies published between January 2018 and April 2023 to examine racial and ethnic disparities in quality of care and beneficiary experience among Medicare Advantage (MA) plan enrollees. Discusses gaps in data and in the literature that contribute to challenges in understanding racial and ethnic disparities in MA quality and beneficiary experience. Includes information on nine studies that explored 25 measures of quality of care received by American Indian and Alaska Native enrollees and two studies that examined disparities among MA enrollees in rural areas by race and ethnicity.
Author(s): Nancy Ochieng, Jeannie Fuglesten Biniek, Juliette Cubanski, Tricia Neuman
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Medicare Cognitive Assessments: Utilization Tripled between 2018 and 2022, but Challenges Remain
Describes the utilization of traditional Medicare's cognitive assessment service from 2018 through 2022. Presents stakeholder views on challenges providers and beneficiaries face in providing and accessing the service, respectively. Discusses steps the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has taken to increase awareness of the service. Includes information on the number of cognitive assessment services by urban and rural beneficiaries by race and ethnicity.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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CMS Final Rules Overview - Impact for RHCs Beginning January 1, 2024
Recording of a December 11, 2023, webinar providing an overview of telehealth payment rates for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and other regulatory updates and potential changes for 2024. Covers new billable providers for RHCs, changes to care management services and billing, telehealth regulations, intensive outpatient program (IOP) services, and more. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Section 1915(c) Waiver Program Participants in 2020
Presents data on the percentage and number of Medicaid enrollees who participated in a Section 1915(c) waiver program in 2020. Includes data on the share of enrollees who participated in a Section 1915(c) waiver program overall and by age, race and ethnicity, urban or rural residence, Medicaid eligibility category, and dual eligibility status.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Participation in a Medicare Advanced Primary Care Model and the Delivery of High-Value Services
Examines if participation in the Comprehensive Primary Care Plus Initiative (CPC+) impacted the high-value services delivered by primary care providers. Utilizes multiple national data sets to estimate the association of CPC+ and services such as annual wellness visits (AWVs), advance care planning (ACP), flu shots, tobacco prevention counseling, and depression screening. Provides data on intervention groups and comparison groups by patient demographics as well as provider demographics, specialty, and location, including urban, large rural, small rural, and isolated rural.
Author(s): Fang He, Angela Gasdaska, Lindsay White, Yan Tang, Chris Beadles
Citation: Health Services Research, 58(6), 1266-1291
Date: 12/2023
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