Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Medicare
CMS Native American Contacts
Features Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services contacts for personnel in the Division of Tribal Affairs and the contacts responsible for the different Indian Health Services areas.
Date: 04/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Features Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services contacts for personnel in the Division of Tribal Affairs and the contacts responsible for the different Indian Health Services areas.
Date: 04/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on Contract Year 2021 and 2022 Policy and Technical Changes to Medicare Advantage and Part D
Responds to a proposed rule to revise regulations for Medicare Advantage (MA) and the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit program (Part D). Provides comments on CMS proposals regarding out-of-network telehealth benefits, updates to the quality rating models for MA and Part D plans, and changes to MA network adequacy standards. Discusses how changes to network adequacy standards would impact access to dialysis facilities for beneficiaries in micropolitan counties, rural counties, and counties with extreme access considerations (CEAC).
Date: 04/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Responds to a proposed rule to revise regulations for Medicare Advantage (MA) and the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit program (Part D). Provides comments on CMS proposals regarding out-of-network telehealth benefits, updates to the quality rating models for MA and Part D plans, and changes to MA network adequacy standards. Discusses how changes to network adequacy standards would impact access to dialysis facilities for beneficiaries in micropolitan counties, rural counties, and counties with extreme access considerations (CEAC).
Date: 04/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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CARES Act: Provisions to Help Rural Hospitals
Provides an overview of aspects of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act designed to support rural hospitals. Highlights provisions related to access to capital, Medicare payments, and telehealth, among others.
Date: 04/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Provides an overview of aspects of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act designed to support rural hospitals. Highlights provisions related to access to capital, Medicare payments, and telehealth, among others.
Date: 04/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Public Law 116-136: Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act
Text of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Public Law 116-136 (March 27, 2020). Outlines telehealth flexibilities to support providers and enhance access to care during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. Among other things, the CARES Act allows Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) to serve as distant sites to provide telehealth services to patients in their homes during the public health emergency (PHE); establishes the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP); extends the ability to order home health services to physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and certified nurse specialists; and provides additional funding to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to enable the provision of telehealth services.
Date: 03/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Congress
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Text of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Public Law 116-136 (March 27, 2020). Outlines telehealth flexibilities to support providers and enhance access to care during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. Among other things, the CARES Act allows Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) to serve as distant sites to provide telehealth services to patients in their homes during the public health emergency (PHE); establishes the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP); extends the ability to order home health services to physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and certified nurse specialists; and provides additional funding to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to enable the provision of telehealth services.
Date: 03/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Congress
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March 2020 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) March 2020 meeting. Covers Medicare Shared Savings Program vulnerabilities, the role of specialists in alternative payment models and accountable care organizations, incentives in Medicare Part D, the Medicare Advantage quality bonus program, and Medicare's end-stage renal disease (ESRD) prospective payment system. Includes a discussion of ESRD payment adjustments for rural and low-volume providers.
Date: 03/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) March 2020 meeting. Covers Medicare Shared Savings Program vulnerabilities, the role of specialists in alternative payment models and accountable care organizations, incentives in Medicare Part D, the Medicare Advantage quality bonus program, and Medicare's end-stage renal disease (ESRD) prospective payment system. Includes a discussion of ESRD payment adjustments for rural and low-volume providers.
Date: 03/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Second Report to Congress: Social Risk Factors and Performance in Medicare's Value-Based Purchasing Programs
Analyzes the effect of individuals' social risk factors on quality measures, resource utilization, and other Medicare program measures using Medicare and non-Medicare data sources. Describes how Medicare value-based purchasing (VBP) programs impact providers who serve socially at-risk beneficiaries. Categorizes rurality as a social risk factor. Explores emerging trends among providers addressing social risk factors through cooperation with social services and community-based organizations. Offers policy recommendations for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to account for social risk factors in VBP programs and achieve better outcomes for those with social risk factors. Second of two reports required by the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation (IMPACT) Act of 2014. See the first report.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 03/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Analyzes the effect of individuals' social risk factors on quality measures, resource utilization, and other Medicare program measures using Medicare and non-Medicare data sources. Describes how Medicare value-based purchasing (VBP) programs impact providers who serve socially at-risk beneficiaries. Categorizes rurality as a social risk factor. Explores emerging trends among providers addressing social risk factors through cooperation with social services and community-based organizations. Offers policy recommendations for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to account for social risk factors in VBP programs and achieve better outcomes for those with social risk factors. Second of two reports required by the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation (IMPACT) Act of 2014. See the first report.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 03/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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MedPAC Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy, 2020
Annual review of Medicare payment policies, with recommendations to Congress. Includes discussion on Medicare payment policies directly affecting rural providers and beneficiaries. Addresses payment adequacy for healthcare facilities and services, improving Medicare payment for post-acute care, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D, and the impact of healthcare provider consolidation.
Date: 03/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Annual review of Medicare payment policies, with recommendations to Congress. Includes discussion on Medicare payment policies directly affecting rural providers and beneficiaries. Addresses payment adequacy for healthcare facilities and services, improving Medicare payment for post-acute care, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D, and the impact of healthcare provider consolidation.
Date: 03/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Rural Libraries Help Communities Access Health Information
Features rural libraries in South Carolina, Vermont, and Washington that support population health in their communities by providing monthly programs and teaching patrons and staff how to access reliable health information online.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 03/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Features rural libraries in South Carolina, Vermont, and Washington that support population health in their communities by providing monthly programs and teaching patrons and staff how to access reliable health information online.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 03/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Medicare: Information on Medicare-Dependent Hospitals
Provides an overview of the Medicare-dependent hospital (MDH) program, how the MDH designation differs from other rural hospital designations, and how MDH hospitals have changed over time. Discusses the decrease in the number of MDHs over time. Examines a variety of operational and financial metrics across MDHs over time.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 02/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Provides an overview of the Medicare-dependent hospital (MDH) program, how the MDH designation differs from other rural hospital designations, and how MDH hospitals have changed over time. Discusses the decrease in the number of MDHs over time. Examines a variety of operational and financial metrics across MDHs over time.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 02/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Variation in Use of Home Health Care among Fee-for-Service Medicare Beneficiaries by Rural-Urban Status and Geographic Region: Assessing the Potential for Unmet Need
County-level analysis of home health care use by Medicare beneficiaries in 2013. Explores characteristics of beneficiaries and their communities. Features statistics with breakdowns by geographic region and 5 levels of population density.
Author(s): Tracy M. Mroz, Lisa A. Garberson, Jennifer L. Wong, et al.
Date: 02/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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County-level analysis of home health care use by Medicare beneficiaries in 2013. Explores characteristics of beneficiaries and their communities. Features statistics with breakdowns by geographic region and 5 levels of population density.
Author(s): Tracy M. Mroz, Lisa A. Garberson, Jennifer L. Wong, et al.
Date: 02/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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