Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Medicare

Trends in Observation Care Among Medicare Fee-for-Service Beneficiaries at Critical Access Hospitals, 2007 – 2009
Highlights a study on the prevalence and duration of observational care in Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) compared to Prospective Payment System (PPS) hospitals using Medicare claims data from 2007-2009, as well as 2007 American Hospital Association data to identify hospitals as CAHs or PPS hospitals and whether they were in rural or urban areas.
Author(s): Brad Wright, Hye-Young Jung, Zhanlian Feng, Vincent Mor
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 29(s1), s1-s6
Date: 08/2013
Type: Document
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Provision of Uncompensated Care by Rural Hospitals: A Preliminary Look at Medicare Cost Report Worksheet S-10
Conducts a preliminary assessment of the quality of uncompensated care data included in Medicare Cost Report Worksheet S-10 for rural hospitals and identifies the implications of data quality issues for research and policy decisions. Addresses differences between Critical Access Hospitals and other rural hospitals.
Author(s): Caroline Crews, Kristin L. Reiter, Randy Randolph, G Mark Holmes, George H Pink
Date: 08/2013
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Rural Implications of Changes to the Medicare Hospice Benefit
Policy brief highlights an April 2013 meeting in Grand Junction, Colorado, of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services. Presents the committee's recommendations and analyses of ACA provisions which may have rural implications regarding challenges and innovations in hospice and palliative care in rural and frontier areas.
Date: 08/2013
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Most Critical Access Hospitals Would Not Meet the Location Requirements if Required to Re-Enroll in Medicare
Recommends that CMS seek legislative authority to remove the permanent distance exemption for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) that currently have Necessary Provider designations.
Date: 08/2013
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Examination of the Relative Importance of Hospital Employment in Non-Metropolitan Counties Using Location Quotients
Examines hospital employment in rural counties compared to the nation. Draws conclusions regarding how potential changes in Medicare and Medicaid might affect rural populations.
Author(s): Jon Smith
Citation: Rural and Remote Health, 13(3), 2497
Date: 07/2013
Type: Document
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Accountable Care Organizations in Rural America
Examines the prevalence of Medicare Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) in the U.S. Includes breakdowns by non-metropolitan, metropolitan, and mixed counties, as well as a map of ACO locations.
Additional links: National and Regional Maps
Author(s): A. Clinton MacKinney, Thomas Vaughn, Xi Zhu, Keith J. Mueller, Fred Ullrich
Date: 07/2013
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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MedPAC Report to the Congress: Medicare and the Health Care Delivery System, June 2013
Includes chapters on Medicare and ambulatory settings, bundling payments for post acute care, hospice, reducing hospital admissions, dual eligible beneficiaries, and Medicare payments for ambulance services, physicians, and outpatient therapy. Mentions rural throughout.
Date: 06/2013
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Comparing Rural and Urban Medicare Part D Enrollment Patterns and Prescription Drug Coverage Rates
Examines Medicare Part D enrollment rates in rural and urban areas and the resulting impact on rural beneficiaries' overall prescription drug coverage rates.
Author(s): Yvonne Jonk, Heidi O'Connor, Michelle Casey, Ira Moscovice
Date: 05/2013
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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September 2012: Medicare Advantage Enrollment Update
Policy brief discussing 2012 rural Medicare Advantage enrollment data. Describes the distribution of enrollment plans by type.
Author(s): Sarah Sayavong, Leah Kemper, Abby Barker, Timothy McBride, Keith Mueller
Date: 04/2013
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Profile of Rural Health Clinics: Clinic & Medicare Patient Characteristics: Review of 2009 Medicare Outpatient Claims Data
Reports on the clinic-level characteristics and geographic distribution of rural health clinics, and overviews the Medicare beneficiaries they served.
Author(s): Andrea D. Radford, Denise A. Kirk, Hilda A. Howard, Mark Holmes
Date: 03/2013
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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