Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
Advancing Trauma Systems in the United States: Bridging Disparities Through State-Level Legislation and a Health Systems Approach
Discusses disparities in trauma care in rural and urban communities in the United States. Examines weaknesses in the current trauma system and provides associated legislative solutions. Offers policy strategies for rural regions and trauma systems with limited capacity.
Author(s): Bilal Irfan, Zain Hashmi, Tatiana Ramos, Molly Jarman
Citation: Health Services Research, e70073
Date: 12/2025
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Discusses disparities in trauma care in rural and urban communities in the United States. Examines weaknesses in the current trauma system and provides associated legislative solutions. Offers policy strategies for rural regions and trauma systems with limited capacity.
Author(s): Bilal Irfan, Zain Hashmi, Tatiana Ramos, Molly Jarman
Citation: Health Services Research, e70073
Date: 12/2025
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Early Adoption of Telehealth/Remote Patient Monitoring and Hospital Revenue Changes During COVID-19
Evaluates telehealth and remote patient monitoring use between 2019 and 2020 among 1,742 rural and urban hospitals to determine the impact of COVID-19 on utilization and revenue. Discusses potential policy measures given study findings.
Author(s): Claudia A. Rhoades, Brian E. Whitacre, Alison F. Davis
Citation: Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 31(10)
Date: 12/2025
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Evaluates telehealth and remote patient monitoring use between 2019 and 2020 among 1,742 rural and urban hospitals to determine the impact of COVID-19 on utilization and revenue. Discusses potential policy measures given study findings.
Author(s): Claudia A. Rhoades, Brian E. Whitacre, Alison F. Davis
Citation: Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 31(10)
Date: 12/2025
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Telehealth FAQ Calendar Year 2026
Provides information on Medicare telehealth regulations and payment policy for calendar year 2026. Includes information on audio-only services, behavioral health services, direct supervision, and more. Highlights changes that take effect on January 31, 2026 under current law.
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides information on Medicare telehealth regulations and payment policy for calendar year 2026. Includes information on audio-only services, behavioral health services, direct supervision, and more. Highlights changes that take effect on January 31, 2026 under current law.
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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A Novel Approach to Incorporate Frontier Areas Into Urban–Rural Geographic Classifications: Integrated Metropolitan-to-Frontier Area Codes
Explores an effort to develop a rural-urban classification that captures the remoteness of frontier areas. Details the tract-level Integrated Metropolitan-to-Frontier Area Codes (tlMFAC), a combination of the USDA's Frontier and Remote Area (FAR) definition and the Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) Codes. Discusses the conceptual framework for tlMFAC and the census tract-level results of applying the definition nationally.
Author(s): Brody J. Gibson, Elizabeth Dobis, John Cromartie, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(4), e70102
Date: 11/2025
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Explores an effort to develop a rural-urban classification that captures the remoteness of frontier areas. Details the tract-level Integrated Metropolitan-to-Frontier Area Codes (tlMFAC), a combination of the USDA's Frontier and Remote Area (FAR) definition and the Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) Codes. Discusses the conceptual framework for tlMFAC and the census tract-level results of applying the definition nationally.
Author(s): Brody J. Gibson, Elizabeth Dobis, John Cromartie, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(4), e70102
Date: 11/2025
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Calendar Year 2026 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center Final Rule (CMS-1834-FC)
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare payments for hospital outpatient and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) services for calendar year 2026. Summarizes provisions regarding changes to hospital price transparency; Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) and partial hospital program rate setting; updates to the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR), Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR), and Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Programs; hospital quality start ratings; and more.
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare payments for hospital outpatient and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) services for calendar year 2026. Summarizes provisions regarding changes to hospital price transparency; Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) and partial hospital program rate setting; updates to the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR), Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR), and Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Programs; hospital quality start ratings; and more.
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Studying the Current and Future Needs of a Statewide Health Care System: Summary of Responses to a Request for Information and Recommendations for a Future Comprehensive Study - Minnesota
Assesses health system capacity in Minnesota and proposes investments in infrastructure, healthcare workforce, data collection, and emerging care delivery. Offers recommendations to the Legislature with considerations for rural communities included.
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Minnesota Department of Health
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Assesses health system capacity in Minnesota and proposes investments in infrastructure, healthcare workforce, data collection, and emerging care delivery. Offers recommendations to the Legislature with considerations for rural communities included.
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Minnesota Department of Health
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PACE in Rural Communities: Emerging Evidence on Integrated Care for Older Adults
An interview conversation with Carrie Henning-Smith of the the University of Minnesota School of Public Health (UMN) Rural Health Research Center about All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). Covers how PACE supports older adults, the impact of PACE in rural communities as well as potential barriers, and policy and partnership needs.
Author(s): Megan Lisch
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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An interview conversation with Carrie Henning-Smith of the the University of Minnesota School of Public Health (UMN) Rural Health Research Center about All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). Covers how PACE supports older adults, the impact of PACE in rural communities as well as potential barriers, and policy and partnership needs.
Author(s): Megan Lisch
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Food Security, Access, and Health Outcomes in Rural America: Challenges and Policy Pathways
A recorded webinar focused on access to nutritious and affordable food options in rural areas and the relationship between food security and health outcomes. Discusses policy and collaborative efforts to improve rural food security. Transcript available below description.
Additional links: Slides
Author(s): Krystal Hodge, Bhagyashree Katare
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Central Regional Center for Rural Development
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A recorded webinar focused on access to nutritious and affordable food options in rural areas and the relationship between food security and health outcomes. Discusses policy and collaborative efforts to improve rural food security. Transcript available below description.
Additional links: Slides
Author(s): Krystal Hodge, Bhagyashree Katare
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Central Regional Center for Rural Development
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Fiscal Year 2025 Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Investments: Fact Sheet
Provides an overview of Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) grant programs in Fiscal Year 2025. Summarizes and briefly describes funding awarded to address rural behavioral health, expand the rural health workforce, increase access to care, advance maternal health, support rural health research and information dissemination, and support rural hospitals.
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy
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Provides an overview of Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) grant programs in Fiscal Year 2025. Summarizes and briefly describes funding awarded to address rural behavioral health, expand the rural health workforce, increase access to care, advance maternal health, support rural health research and information dissemination, and support rural hospitals.
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy
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Funding Rural Health: The Role and Reach of Federal Support
A series of briefs and spotlights focused on how the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) supports population health in rural Kansas and the rural United States. Focuses on FORHP funding processes and organizational structure, distribution of funds, the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program, the Rural Health Care Services Outreach Program, and Rural Communities Opioid Response Program.
Author(s): Shelby C. Rowell, Wyatt J. Beckman, Viktoria Sterkhova
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Kansas Health Institute
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A series of briefs and spotlights focused on how the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) supports population health in rural Kansas and the rural United States. Focuses on FORHP funding processes and organizational structure, distribution of funds, the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program, the Rural Health Care Services Outreach Program, and Rural Communities Opioid Response Program.
Author(s): Shelby C. Rowell, Wyatt J. Beckman, Viktoria Sterkhova
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Kansas Health Institute
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