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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy

Rural Health Concerns, Opportunities and Strategies for COVID19: Early Thoughts of the State Offices of Rural Health
Summarizes three listening sessions with the 50 State Offices of Rural Health held in March 2020 to identify rural health challenges and opportunities related to COVID-19. Identifies concerns SORHs are hearing from their constituents, innovative rural strategies, collaboration opportunities, needed resources, and concerns related to Federal Office of Rural Health Policy grants and cooperative agreements.
Date: 03/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
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Rapid Health Impact Assessment on USDA Proposed Changes to School Nutrition Standards
Highlights a study on the health implications of proposed changes to the United States Department of Agriculture's nutrition guidelines for school lunches. Compares changes to current guidelines and highlights the impact the changes would have for students of color and students in rural communities.
Date: 03/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Healthy Eating Research, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
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The High Obesity Program: A Collaboration Between Public Health and Cooperative Extension Services to Address Obesity
Describes the activities of Programs to Reduce Obesity in High Obesity Areas, also known as High Obesity Program (HOP), developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in partnership with land grant universities and local Cooperative Extension Offices. HOP was designed to implement evidence-based strategies to improve physical activity and nutrition in mostly rural communities with high rates of obesity to reduce obesity and prevent or control diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
Author(s): Sahra Kahin, Ashleigh Murriel, Anu Pejavara, Terrence O'Toole, Ruth Petersen
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 17
Date: 03/2020
Type: Document
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Territory of American Samoa's Response and Action Plan to Combat the Coronavirus Pandemic
Comprehensive plan documenting American Samoa's response to COVID-19. Includes guidance and advisories, as well as an overview of the healthcare infrastructure and systems.
Date: 03/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Samoa Government
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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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Report to Congress on Medicaid and CHIP, March 2020
Reports on three aspects of Medicaid: improving the structure of Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payments, state reporting on the quality of care for individuals covered by Medicaid or the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the timeliness and quality of Medicaid demonstration evaluations. Chapter 1 examines the relationship between DSH allotments to states and the number of uninsured individuals, the amounts and sources of hospitals' uncompensated care costs, and the amounts and sources of hospitals' uncompensated care costs. Table 1-1 details DSH spending for urban and rural hospitals and for Critical Access Hospitals.
Date: 03/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Healthy People 2020 Progress for Leading Causes of Death in Rural and Urban America: A Chartbook
Provides a description of progress toward Health People 2020 benchmarks among racial and ethnic groups, men and women, and residents of the 4 United States census regions. Features statistics including deaths from heart disease, cancer, COPD, unintentional injury, stroke, diabetes, and suicide from 2007-2017, with breakdowns by 6 levels of population density.
Author(s): Timothy H. Callaghan, Alva O. Ferdinand, Marvellous Akinlotan, et al.
Date: 03/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Southwest Rural Health Research Center
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Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA): Maternal Health Programs
Provides an overview of five maternal health programs administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Describes the core activities or focus areas, applicant eligibility, reporting requirements and performance measures, and funding history for each program. Features the Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies (RMOMS) Program, a pilot program that aims to improve access to maternity and obstetrics services in rural areas.
Date: 03/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Telehealth and Telemedicine: Frequently Asked Questions
Provides an overview of telehealth and telemedicine through responses to frequently asked questions. Discusses the definitions of telehealth and telemedicine in the U.S. Code, distance and originating sites, telehealth modalities and services, who can provide telehealth services under Medicaid and Medicare, and federal grant programs related to the delivery of telehealth services.
Date: 03/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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The Effects of Medicaid Expansion under the ACA: Studies from January 2014 to January 2020
Updates a literature review on the impact of state Medicaid expansions on insurance coverage, access to care, and economic measures. Addresses the impact of Medicaid expansion on rural insurance rates and hospital finances.
Author(s): Madeline Guth, Rachel Garfield, Robin Rudowitz
Date: 03/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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