Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
RHC Cost Reporting Webinar Recording
Recording of a March 11, 2025, webinar providing an overview of Rural Health Clinic (RHC) cost reporting. Covers key cost report concepts, allowable and non-allowable costs, RHC visits, the cost report approval process, and more. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
view details
Recording of a March 11, 2025, webinar providing an overview of Rural Health Clinic (RHC) cost reporting. Covers key cost report concepts, allowable and non-allowable costs, RHC visits, the cost report approval process, and more. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
view details
Expanding Your Reach: Planning Your Rural Non-Congregate Summer Meal Service
A recorded webinar that discusses strategies to maximize the impact of non-congregate meal service in rural areas. Includes information on regulations, tools to locate suitable rural areas, operational considerations, program models, and more. Transcript available below description.
Additional links: Slide Deck
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
view details
A recorded webinar that discusses strategies to maximize the impact of non-congregate meal service in rural areas. Includes information on regulations, tools to locate suitable rural areas, operational considerations, program models, and more. Transcript available below description.
Additional links: Slide Deck
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
view details
Report to Congress on Medicaid and CHIP, March 2025
Reports on three aspects of Medicaid of interest to Congress: 1) improving the usability and transparency of the managed care external quality review process, 2) improvements on timely access to home- and community-based services (HCBS), and 3) ways to streamline Medicaid Section 1915 authorities for home-and community-based services and reduce the administrative burden.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
view details
Reports on three aspects of Medicaid of interest to Congress: 1) improving the usability and transparency of the managed care external quality review process, 2) improvements on timely access to home- and community-based services (HCBS), and 3) ways to streamline Medicaid Section 1915 authorities for home-and community-based services and reduce the administrative burden.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
view details
March 2025 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) March 2025 meeting. Covers research and proposals related to reforming physician fee schedule updates and improving the accuracy of relative payment rates, reducing beneficiary cost-sharing for outpatient services at Critical Access Hospitals, Medicare insurance agents, Medigap, payment for ground ambulance services, home healthcare use among Medicare Advantage enrollees, and institutional special needs plans. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Additional links: Mandated Report: Payment for Ground Ambulance Services, Reducing Beneficiary Cost-Sharing for Outpatient Services at Critical Access Hospitals
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
view details
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) March 2025 meeting. Covers research and proposals related to reforming physician fee schedule updates and improving the accuracy of relative payment rates, reducing beneficiary cost-sharing for outpatient services at Critical Access Hospitals, Medicare insurance agents, Medigap, payment for ground ambulance services, home healthcare use among Medicare Advantage enrollees, and institutional special needs plans. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Additional links: Mandated Report: Payment for Ground Ambulance Services, Reducing Beneficiary Cost-Sharing for Outpatient Services at Critical Access Hospitals
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
view details
5 Key Facts About Medicaid and Hospitals
Provides an overview of the impact of Medicaid spending for hospitals. Discusses potential challenges facing rural hospitals if policy changes to reduce Medicaid spending are implemented. Includes data on the percentage of births financed by Medicaid overall and by urban and rural status.
Author(s): Scott Hulver, Zachary Levinson, Alice Burns, et al.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: KFF
view details
Provides an overview of the impact of Medicaid spending for hospitals. Discusses potential challenges facing rural hospitals if policy changes to reduce Medicaid spending are implemented. Includes data on the percentage of births financed by Medicaid overall and by urban and rural status.
Author(s): Scott Hulver, Zachary Levinson, Alice Burns, et al.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: KFF
view details
Rural Hospital Experiences in the Colorado Hospital Transformation Program
Provides an overview of the Colorado Hospital Transformation Program (CO HTP), a 5-year program that ties Medicaid supplemental payments to hospitals' ability to meet performance targets through September 2026. Describes the experiences of three Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and explores how CO HTP impacts rural hospitals. Covers planning and community engagement, quality of care, and healthcare costs.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
view details
Provides an overview of the Colorado Hospital Transformation Program (CO HTP), a 5-year program that ties Medicaid supplemental payments to hospitals' ability to meet performance targets through September 2026. Describes the experiences of three Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and explores how CO HTP impacts rural hospitals. Covers planning and community engagement, quality of care, and healthcare costs.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
view details
Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ASTP/ONC)
Provides an overview of the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ASTP/ONC) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Describes ASTP/ONC focus areas, statutory authorities, funding, and select policy considerations.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
view details
Provides an overview of the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ASTP/ONC) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Describes ASTP/ONC focus areas, statutory authorities, funding, and select policy considerations.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
view details
The 10-20-30 Provision: Defining Persistent Poverty Counties
Defines persistent poverty counties. Discusses how differences in definitions and data can affect which counties are considered persistently poor and includes a map highlighting the impact of different rounding methods. Briefly addresses legislation targeting persistent poverty counties using the "10-20-30 provision," including rural development funding. Table 3 lists persistent poverty counties based on data from the 1993 Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE), Census 2000, and the 2023 SAIPE.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
view details
Defines persistent poverty counties. Discusses how differences in definitions and data can affect which counties are considered persistently poor and includes a map highlighting the impact of different rounding methods. Briefly addresses legislation targeting persistent poverty counties using the "10-20-30 provision," including rural development funding. Table 3 lists persistent poverty counties based on data from the 1993 Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE), Census 2000, and the 2023 SAIPE.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
view details
Medicare Benefit Policy Manual: Chapter 13 - Rural Health Clinic (RHC) and Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Services
Current regulations, as of March 2025, regarding Medicare payment policies for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs).
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
view details
Current regulations, as of March 2025, regarding Medicare payment policies for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs).
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
view details
International Medical Graduates Assistance Program: 2024 Report to the Minnesota Legislature
Examines Minnesota's International Medical Graduates Assistance Program and pathways to integrate immigrant international medical graduates (IMGs) into the healthcare system. Focuses on the role of IMGs in supporting healthcare access in rural areas of Minnesota, IMG workforce education programs and pathways, and establishing policy that allows IMGs to enter residency programs.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Minnesota Department of Health - Office of Rural Health and Primary Care
view details
Examines Minnesota's International Medical Graduates Assistance Program and pathways to integrate immigrant international medical graduates (IMGs) into the healthcare system. Focuses on the role of IMGs in supporting healthcare access in rural areas of Minnesota, IMG workforce education programs and pathways, and establishing policy that allows IMGs to enter residency programs.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Minnesota Department of Health - Office of Rural Health and Primary Care
view details