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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy

Effects of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on Coverage and Access to Care in Metropolitan vs. Non-Metropolitan Areas through 2016
Examines the combined effects of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) insurance provisions versus the effect of the Medicaid expansions, using recent national data to show possible differences between metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. Features statistics including changes in each of the years between 2013 and 2016, with breakdowns by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas.
Author(s): George L. Wehby, Wei Lyu, Dan M. Shane
Date: 08/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Understanding the Intersection of Medicaid and Work: What Does the Data Say?
Provides analysis on Medicaid enrollees and work requirements. Examines policy implications of work requirements, and explores barriers to work and reporting requirements. Table 1 includes statistics describing nonelderly adult Medicaid enrollees work status in 2017 by race/ethnicity, education, family type, family work status, and metro/nonmetro residence.
Author(s): Rachel Garfield, Robin Rudowitz, Kendal Orgera, Anthony Damico
Date: 08/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Department of Health Care Services: It Has Not Ensured That Medi-Cal Beneficiaries in Some Rural Counties Have Reasonable Access to Care
Findings from a study to determine whether rural beneficiaries of the Medi-Cal Regional Model health plan were given acceptable access to care and adequate quality of care after the state transitioned into managed care plans in 2013. Includes county-level map showing Medi-Cal Managed Care Models and statistics showing maximum distance required to access care, with breakdowns by provider type.
Author(s): Elaine M. Howle
Citation: California State Auditor Report 2018-122
Date: 08/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Auditor of the State of California
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Indigenous Data Governance: Strategies from United States Native Nations
Examines the significance of Indigenous data sovereignty (IDS) as the right of Native nations to govern the collection, ownership, and application of tribal data. Presents tribal case studies demonstrating an increase use of IDS to support their values to empower families and improve the health and wellbeing of tribal communities. Addresses IDS challenges faced by Native nations, and the resources and partnerships necessary to develop Indigenous data systems.
Author(s): Stephanie R. Carroll, Desi Rodriguez-Lonebear, Andrew Martinez
Citation: Data Science Journal, 18(31), 1-15
Date: 07/2019
Type: Document
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Arizona Opioid Action Plan Version 2.0, July 2019 - June 2021
Outlines the Arizona Department of Health Services' goals and recommendations for responding to the state's opioid-related public health emergency declaration. Intended to serve as an action plan and primary data source, containing information on opioid legislation, federal barriers, public education, youth prevention, medical education curriculum, and more. Includes rural-specific information and recommendations.
Date: 07/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Arizona Department of Health Services
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A Flexible Solution: How Critical Access Hospitals Reshaped Rural Health
Brief video overview describing how the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 created the Critical Access Hospital designation to reduce rural hospital closures. Discusses the role of the Senate Finance Committee and Federal Office of Rural Health Policy in developing the related policies, the transition of rural hospitals to critical access status, and the creation and impact of the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program (Flex Program).
Date: 07/2019
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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E-Cigarette Minimum Legal Sale Age Laws and Traditional Cigarette Use among Rural Pregnant Teenagers
Uses 2010-2016 data from 32 states to explore how minimum legal sale age laws for e-cigarettes affects cigarette use among pregnant teenagers in rural areas. Provides data and statistics on smoking before and during pregnancy, underage teen births, and birth outcomes. Includes rural/urban comparisons.
Author(s): Michael Pesko, Janet Currie
Citation: Journal of Health Economics, 66, 71-90
Date: 07/2019
Type: Document
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Adverse Childhood Experiences of Urban and Rural Preschool Children in Poverty
Examines the interaction of race and geographic location on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) for preschool children living in poverty in Arkansas. Data was collected using the Family Map Inventory–Early Childhood (FMI-EC) tool of structured interviews and observation items for assessing family and home environment characteristics linked with children's well-being.
Author(s): Leanne Whiteside-Mansell, Lorraine McKelvey, Jennifer Saccente, James P. Selig
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(14), 2623
Date: 07/2019
Type: Document
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Rural Palliative Care
Policy position paper focused on rural palliative care. Discusses the value of palliative care and identifies rural considerations. Includes policy recommendations.
Author(s): Margaret Woeppel, Leslie Marsh, Tanya Sharp
Date: 07/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Wisconsin Divided Ten Ways: A Review of Rural-Urban Classification Systems
Provides a high-level overview of core classification systems, and systems that are county-based, census tract-based, ZIP code-based, and municipal-based. Includes county-level maps with shadings indicating levels of population density, based on various definitions of the terms urban and rural.
Additional links: Appendix A - Wisconsin County Classifications, Appendix B - Wisconsin Census Tract Classifications, Appendix C - Wisconsin ZIP Code Classification, Appendix D - Municipal Classifications
Date: 07/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Wisconsin Office of Rural Health
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