Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
Addressing Low Case-Volume in Healthcare Performance Measurement of Rural Providers: Recommendations from the MAP Rural Health Technical Expert Panel
Final report recommending how to measure healthcare performance in low case-volume situations, such as rural providers. Reviews existing and proposed low-volume healthcare quality measures, how measures are calculated, data use, and data analysis techniques. Focuses on Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) quality programs reporting requirements.
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organizations: MAP Rural Health Workgroup, National Quality Forum
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Final report recommending how to measure healthcare performance in low case-volume situations, such as rural providers. Reviews existing and proposed low-volume healthcare quality measures, how measures are calculated, data use, and data analysis techniques. Focuses on Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) quality programs reporting requirements.
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organizations: MAP Rural Health Workgroup, National Quality Forum
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Tracking Federal Funding to Combat the Opioid Crisis
Features a report tracking the federally funded programs aimed at addressing the opioid crisis for the fiscal years 2017-2018. Highlights examples in five states where it compares total money spent by department on opioid treatment and reduction, as well as the number of opioid related deaths.
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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Features a report tracking the federally funded programs aimed at addressing the opioid crisis for the fiscal years 2017-2018. Highlights examples in five states where it compares total money spent by department on opioid treatment and reduction, as well as the number of opioid related deaths.
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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STOP Playbook: How Health Plans Are Tackling the Opioid Crisis
Offers strategies used by health plans to address opioid misuse through the Safe, Transparent Opioid Prescribing (STOP) Initiative, which focuses on improving prescribing patterns and practices. Includes strategies and examples for increasing substance abuse treatment access in rural areas. Summarizes the health insurance impacts of the Substance Use Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities legislation.
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: AHIP
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Offers strategies used by health plans to address opioid misuse through the Safe, Transparent Opioid Prescribing (STOP) Initiative, which focuses on improving prescribing patterns and practices. Includes strategies and examples for increasing substance abuse treatment access in rural areas. Summarizes the health insurance impacts of the Substance Use Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities legislation.
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: AHIP
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Evaluation of the Initiative to Reduce Avoidable Hospitalizations among Nursing Facility Residents - Payment Reform
Second annual report evaluating a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) Innovation payment model intended to reduce avoidable hospitalizations for long-term care nursing facility residents. Appendices include findings from participating programs in Alabama, Missouri, Indiana, Nevada, Colorado, New York, and Pennsylvania. Addresses challenges for rural participants throughout.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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Second annual report evaluating a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) Innovation payment model intended to reduce avoidable hospitalizations for long-term care nursing facility residents. Appendices include findings from participating programs in Alabama, Missouri, Indiana, Nevada, Colorado, New York, and Pennsylvania. Addresses challenges for rural participants throughout.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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Strengthening Medicaid Long-term Services and Supports in an Evolving Policy Environment: A Toolkit for States
Shares strategies states can use to reform their long-term services and supports (LTSS) framework, focusing on improving LTSS in two key areas: rebalancing LTSS to increase the proportion of LTSS provided in community-based settings and integrating LTSS with physical and behavioral health services through managed care. Uses case studies to provide examples of each strategy, and discusses rural considerations throughout.
Additional links: Brief for Legislators, Summary of Reforms
Author(s): Stephanie Anthony, Arielle Traub, Sarah Lewis, et al.
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Shares strategies states can use to reform their long-term services and supports (LTSS) framework, focusing on improving LTSS in two key areas: rebalancing LTSS to increase the proportion of LTSS provided in community-based settings and integrating LTSS with physical and behavioral health services through managed care. Uses case studies to provide examples of each strategy, and discusses rural considerations throughout.
Additional links: Brief for Legislators, Summary of Reforms
Author(s): Stephanie Anthony, Arielle Traub, Sarah Lewis, et al.
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Air Ambulance: Available Data Show Privately-Insured Patients Are at Financial Risk
Examines air ambulance transports for patients with a focus on balance billing. Describes changes in geographic distribution of air ambulance services, including the location of bases and new bases and additions in rural areas; the extent of out-of-network air ambulance transports and balance billing practices; and how states are limiting balance billing. Relies on data from a variety of sources, including interviews with officials in 6 states: Florida, North Dakota, Montana, New Mexico, Maryland, and Texas.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Examines air ambulance transports for patients with a focus on balance billing. Describes changes in geographic distribution of air ambulance services, including the location of bases and new bases and additions in rural areas; the extent of out-of-network air ambulance transports and balance billing practices; and how states are limiting balance billing. Relies on data from a variety of sources, including interviews with officials in 6 states: Florida, North Dakota, Montana, New Mexico, Maryland, and Texas.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Examining the Cost Effectiveness of Teaching Health Centers
Examines areas where the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) program can produce savings, focusing on physician spending for patient encounters during and after residency training and patient Medicaid and Medicare insurance coverage. Identifies the location of THCGME programs and highlights program outcomes, including the percent of graduates who work in rural and underserved areas and practice primary care.
Author(s): Candice Chen, Leighton Ku, Marsha Regenstein, Fitzhugh Mullan
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organizations: Geiger Gibson Program in Community Health, George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health Department of Health Policy and Management, RCHN Community Health Foundation
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Examines areas where the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) program can produce savings, focusing on physician spending for patient encounters during and after residency training and patient Medicaid and Medicare insurance coverage. Identifies the location of THCGME programs and highlights program outcomes, including the percent of graduates who work in rural and underserved areas and practice primary care.
Author(s): Candice Chen, Leighton Ku, Marsha Regenstein, Fitzhugh Mullan
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organizations: Geiger Gibson Program in Community Health, George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health Department of Health Policy and Management, RCHN Community Health Foundation
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CDC as a Rural Resource: Q&A with Diane Hall
An interview with Diane Hall, Senior Policy Analyst at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Highlights CDC's work in rural health, the role of data collection in program evaluation, and how rural communities can use CDC as a resource.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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An interview with Diane Hall, Senior Policy Analyst at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Highlights CDC's work in rural health, the role of data collection in program evaluation, and how rural communities can use CDC as a resource.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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MedPAC Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy: Hospital Inpatient and Outpatient Services: Chapter 3
Examines the adequacy of Medicare payments to hospitals in 2017 and offers recommendations for changes. Includes a discussion of rural hospital closures and provides rural/urban breakdowns for hospital occupancy rates, Medicare inpatient discharges, and Medicare margins.
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Examines the adequacy of Medicare payments to hospitals in 2017 and offers recommendations for changes. Includes a discussion of rural hospital closures and provides rural/urban breakdowns for hospital occupancy rates, Medicare inpatient discharges, and Medicare margins.
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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MedPAC Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy, 2019
Annual review of Medicare payment policies, with recommendations to Congress. Includes discussion on Medicare payment policies directly affecting rural providers and beneficiaries. Addresses opioids, Medicare Part D, Medicare Advantage, Medicare's quality incentive program for hospitals, and payment adequacy for healthcare facilities and services.
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Annual review of Medicare payment policies, with recommendations to Congress. Includes discussion on Medicare payment policies directly affecting rural providers and beneficiaries. Addresses opioids, Medicare Part D, Medicare Advantage, Medicare's quality incentive program for hospitals, and payment adequacy for healthcare facilities and services.
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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