Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
Medicaid Inpatient Hospital Services Fee-for-Service Payment Policy
Provides an overview of Medicaid payment policies for inpatient hospital services. Includes a link to an Excel sheet with details for each state, including adjustments for rural geography and for Critical Access Hospitals.
Additional links: State Medicaid Payment Policies for Inpatient Hospital Services
Date: 12/2018
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Provides an overview of Medicaid payment policies for inpatient hospital services. Includes a link to an Excel sheet with details for each state, including adjustments for rural geography and for Critical Access Hospitals.
Additional links: State Medicaid Payment Policies for Inpatient Hospital Services
Date: 12/2018
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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State Innovation Models (SIM) Initiative Evaluation: Model Test Year Five Annual Report
Fifth annual report on Round 1 of the CMS State Innovation Models (SIM) Initiative, which tests the ability of the governments in six states - Arkansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, and Vermont - to move providers to value-based payment models (VPMs). Presents the final summary findings for SIM Round 1. Includes information specific to rural areas.
Additional links: Appendices, Findings at a Glance
Date: 12/2018
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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Fifth annual report on Round 1 of the CMS State Innovation Models (SIM) Initiative, which tests the ability of the governments in six states - Arkansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, and Vermont - to move providers to value-based payment models (VPMs). Presents the final summary findings for SIM Round 1. Includes information specific to rural areas.
Additional links: Appendices, Findings at a Glance
Date: 12/2018
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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HCR95 SD1 Report on Availability of Long-Term Care Beds and its Impact on Wait Times for Acute Care Hospital Beds
Responds to a resolution from the Hawaii legislature requesting an examination of the impact of long-term care bed availability on acute care bed wait times. Reports regionally on challenges from community hospitals across the state, including Critical Access Hospitals and sole community hospitals. Identifies social, economic, and psychiatric factors impacting the ability of hospitals to discharge patients to long-term care and discusses the effects on hospital capacity. Highlights a pilot project planned for the Oahu Region.
Date: 12/2018
Sponsoring organization: Hawaii Health Systems Corporation
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Responds to a resolution from the Hawaii legislature requesting an examination of the impact of long-term care bed availability on acute care bed wait times. Reports regionally on challenges from community hospitals across the state, including Critical Access Hospitals and sole community hospitals. Identifies social, economic, and psychiatric factors impacting the ability of hospitals to discharge patients to long-term care and discusses the effects on hospital capacity. Highlights a pilot project planned for the Oahu Region.
Date: 12/2018
Sponsoring organization: Hawaii Health Systems Corporation
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Medicare: Voluntary and Mandatory Episode-Based Payment Models and Their Participants
Reviews tests of 6 episode-based Medicare payment models. Describes the characteristics of providers that participated in these models, including rural or urban location, addresses factors affecting their decision to participate, and compares the advantages of mandatory versus voluntary participation.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 12/2018
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Reviews tests of 6 episode-based Medicare payment models. Describes the characteristics of providers that participated in these models, including rural or urban location, addresses factors affecting their decision to participate, and compares the advantages of mandatory versus voluntary participation.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 12/2018
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Addressing the Burden of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in Rural America
Discusses the burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and its impact on rural America. Covers rural risk factors for COPD and healthcare disparities influencing rural COPD patients' ability to access care. Discusses ongoing federal COPD programs and offers policy recommendations and considerations to improve access to COPD care and treatments for individuals living in rural areas.
Date: 12/2018
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Discusses the burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and its impact on rural America. Covers rural risk factors for COPD and healthcare disparities influencing rural COPD patients' ability to access care. Discusses ongoing federal COPD programs and offers policy recommendations and considerations to improve access to COPD care and treatments for individuals living in rural areas.
Date: 12/2018
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Federal Support for Graduate Medical Education: An Overview
Examines how federal programs support graduate medical education for physicians, including available data on funding and the number of physicians in training. Addresses how GME support is used to address physician shortages in rural areas, data available on program effectiveness, and data gaps.
Date: 12/2018
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Examines how federal programs support graduate medical education for physicians, including available data on funding and the number of physicians in training. Addresses how GME support is used to address physician shortages in rural areas, data available on program effectiveness, and data gaps.
Date: 12/2018
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Improving Oral Health Care Services in Rural America
Discusses the link between oral health and overall health and issues affecting oral health access in rural areas, including shortages of dental providers, differences in dental hygienist scope of practice by state, and insurance coverage. Provides an overview of federal efforts related to rural oral health and offers policy recommendations. Includes a summary of local perspectives from a site visit to Winnsboro Smiles Family Dentistry in rural South Carolina as part of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services meeting.
Date: 12/2018
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Discusses the link between oral health and overall health and issues affecting oral health access in rural areas, including shortages of dental providers, differences in dental hygienist scope of practice by state, and insurance coverage. Provides an overview of federal efforts related to rural oral health and offers policy recommendations. Includes a summary of local perspectives from a site visit to Winnsboro Smiles Family Dentistry in rural South Carolina as part of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services meeting.
Date: 12/2018
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Broken Promises: Continuing Federal Funding Shortfall for Native Americans
Updates the 2003 report, A Quiet Crisis: Federal Funding and Unmet Needs in Indian Country, evaluating federal spending on Native American programs, including those related to healthcare, housing, education, infrastructure, criminal justice, and economic development. Provides policy recommendations addressing funding, tribal sovereignty, and data collection.
Date: 12/2018
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
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Updates the 2003 report, A Quiet Crisis: Federal Funding and Unmet Needs in Indian Country, evaluating federal spending on Native American programs, including those related to healthcare, housing, education, infrastructure, criminal justice, and economic development. Provides policy recommendations addressing funding, tribal sovereignty, and data collection.
Date: 12/2018
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
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For California's Rural Seniors, Improving Oral Health Care Could Mean Better Health
Highlights data on California's oral health needs for rural seniors, how those needs can impact other health conditions, and offers recommendations for policymakers.
Date: 12/2018
Sponsoring organization: Families USA
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Highlights data on California's oral health needs for rural seniors, how those needs can impact other health conditions, and offers recommendations for policymakers.
Date: 12/2018
Sponsoring organization: Families USA
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Medicare Fee-for-Service: Information on the Second Year of Nationwide Reduced Payment Rates for Durable Medical Equipment
Analyzes 2017 Medicare claims data to describe changes in the number of beneficiaries receiving and suppliers furnishing Medicare beneficiaries with rate-adjusted versus non-adjusted items in non-bid areas. Includes information on changes in rural and non-rural non-bid areas.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 12/2018
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Analyzes 2017 Medicare claims data to describe changes in the number of beneficiaries receiving and suppliers furnishing Medicare beneficiaries with rate-adjusted versus non-adjusted items in non-bid areas. Includes information on changes in rural and non-rural non-bid areas.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 12/2018
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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