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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy

Robert Pack & Maggie Elehwany: VRHA Keynoters--and VRHA Board President Summer Sage
Recording from the 2017 Virginia Rural Health Association (VRHA)'s Rural Health Providers Conference. Discussion of new rural healthcare-related education initiatives and resources, grant funding to help combat the Virginia opioid crisis, and rural health policy developments on the federal level and their impact on rural areas.
Date: 11/2017
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organizations: Center for Rural Affairs, National Rural Education Association
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Rural Transportation: Challenges and Opportunities
Policy brief discusses a study on the challenges of implementing rural transportation services and their implication on transportation policy. Analyzes infrastructure, geography, funding, accessibility, support and public awareness, and socio-demographics as barriers to rural transportation systems.
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Alex Evenson, Amanda Corbett, Katy Kozhimannil, Ira Moscovice
Date: 11/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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South Carolina's Rural Health Action Plan
Describes South Carolina's plan to improve rural health outcomes, including 5 areas of focus, 15 recommendations, and 50+ action steps, intended to spur progress over the following 3-5 years. Focus areas include access to care, community assets leadership and engagement (CALE), economic development, education, and housing.
Additional links: Brief
Date: 11/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: South Carolina Office of Rural Health
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Examining Oral Health Care Utilization and Expenditures for Low-Income Adults
Explores oral health utilization and Medicaid expenditures across the nation. Presents a state-by-state map of Medicaid coverage for adult dental services. Breaks down data by age, race, and rural-urban areas, among other factors.
Author(s): Stacey Chazin, June Glover
Date: 11/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Stepping into the Breach: How States and Insurers Worked Together to Prevent Bare Counties for 2018
Examines six states - Iowa, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Washington - that faced the prospect of having counties with no participating insurers ahead of the 2018 plan year open enrollment period. Shares insights from interviews with insurers and state regulators, focusing on how administrative and/or legislative actions and media coverage affected insurers' decisions to remain in the Marketplace. Includes a discussion on the challenges associated with risk assessment and rate setting in low-population, rural counties.
Author(s): Kevin Lucia, Jack Hoadley, Sabrina Corlette, Dania Palanker, Olivia Hoppe
Date: 11/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Urban Institute
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Emerging Strategies to Ensure Access to Health Care Services: Urgent Care Centers
Outlines a strategy to improve access to and the delivery of healthcare services by creating urgent care centers. Offers federal policy solutions to promote the effective adoption of the urgent care center model.
Additional links: Is the Urgent Care Center the Right Strategy for your Community?
Date: 11/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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The President's Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis
Includes recommendations set forth by the Trump Administration President's Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis to combat the opioid epidemic. Discussed plans for federal funding, prevention, treatment, education, and research, as well as the role of the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice in facilitating the proposed course of action.
Date: 11/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: The President's Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis
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Report to the President of the United States from the Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity
Report from the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity identifying key opportunities for improving the well-being of America's rural communities and citizens. Provides recommendations to the President of the United States, focusing on five main areas: e-Connectivity, improving quality of life, supporting a rural workforce, harnessing technological innovation, and developing the rural economy.
Date: 10/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity
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Building Complex Care Programs: A Road Map for States
Provides guidance for state leaders who are working to establish and advance complex care programs, particularly for high-need, high-cost Medicaid patients. Shares lessons learned from the National Governors Association's work with multiple state and local complex care initiatives. Includes program details and considerations specific to rural areas.
Author(s): Sandra Wilkniss, Sonia Pandit, Flora Arabo, Sally Malone, Hemi Tewarson
Date: 10/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Governors Association
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The Opioid Epidemic and Federal Efforts to Address It: Frequently Asked Questions
Provides an overview of America's opioid problem, including information on abuse and supply, and discusses federal agencies and programs that address opioid abuse. Also discusses recent federal legislation and state-level policies that seek to combat the opioid problem.
Date: 10/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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