Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
Medicare Performance-Based Payment Adjustment Programs
Describes three Medicare Performance-Based Payment Adjustment programs for hospitals: the Hospital Acquired Condition Reduction Program (HACRP), the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program (HRRP), and the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program (HVBPP). Explains how these programs may affect rural hospitals.
Date: 09/2017
Sponsoring organization: National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
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Describes three Medicare Performance-Based Payment Adjustment programs for hospitals: the Hospital Acquired Condition Reduction Program (HACRP), the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program (HRRP), and the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program (HVBPP). Explains how these programs may affect rural hospitals.
Date: 09/2017
Sponsoring organization: National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
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A Toolkit for Legislative Reform: Improving Criminal Justice Responses to Mental Illness in Rural States
Toolkit details methods to improve access to mental health treatment in rural communities through the criminal justice system. Presents options for state policy reform, using South Dakota's mental illness intervention law as a case study.
Author(s): Barbara A. Pierce
Date: 09/2017
Sponsoring organization: Crime and Justice Institute
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Toolkit details methods to improve access to mental health treatment in rural communities through the criminal justice system. Presents options for state policy reform, using South Dakota's mental illness intervention law as a case study.
Author(s): Barbara A. Pierce
Date: 09/2017
Sponsoring organization: Crime and Justice Institute
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Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure: Information on Identified Needs, Planning for Future Conditions, and Coordination of Project Funding
Reviews federal programs that provide funding for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects and describes how infrastructure needs are identified. Also details how federal agencies support states' efforts and the extent to which federal agencies coordinate funding initiatives. Analysis is based on a review of infrastructure projects in 6 states: Alaska, California, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, and Tennessee.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 09/2017
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Reviews federal programs that provide funding for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects and describes how infrastructure needs are identified. Also details how federal agencies support states' efforts and the extent to which federal agencies coordinate funding initiatives. Analysis is based on a review of infrastructure projects in 6 states: Alaska, California, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, and Tennessee.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 09/2017
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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MedPAC Report to the Congress: Regional Variation in Medicare Part A, Part B, and Part D Spending and Service Use
Compares Medicare spending and service use based on geographic location, including across metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. Seeks to identify factors that influence regional variation and determine if higher service use and/or spending results in higher quality care and outcomes. Utilizes updated data to build on findings that were published in the January 2011 Report to the Congress: Regional Variation in Medicare Service Use. Data is adjusted to account for differences in payment rates to certain providers, such as Critical Access Hospitals.
Date: 09/2017
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Compares Medicare spending and service use based on geographic location, including across metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. Seeks to identify factors that influence regional variation and determine if higher service use and/or spending results in higher quality care and outcomes. Utilizes updated data to build on findings that were published in the January 2011 Report to the Congress: Regional Variation in Medicare Service Use. Data is adjusted to account for differences in payment rates to certain providers, such as Critical Access Hospitals.
Date: 09/2017
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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State Innovation Models (SIM) Initiative Evaluation: Model Test Year Three Annual Report
Third annual report detailing the findings of CMS's State Innovation Models (SIM) Initiative, which tests the ability of the governments in six states - Arkansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, and Vermont - to accelerate health system transformation in the areas of delivery systems, payment models, information technology, workforce development, and more. Focuses on sharing cross-state progress and findings, state-specific findings and lessons learned, and lessons for policymakers. Additional emphasis is placed on monitoring healthcare experience, utilization, and expenditures in participating SIM states.
Date: 09/2017
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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Third annual report detailing the findings of CMS's State Innovation Models (SIM) Initiative, which tests the ability of the governments in six states - Arkansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, and Vermont - to accelerate health system transformation in the areas of delivery systems, payment models, information technology, workforce development, and more. Focuses on sharing cross-state progress and findings, state-specific findings and lessons learned, and lessons for policymakers. Additional emphasis is placed on monitoring healthcare experience, utilization, and expenditures in participating SIM states.
Date: 09/2017
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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State Innovation Models (SIM) Round 2: Model Design Final Report
Shares results from a federal evaluation of the Round 2 State Innovation Models (SIM) Initiative awards, which focused on reforming payment and delivery systems, health information exchanges, workforce development, and sustainability. Provides a summary and review of each awardees' final State Health System Innovations Plan (SHSIP). Includes several suggestions and recommendations for improving rural healthcare delivery, payment, and access.
Author(s): Donald Nichols, Kathleen Farrell, Marisa Morrison, et al.
Date: 08/2017
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Shares results from a federal evaluation of the Round 2 State Innovation Models (SIM) Initiative awards, which focused on reforming payment and delivery systems, health information exchanges, workforce development, and sustainability. Provides a summary and review of each awardees' final State Health System Innovations Plan (SHSIP). Includes several suggestions and recommendations for improving rural healthcare delivery, payment, and access.
Author(s): Donald Nichols, Kathleen Farrell, Marisa Morrison, et al.
Date: 08/2017
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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The Status of Telemedicine in Missouri
Provides background information on rural healthcare issues in Missouri and discusses the value of using telehealth to improve rural healthcare access. Discusses policy recommendations such as broadband access and details about eligibility and payment requirements for telemedicine.
Author(s): Dave Dillon, Jim Mikes
Date: 08/2017
Sponsoring organization: Missouri Hospital Association
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Provides background information on rural healthcare issues in Missouri and discusses the value of using telehealth to improve rural healthcare access. Discusses policy recommendations such as broadband access and details about eligibility and payment requirements for telemedicine.
Author(s): Dave Dillon, Jim Mikes
Date: 08/2017
Sponsoring organization: Missouri Hospital Association
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Home is Where the Heart Is: Insights on the Coordination and Delivery of Home Health Services in Rural America
Identifies facilitators and barriers to providing home health services in rural areas, discusses how rural home health services are currently provided, and offers thoughts about the provision of home health services in the future. Addresses electronic health records, reimbursement issues, workforce challenges, value-based payment, and more.
Author(s): Alana Knudson, Britta Anderson, Kellie Schueler, Emily Arsen
Date: 08/2017
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Reform Policy Research Center
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Identifies facilitators and barriers to providing home health services in rural areas, discusses how rural home health services are currently provided, and offers thoughts about the provision of home health services in the future. Addresses electronic health records, reimbursement issues, workforce challenges, value-based payment, and more.
Author(s): Alana Knudson, Britta Anderson, Kellie Schueler, Emily Arsen
Date: 08/2017
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Reform Policy Research Center
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An Emerging Approach to Payment Reform: All-Payer Global Budgets for Large Safety-Net Hospital Systems
Examines the possibility of implementing global all-payer budgets in safety-net hospital systems throughout the U.S. Provides background on the all-payer model, and discusses the experiences of rural hospitals in Maryland and Pennsylvania, where current global budgeting demonstrations are ongoing.
Author(s): Joshua M. Sharfstein, Sule Gerovich, Elizabeth Moriarty, David Chin
Date: 08/2017
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Examines the possibility of implementing global all-payer budgets in safety-net hospital systems throughout the U.S. Provides background on the all-payer model, and discusses the experiences of rural hospitals in Maryland and Pennsylvania, where current global budgeting demonstrations are ongoing.
Author(s): Joshua M. Sharfstein, Sule Gerovich, Elizabeth Moriarty, David Chin
Date: 08/2017
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Evaluation of the Round Two Health Care Innovation Awards (HCIA R2): Second Annual Report
Summarizes the second year evaluation results of the 39 Health Care Innovation Awards Round Two projects. Describes implementation experiences during the second program year and examines pre-enrollment characteristics of participants. Focuses on program enrollment, implementation of service delivery models, development and implementation of payment models, and sustainability plans. Provides findings for the individual grantees, which include projects that serve rural areas.
Date: 08/2017
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Mathematica Policy Research
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Summarizes the second year evaluation results of the 39 Health Care Innovation Awards Round Two projects. Describes implementation experiences during the second program year and examines pre-enrollment characteristics of participants. Focuses on program enrollment, implementation of service delivery models, development and implementation of payment models, and sustainability plans. Provides findings for the individual grantees, which include projects that serve rural areas.
Date: 08/2017
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Mathematica Policy Research
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