Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
The Role of Medicaid in Rural America
Uses data from the 2013-2015 American Community Survey to examine the role of Medicaid in rural areas, and discuss how potential expansions or cuts could affect rural healthcare. Highlights the importance of Medicaid for many rural residents who are often faced with limited access to insurance and providers, longer travel times, and greater health needs when compared to their urban counterparts. Includes several charts and graphs to illustrate important statistics and demographic comparisons.
Author(s): Julia Foutz, Samantha Artiga, Rachel Garfield
Date: 04/2017
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Uses data from the 2013-2015 American Community Survey to examine the role of Medicaid in rural areas, and discuss how potential expansions or cuts could affect rural healthcare. Highlights the importance of Medicaid for many rural residents who are often faced with limited access to insurance and providers, longer travel times, and greater health needs when compared to their urban counterparts. Includes several charts and graphs to illustrate important statistics and demographic comparisons.
Author(s): Julia Foutz, Samantha Artiga, Rachel Garfield
Date: 04/2017
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Health Care: Telehealth and Remote Patient Monitoring Use in Medicare and Selected Federal Programs
Examines factors affecting the provision of telehealth and remote patient monitoring (RPM) in Medicare and emerging payment and delivery models that could affect its future use. Analyzes data collected through review of agency documents and regulations, and interviews with officials representing 9 general and medical specialty associations familiar with telehealth. Includes state Medicaid reimbursement examples. Rural-specific implications are discussed throughout.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 04/2017
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Examines factors affecting the provision of telehealth and remote patient monitoring (RPM) in Medicare and emerging payment and delivery models that could affect its future use. Analyzes data collected through review of agency documents and regulations, and interviews with officials representing 9 general and medical specialty associations familiar with telehealth. Includes state Medicaid reimbursement examples. Rural-specific implications are discussed throughout.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 04/2017
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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How Has the ACA Changed Finances for Different Types of Hospitals? Updated Insights from 2015 Cost Report Data
Compares the impact of whether states decided to expand Medicaid on hospital finances, including an exploration of the impact on various types of hospitals. Examines and compares hospital financial indicators such as uncompensated care, Medicaid revenue, operating margin, and excess margins from fiscal year (FY) 2011 through FY 2015. Includes an extensive discussion on the variation between metro and nonmetro hospitals, and provides tables and charts to help illustrate trends.
Author(s): Fredric Blavin
Date: 04/2017
Sponsoring organizations: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Urban Institute
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Compares the impact of whether states decided to expand Medicaid on hospital finances, including an exploration of the impact on various types of hospitals. Examines and compares hospital financial indicators such as uncompensated care, Medicaid revenue, operating margin, and excess margins from fiscal year (FY) 2011 through FY 2015. Includes an extensive discussion on the variation between metro and nonmetro hospitals, and provides tables and charts to help illustrate trends.
Author(s): Fredric Blavin
Date: 04/2017
Sponsoring organizations: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Urban Institute
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Report to Congress on Medicaid and CHIP, March 2017
Reports on three aspects of Medicaid: Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payments to states and providers, access to Medicaid, and children's coverage under CHIP. Chapter 2 includes the second annual report on DSH payments, which provide support to safety-net hospitals to help offset uncompensated care costs for Medicaid and uninsured patients. Table 2-1 identifies DSH spending for urban and rural hospitals and for Critical Access Hospitals. Chapter 3 examines state policies for distributing DSH payments to hospitals, including which states target rural or Critical Access Hospitals.
Date: 03/2017
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Reports on three aspects of Medicaid: Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payments to states and providers, access to Medicaid, and children's coverage under CHIP. Chapter 2 includes the second annual report on DSH payments, which provide support to safety-net hospitals to help offset uncompensated care costs for Medicaid and uninsured patients. Table 2-1 identifies DSH spending for urban and rural hospitals and for Critical Access Hospitals. Chapter 3 examines state policies for distributing DSH payments to hospitals, including which states target rural or Critical Access Hospitals.
Date: 03/2017
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Medicaid Expansion, Budgetary Projections, and Impact on Hospitals
Examines the impact of Medicaid expansion in Louisiana on rural hospitals, healthcare providers, and the state budget. Addresses the potential impact on rural hospitals of a cutback in disproportionate share (DSH) payments for uncompensated care.
Author(s): James A. Richardson, Jared J. Llorens, Roy L. Heidelberg
Date: 03/2017
Sponsoring organization: Louisiana Public Health Institute
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Examines the impact of Medicaid expansion in Louisiana on rural hospitals, healthcare providers, and the state budget. Addresses the potential impact on rural hospitals of a cutback in disproportionate share (DSH) payments for uncompensated care.
Author(s): James A. Richardson, Jared J. Llorens, Roy L. Heidelberg
Date: 03/2017
Sponsoring organization: Louisiana Public Health Institute
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Medicaid Expansion in Louisiana: Perspectives of Providers from Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Centers
Reports on interviews with Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) in Louisiana to analyze the impact of Medicaid expansion. Describes the impact on health care access, changes made by FQHCs and RHCs, and the need for more healthcare providers.
Date: 03/2017
Sponsoring organization: Louisiana Public Health Institute
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Reports on interviews with Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) in Louisiana to analyze the impact of Medicaid expansion. Describes the impact on health care access, changes made by FQHCs and RHCs, and the need for more healthcare providers.
Date: 03/2017
Sponsoring organization: Louisiana Public Health Institute
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Rural Hospital Environmental Impact Study
Examines the rapidly changing healthcare landscape, particularly as it relates to rural Texas, by focusing on four areas: the state of healthcare, rural hospital closures and vulnerabilities, the impact of the Affordable Care Act, and uninsurance rates. Presents information about the current and future state of healthcare in rural Texas to support rural health policymakers.
Date: 03/2017
Sponsoring organization: Texas Organization of Rural & Community Hospitals
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Examines the rapidly changing healthcare landscape, particularly as it relates to rural Texas, by focusing on four areas: the state of healthcare, rural hospital closures and vulnerabilities, the impact of the Affordable Care Act, and uninsurance rates. Presents information about the current and future state of healthcare in rural Texas to support rural health policymakers.
Date: 03/2017
Sponsoring organization: Texas Organization of Rural & Community Hospitals
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How Could Repealing Key Provisions of the Affordable Care Act Affect Community Health Centers and Their Patients?
Analyzes and estimates the potential effects of repealing certain provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), focusing primarily on the implications for community health centers located in medically underserved communities. Examines how each of the following actions may affect health centers and primary healthcare access: ending the Health Centers Fund, ending health insurance subsidies, and ending expanded Medicaid coverage.
Author(s): Sara J. Rosenbaum, Jessica Sharac, Thao-Chi Tran, et al.
Date: 03/2017
Sponsoring organization: George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health Department of Health Policy and Management
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Analyzes and estimates the potential effects of repealing certain provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), focusing primarily on the implications for community health centers located in medically underserved communities. Examines how each of the following actions may affect health centers and primary healthcare access: ending the Health Centers Fund, ending health insurance subsidies, and ending expanded Medicaid coverage.
Author(s): Sara J. Rosenbaum, Jessica Sharac, Thao-Chi Tran, et al.
Date: 03/2017
Sponsoring organization: George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health Department of Health Policy and Management
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Prevention of Drug Use and Treatment of Drug Use Disorders in Rural Areas
Discusses the role and potential benefits of engaging rural communities in the treatment and prevention of substance use disorders. Includes a discussion of substance use problems in the rural context, and provides examples of useful tools and evidence-based strategies. Provides a list of additional resources, and a self-assessment tool designed to help identify needs, capacities, and strategies in your community.
Date: 03/2017
Sponsoring organization: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
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Discusses the role and potential benefits of engaging rural communities in the treatment and prevention of substance use disorders. Includes a discussion of substance use problems in the rural context, and provides examples of useful tools and evidence-based strategies. Provides a list of additional resources, and a self-assessment tool designed to help identify needs, capacities, and strategies in your community.
Date: 03/2017
Sponsoring organization: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
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Anticipating Economic Returns of Rural Telehealth
Discusses the quantifiable and nonquantifiable benefits of utilizing telehealth services in rural areas across the U.S. Provides tables showing estimated savings on travel expenses, lost wages, and hospital costs by state. Outlines some of the challenges facing telehealth and makes recommendations for future improvements. Links to a video showing the author presenting portions of the paper at a Foundation for Rural Service event.
Additional links: Video Presentation
Author(s): Rick Schadelbauer
Date: 03/2017
Sponsoring organization: NTCA: The Rural Broadband Association
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Discusses the quantifiable and nonquantifiable benefits of utilizing telehealth services in rural areas across the U.S. Provides tables showing estimated savings on travel expenses, lost wages, and hospital costs by state. Outlines some of the challenges facing telehealth and makes recommendations for future improvements. Links to a video showing the author presenting portions of the paper at a Foundation for Rural Service event.
Additional links: Video Presentation
Author(s): Rick Schadelbauer
Date: 03/2017
Sponsoring organization: NTCA: The Rural Broadband Association
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