Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
Care Coordination in Rural Communities: Supporting the High Performance Rural Health System
Examines current care coordination programs and processes to see how they impact rural communities, and to determine how well different approaches to care coordination are working. Offers policy recommendations that support care coordination and help facilitate a high-performance rural health system.
Author(s): Charles Alfero, Andrew F. Coburn, Jennifer P. Lundblad, et al.
Date: 06/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Examines current care coordination programs and processes to see how they impact rural communities, and to determine how well different approaches to care coordination are working. Offers policy recommendations that support care coordination and help facilitate a high-performance rural health system.
Author(s): Charles Alfero, Andrew F. Coburn, Jennifer P. Lundblad, et al.
Date: 06/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Telemedicine: The Promise and Challenges
Provides an overview of telemedicine including a definition, current applications, policy issues surrounding it, evidence for its use, and a look forward to the future of the service delivery model. Includes examples of the application of telehealth services in rural areas. Lists resources with additional information.
Author(s): Deanna Okrent
Date: 06/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Alliance for Health Policy
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Provides an overview of telemedicine including a definition, current applications, policy issues surrounding it, evidence for its use, and a look forward to the future of the service delivery model. Includes examples of the application of telehealth services in rural areas. Lists resources with additional information.
Author(s): Deanna Okrent
Date: 06/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Alliance for Health Policy
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Charity Care and Uncompensated Care Activities of Tax-Exempt Critical Access Hospitals
Analyzes charity care, uncompensated care, and bad debt activities of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) compared with other rural non-CAH and urban hospitals. Discusses the implications of ACA-mandated hospital financial assistance, emergency care, and billing and collection policies for CAHs.
Additional links: Policy Brief
Author(s): John Gale, Jamar Croom, Zachariah Croll, Andrew Coburn
Date: 06/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Analyzes charity care, uncompensated care, and bad debt activities of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) compared with other rural non-CAH and urban hospitals. Discusses the implications of ACA-mandated hospital financial assistance, emergency care, and billing and collection policies for CAHs.
Additional links: Policy Brief
Author(s): John Gale, Jamar Croom, Zachariah Croll, Andrew Coburn
Date: 06/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Realizing the Promise of Telehealth: Understanding the Legal and Regulatory Challenges
Describes federal and state compliance issues and regulatory challenges specific to the implementation of telehealth technologies in hospitals, healthcare systems, and with providers, and how they will affect telehealth services, particularly in rural healthcare facilities. Includes discussion on coverage and payment including Medicare and Medicaid, health professional licensure and credentialing, online prescribing, patient privacy, fraud, and medical malpractice and professional liability insurance.
Date: 05/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Describes federal and state compliance issues and regulatory challenges specific to the implementation of telehealth technologies in hospitals, healthcare systems, and with providers, and how they will affect telehealth services, particularly in rural healthcare facilities. Includes discussion on coverage and payment including Medicare and Medicaid, health professional licensure and credentialing, online prescribing, patient privacy, fraud, and medical malpractice and professional liability insurance.
Date: 05/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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The Transformation of Behavioral Health in New Mexico
Provides an in-depth look at public-sector behavioral healthcare in New Mexico by examining how decisions made at the system level influence the implementation of initiatives by the service providers, and how changes at the gubernatorial level can affect implementation efforts. Discusses findings in relation to efforts made to promote and establish medical home models under the Affordable Care Act.
Author(s): Cathleen E. Willging, Louise Lamphere, Barbara Rylko-Bauer
Citation: Administration and Policy in Mental Health, 42(3), 343-355
Date: 05/2015
Type: Document
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Provides an in-depth look at public-sector behavioral healthcare in New Mexico by examining how decisions made at the system level influence the implementation of initiatives by the service providers, and how changes at the gubernatorial level can affect implementation efforts. Discusses findings in relation to efforts made to promote and establish medical home models under the Affordable Care Act.
Author(s): Cathleen E. Willging, Louise Lamphere, Barbara Rylko-Bauer
Citation: Administration and Policy in Mental Health, 42(3), 343-355
Date: 05/2015
Type: Document
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National Advisory Committee on Rural Health & Human Services Meeting Minutes, Slade, Kentucky, May 27-29, 2015
Provides a summary of the 77th meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services. Discusses health disparities in Appalachia, social determinants of health, including poverty and economic development, and how federal programs are working to address these issues.
Date: 05/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Provides a summary of the 77th meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services. Discusses health disparities in Appalachia, social determinants of health, including poverty and economic development, and how federal programs are working to address these issues.
Date: 05/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Report to Congress: Overview of the 340B Drug Pricing Program
Provides a general overview of the 340B Drug Pricing Program, including eligibility criteria for hospitals and providers, analysis of the program's financial impact, and a summary of the debate over the program's importance, especially to rural and underserved communities.
Date: 05/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Provides a general overview of the 340B Drug Pricing Program, including eligibility criteria for hospitals and providers, analysis of the program's financial impact, and a summary of the debate over the program's importance, especially to rural and underserved communities.
Date: 05/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Graduate Medical Education Financing: Sustaining Medical Education in Rural Places
A policy brief reporting on the financial situation of rural training track (RTT) residency programs, including their sources of funding, expenses, and the relationship between urban RTT sponsors and rural program sites.
Author(s): Davis G. Patterson, David Schmitz, Randall Longenecker, David Squire, Susan M. Skillman
Date: 05/2015
Type: Document
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A policy brief reporting on the financial situation of rural training track (RTT) residency programs, including their sources of funding, expenses, and the relationship between urban RTT sponsors and rural program sites.
Author(s): Davis G. Patterson, David Schmitz, Randall Longenecker, David Squire, Susan M. Skillman
Date: 05/2015
Type: Document
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Characteristics of Rural Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) – A Survey of Medicare ACOs with Rural Presence
Describes the findings of a survey of 27 Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) that have a presence in a rural area, focusing on characteristics concerning their formation and operation to better inform policy discussions around ACOs in rural areas.
Author(s): Abiodun Salako, Xi Zhu, A. Clinton MacKinney, Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 05/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Describes the findings of a survey of 27 Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) that have a presence in a rural area, focusing on characteristics concerning their formation and operation to better inform policy discussions around ACOs in rural areas.
Author(s): Abiodun Salako, Xi Zhu, A. Clinton MacKinney, Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 05/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Urban vs. Rural Differences in Prescription Opioid Misuse among Adults in the United States: Informing Region Specific Drug Policies and Interventions
A study analyzing data from the 2011 and 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health discussing the rural/urban differences in prescription opioid misuse.
Author(s): Khary K. Rigg, Shannon M. Monnat
Citation: International Journal of Drug Policy, 26(5), 484–491
Date: 05/2015
Type: Document
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A study analyzing data from the 2011 and 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health discussing the rural/urban differences in prescription opioid misuse.
Author(s): Khary K. Rigg, Shannon M. Monnat
Citation: International Journal of Drug Policy, 26(5), 484–491
Date: 05/2015
Type: Document
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