Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
Rationalizing Rural Area Classifications for the Economic Research Service: A Workshop Summary
Summarizes an April 2015 workshop that explored the data, estimation, and policy issues related to rural classifications currently in use by the Economic Research Service (ERS): Rural Urban Continuum Codes (RUCCs), Urban Influence Codes (UICs), Rural Urban Community Area (RUCA) codes, and Frontier and Remote (FAR) codes.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Committee on National Statistics
Date: 2016
Sponsoring organization: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Summarizes an April 2015 workshop that explored the data, estimation, and policy issues related to rural classifications currently in use by the Economic Research Service (ERS): Rural Urban Continuum Codes (RUCCs), Urban Influence Codes (UICs), Rural Urban Community Area (RUCA) codes, and Frontier and Remote (FAR) codes.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Committee on National Statistics
Date: 2016
Sponsoring organization: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Project ARCH: Initial Summary of Findings Relevant to the Choice Program
Provides an assessment of Project ARCH (Access Received Closer to Home), a congressionally legislated pilot program operated under the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Chief Business Office (CBO), and funded by the VHA Office of Rural Health (ORH). The focus of Project ARCH was to increase access to cost effective non-VA medical care. Results of this assessment may inform the implementation of the Veteran's Choice program.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller, Clint MacKinney, Fred Ullrich, et al.
Date: 12/2015
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Provides an assessment of Project ARCH (Access Received Closer to Home), a congressionally legislated pilot program operated under the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Chief Business Office (CBO), and funded by the VHA Office of Rural Health (ORH). The focus of Project ARCH was to increase access to cost effective non-VA medical care. Results of this assessment may inform the implementation of the Veteran's Choice program.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller, Clint MacKinney, Fred Ullrich, et al.
Date: 12/2015
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Delivery System Reform and Implications for Rural Communities
Policy brief discussing how rural healthcare providers can benefit from participating in delivery system reform (DSR) to be able to continue providing accessible, quality health services. Offers recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, such as requiring rural healthcare providers to participate in CMS quality programs and having CMS incorporate rural-relevant quality measures that are appropriate for rural healthcare providers.
Date: 12/2015
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Policy brief discussing how rural healthcare providers can benefit from participating in delivery system reform (DSR) to be able to continue providing accessible, quality health services. Offers recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, such as requiring rural healthcare providers to participate in CMS quality programs and having CMS incorporate rural-relevant quality measures that are appropriate for rural healthcare providers.
Date: 12/2015
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Child Poverty in Rural America
Policy brief describing the needs, challenges, and experiences of rural children and families living in poverty and how poverty affects their health. Offers recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop appropriate and integrated health and human service delivery programs and to create flexible grant opportunities that will reach children and families in need.
Date: 12/2015
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Policy brief describing the needs, challenges, and experiences of rural children and families living in poverty and how poverty affects their health. Offers recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop appropriate and integrated health and human service delivery programs and to create flexible grant opportunities that will reach children and families in need.
Date: 12/2015
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Health Care Innovation Awards (HCIA) Meta-Analysis and Evaluators Collaborative: Annual Report Year 1
Highlights key implementation and impact findings across 108 Health Care Innovation Awards (HCIA) grant recipients, based on work by 7 independent evaluators. Includes discussion of project experiences in rural areas.
Date: 11/2015
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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Highlights key implementation and impact findings across 108 Health Care Innovation Awards (HCIA) grant recipients, based on work by 7 independent evaluators. Includes discussion of project experiences in rural areas.
Date: 11/2015
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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Impact of Financial and Operational Interventions Funded by the Flex Program
Analyzes the impact of Flex Program sponsorship and associated financial and operational activities on the financial performance of Critical Access Hospitals.
Author(s): Rebecca G. Whitaker, George H. Pink, G. Mark Holmes
Date: 11/2015
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Analyzes the impact of Flex Program sponsorship and associated financial and operational activities on the financial performance of Critical Access Hospitals.
Author(s): Rebecca G. Whitaker, George H. Pink, G. Mark Holmes
Date: 11/2015
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Micropolitan America: A New and Critical Part of the Nation's Geography
Provides an overview of the micropolitan designation, highlighting important features and demographics. Also presents a preliminary agenda for future research and seeks to engage others in a national initiative that will further the understanding of micropolitan areas.
Author(s): Sam M. Cordes, J. Matthew Fannin
Date: 11/2015
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
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Provides an overview of the micropolitan designation, highlighting important features and demographics. Also presents a preliminary agenda for future research and seeks to engage others in a national initiative that will further the understanding of micropolitan areas.
Author(s): Sam M. Cordes, J. Matthew Fannin
Date: 11/2015
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
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Rural Adults Delay, Forego, and Strategize to Afford Their Pre-ACA Health Care
Provides an in-depth discussion regarding rural and urban adults under the age of 65 and their perceptions of the affordability of health insurance coverage and health services prior to the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Author(s): Erika C. Ziller, Jennifer D. Lenardson, Andrew F. Coburn
Date: 11/2015
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Provides an in-depth discussion regarding rural and urban adults under the age of 65 and their perceptions of the affordability of health insurance coverage and health services prior to the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Author(s): Erika C. Ziller, Jennifer D. Lenardson, Andrew F. Coburn
Date: 11/2015
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Which Rural and Urban Hospitals Have Received Readmission Penalties Over Time?
Evaluates the rural-urban differences in the proportion of hospitals that receive penalties under the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Readmission Reduction Program, and compares the specific health condition risk-adjusted readmission rates by rural and urban location. Analyzes characteristics of hospitals receiving readmission penalties.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Michelle Casey, Ira Moscovice
Date: 10/2015
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Evaluates the rural-urban differences in the proportion of hospitals that receive penalties under the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Readmission Reduction Program, and compares the specific health condition risk-adjusted readmission rates by rural and urban location. Analyzes characteristics of hospitals receiving readmission penalties.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Michelle Casey, Ira Moscovice
Date: 10/2015
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders in America: Priorities, Challenges, and Opportunities
Presents the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) hearing on mental health and substance abuse challenges in the U.S. Includes testimonies from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Health Resources and Services Administration, and National Institute of Mental Health regarding the federal government's role, how well their programs are working, obstacles, and recommendations. Additional link to HRSA administrator's testimony highlights efforts focused on rural areas.
Additional links: Jim Macrae Testimony
Date: 10/2015
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
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Presents the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) hearing on mental health and substance abuse challenges in the U.S. Includes testimonies from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Health Resources and Services Administration, and National Institute of Mental Health regarding the federal government's role, how well their programs are working, obstacles, and recommendations. Additional link to HRSA administrator's testimony highlights efforts focused on rural areas.
Additional links: Jim Macrae Testimony
Date: 10/2015
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
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