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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy

Growth and Changes in the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Workforce with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
Studied how additional supplemental funding to the National Health Service Corps through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which was focused on granting more loan repayment awards to clinicians who agreed to work in underserved areas, affected the NHSC's workforce. States that proportions of the NHSC's workforce serving in rural areas changed only modestly.
Author(s): Donald E. Pathman, Thomas R. Konrad
Citation: Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 25(5), 723-733
Date: 09/2012
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The Current and Future Role and Impact of Medicaid in Rural Health
Describes the Medicaid program and its importance for rural people, providers, and communities. Addresses its impact on rural insurance coverage, financial support for rural healthcare providers, and its contribution to local economics. Discusses rural implications of program expansion, including whether and how states choose to implement changes.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller, Andrew F. Coburn, Jennifer P. Lundblad, et al.
Date: 09/2012
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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School-Based Health Centers in an Era of Health Care Reform: Building on History
Presents the history and growth of school-based health centers (SBHCs) in the U.S. Discusses the effect of SBHCs on delivering needed services to students from kindergarten to high school, including rural students. Includes suggestions for future use of SBHCs and for healthcare providers working in communities without a SBHC.
Author(s): Victoria Keeton, Samira Soleimanpour, Claire D. Brindis
Citation: Current Problems in Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care, 42(6), 132–158
Date: 07/2012
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The Impact of State Behavioral Health Reform on Native American Individuals, Families, and Communities
Examines the effects of New Mexico's behavioral health reform efforts in addressing healthcare gaps between tribally-operated facilities and the Indian Health Service (IHS), and the implications for Native Americans.
Author(s): Cathleen E. Willging, Jessica Goodkind, Louise Lamphere, et al.
Citation: Qualitative Health Research, 22(7), 880-896
Date: 07/2012
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Electronic Health Records: Number and Characteristics of Providers Awarded Medicare Incentive Payments for 2011
Reports on Medicare electronic health record incentive payments for 2011 to hospitals and healthcare providers. Compares incentive payments by geographic location including rural/urban breakdowns, hospital type including Critical Access Hospitals, and healthcare provider specialty.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 07/2012
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Preparing for a Public Sector Mental Health Reform in New Mexico: The Experience of Agencies Serving Adults with Serious Mental Illness
Reports on the differences in characteristics, infrastructure, and financial status of mental health services available in New Mexico. Examines the experience of rural provider agencies and compares rural and urban agencies.
Author(s): Rafael M. Semansky, Dominic Hodgkin, Cathleen E. Willging
Citation: Community Mental Health Journal, 48(3), 264-269
Date: 06/2012
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Rural Implications of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation
One of a series of policy briefs that focus on the rural implications of key provisions from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Includes policy recommendations that will be sent to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Date: 06/2012
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Lost in the Rush to National Reform: Recommendations to Improve Impact on Behavioral Health Providers in Rural Areas
Highlights the challenges faced by behavioral health agencies, providers, and clients in rural New Mexico via a piloted version of the health home model and presents recommendations to improve access to and quality of services.
Author(s): Rafael Semansky, Cathleen Willging, David Ley, Barbara Rylko-Bauer
Citation: Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 23(2), 842-856
Date: 05/2012
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Health Center Program: 2011 Grant Award Process Highlighted Need and Special Populations and Merits Evaluation
Examines the actions HRSA has taken to target its grants for new delivery sites to health centers in communities with demonstrated need and the outcome of HRSA's award process in recent years, and the extent to which HRSA-funded health centers collaborate and compete with other health care providers in their service area.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2012
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Flux in Loan Repayment Programs for Healthcare Professionals With States' Budget Cuts and National Health Service Corps Budget Increases
Discusses how states' loan repayment programs are weathering the current economic conditions and competition with the expanding federal National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program.
Author(s): Donald Pathman, Lynda Goldberg, Thomas R. Konrad, Kelly Kerwin, Jennifer Craft Morgan
Date: 05/2012
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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