Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
Access, Health, and Wealth: The Impact of the National Health Service Corps in Rural America, 1970-2000
Examines 30 years of the National Health Service Corps' (NHSC) operation and its impact on rural America. Provides a detailed breakdown of healthcare professional providers who participated in the program, and includes information on mortality rates and self-reported health status for people living in rural Health Professional Shortage Area counties that were staffed with NHSC physicians. Also provides data on the economic impact for communities with NHSC personnel for selected states.
Author(s): George Fryer, Jessica McCann, Martey Dodoo, et al.
Date: 09/2006
Sponsoring organization: Robert Graham Center
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Examines 30 years of the National Health Service Corps' (NHSC) operation and its impact on rural America. Provides a detailed breakdown of healthcare professional providers who participated in the program, and includes information on mortality rates and self-reported health status for people living in rural Health Professional Shortage Area counties that were staffed with NHSC physicians. Also provides data on the economic impact for communities with NHSC personnel for selected states.
Author(s): George Fryer, Jessica McCann, Martey Dodoo, et al.
Date: 09/2006
Sponsoring organization: Robert Graham Center
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The Implementation of Pay-For-Performance in Rural Hospitals: Lessons from the Hospital Quality Incentive Demonstration Project
Reports the findings of a national study designed to identify institutional, organizational, and environmental factors that influence the experience of rural hospitals in the Hospital Quality Incentive Demonstration Project.
Author(s): Walter Gregg, Ira Moscovice, Denise Remus
Date: 09/2006
Sponsoring organization: Upper Midwest Rural Health Research Center
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Reports the findings of a national study designed to identify institutional, organizational, and environmental factors that influence the experience of rural hospitals in the Hospital Quality Incentive Demonstration Project.
Author(s): Walter Gregg, Ira Moscovice, Denise Remus
Date: 09/2006
Sponsoring organization: Upper Midwest Rural Health Research Center
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A Primer on the Occupational Mix Adjustment to the Medicare Hospital Wage Index
Focuses on the occupational mix adjustment (OMA) to the labor-related share in the hospital inpatient prospective payment system. Explains what the OMA is, why it is needed, and how it has been calculated. Discusses reasons the effect of the OMA has been less than some rural advocates anticipated.
Author(s): Kristin Reiter, Rebecca Slifkin, Mark Holmes
Date: 09/2006
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Focuses on the occupational mix adjustment (OMA) to the labor-related share in the hospital inpatient prospective payment system. Explains what the OMA is, why it is needed, and how it has been calculated. Discusses reasons the effect of the OMA has been less than some rural advocates anticipated.
Author(s): Kristin Reiter, Rebecca Slifkin, Mark Holmes
Date: 09/2006
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Attention from the Top: Roles of State Offices of Rural Health Policy in Preparing for Bioterrorism and Other Health System Emergencies
Presents results from a survey of directors of State Offices of Rural Health (SORHs) on emergency preparedness in rural communities. Discusses emergency preparedness activities of SORHs and SORH directors' impression of preparedness in rural areas of their states.
Author(s): Curt D. Mueller
Date: 07/2006
Sponsoring organization: NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
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Presents results from a survey of directors of State Offices of Rural Health (SORHs) on emergency preparedness in rural communities. Discusses emergency preparedness activities of SORHs and SORH directors' impression of preparedness in rural areas of their states.
Author(s): Curt D. Mueller
Date: 07/2006
Sponsoring organization: NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
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Medicare Physician Payments: Trends in Service Utilization, Spending, and Fees Prompt Consideration of Alternative Payment Approaches
Statement discussing the sustainable growth rate (SGR) system, which Medicare uses to determine annual changes to physician fees. Includes some rural-specific information.
Additional links: Full Report
Author(s): A. Bruce Steinwald
Date: 07/2006
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Statement discussing the sustainable growth rate (SGR) system, which Medicare uses to determine annual changes to physician fees. Includes some rural-specific information.
Additional links: Full Report
Author(s): A. Bruce Steinwald
Date: 07/2006
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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MedPAC Report to the Congress: Increasing the Value of Medicare
Examines issues affecting the Medicare program and makes recommendations to the Congress. Topics covered include care coordination, pricing accuracy in the hospice and physician payment systems, quality measures in home health, gathering data on outpatient therapy, Medicare Advantage, the Part D prescription drug program, and cost-effectiveness analysis.
Date: 06/2006
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Examines issues affecting the Medicare program and makes recommendations to the Congress. Topics covered include care coordination, pricing accuracy in the hospice and physician payment systems, quality measures in home health, gathering data on outpatient therapy, Medicare Advantage, the Part D prescription drug program, and cost-effectiveness analysis.
Date: 06/2006
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Defining the Term "Frontier Area" for Programs Implemented through the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth
An expert panel report to the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth, Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Provides an overview of current frontier definitions and describes the process used to develop a new frontier area definition that could be applied to telehealth programs.
Date: 05/2006
Sponsoring organization: University of North Dakota Center for Rural Health
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An expert panel report to the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth, Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Provides an overview of current frontier definitions and describes the process used to develop a new frontier area definition that could be applied to telehealth programs.
Date: 05/2006
Sponsoring organization: University of North Dakota Center for Rural Health
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Foreign Physicians: Preliminary Findings on the Use of J-1 Visa Waivers to Practice in Underserved Areas
Reports preliminary findings regarding the number of J-1 visa waivers requested by states and federal agencies and states' views on the 30-waiver limit and on their willingness to have unused waiver allotments redistributed.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2006
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Reports preliminary findings regarding the number of J-1 visa waivers requested by states and federal agencies and states' views on the 30-waiver limit and on their willingness to have unused waiver allotments redistributed.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2006
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Medicaid and Its Importance to Rural Health
Presents an overview of the impact that Medicaid has on rural health. Covers the role of Medicaid in rural areas as a source of health insurance, as a revenue source for rural providers, and as a contributor to the community by supporting its health care system and local economy.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller, Andrew F. Coburn, A. Clinton MacKinney, et al.
Date: 05/2006
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Presents an overview of the impact that Medicaid has on rural health. Covers the role of Medicaid in rural areas as a source of health insurance, as a revenue source for rural providers, and as a contributor to the community by supporting its health care system and local economy.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller, Andrew F. Coburn, A. Clinton MacKinney, et al.
Date: 05/2006
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Telecommunications: Broadband Deployment Is Extensive throughout the United States, but It Is Difficult to Assess the Extent of Deployment Gaps in Rural Areas
Provides information on the current status of broadband deployment and factors that influence the deployment of broadband networks in rural areas. Based on case studies in eight states: Alaska, California, Kentucky, Massachusetts, North Dakota, Ohio, Texas, and Virginia.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2006
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Provides information on the current status of broadband deployment and factors that influence the deployment of broadband networks in rural areas. Based on case studies in eight states: Alaska, California, Kentucky, Massachusetts, North Dakota, Ohio, Texas, and Virginia.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2006
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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