Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
States Could Better Leverage Coverage and Access Requirements To Promote Maternal Health Care Access in Medicaid Managed Care
Describes challenges to maternal healthcare access. Explores the provider coverage rules and network adequacy standards state Medicaid agencies have set for maternal healthcare in Medicaid managed care. Examines state oversight of quantitative network adequacy standards. Offers recommendations to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to ensure access to pregnancy and postpartum care in Medicaid managed care. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Report in Brief
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Describes challenges to maternal healthcare access. Explores the provider coverage rules and network adequacy standards state Medicaid agencies have set for maternal healthcare in Medicaid managed care. Examines state oversight of quantitative network adequacy standards. Offers recommendations to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to ensure access to pregnancy and postpartum care in Medicaid managed care. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Report in Brief
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Hearing Aid Use Trends Among Older Adults by Income and Metropolitan vs Nonmetropolitan Residence
Evaluates 3 years of National Health & Aging Trends Study survey results to determine hearing aid use trends among older adults with a breakdown by 3 income levels and metropolitan or nonmetropolitan residence. Discusses changes between 2011 and 2022 and potential impacts of policies to expand access to hearing care.
Author(s): Sarah Y. Bessen, Wuyang Zhang, Emmanuel Garcia-Morales, Jennifer A. Deal, NIcholas S. Reed
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 7(9)
Date: 09/2024
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Evaluates 3 years of National Health & Aging Trends Study survey results to determine hearing aid use trends among older adults with a breakdown by 3 income levels and metropolitan or nonmetropolitan residence. Discusses changes between 2011 and 2022 and potential impacts of policies to expand access to hearing care.
Author(s): Sarah Y. Bessen, Wuyang Zhang, Emmanuel Garcia-Morales, Jennifer A. Deal, NIcholas S. Reed
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 7(9)
Date: 09/2024
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Leveraging Medicaid to Support Housing and Nutrition in Ohio
Describes the Ohio Medicaid program and the federal Medicaid health-related social needs (HRSN) framework. Discusses how Medicaid coverage in Ohio can cover aspects of housing and nutrition needs as of 2023. Includes county-level map depicting percent of income spent on housing in Ohio as well as examples of programs addressing HRSNs in rural areas.
Author(s): Hailey Akah, Robin Blair-Ackison, Edith Nkenganyi, et al.
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Health Policy Institute of Ohio
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Describes the Ohio Medicaid program and the federal Medicaid health-related social needs (HRSN) framework. Discusses how Medicaid coverage in Ohio can cover aspects of housing and nutrition needs as of 2023. Includes county-level map depicting percent of income spent on housing in Ohio as well as examples of programs addressing HRSNs in rural areas.
Author(s): Hailey Akah, Robin Blair-Ackison, Edith Nkenganyi, et al.
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Health Policy Institute of Ohio
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Gallup Indian Medical Center—an IHS-Operated Health Facility—Did Not Timely Conduct Required Background Checks of Staff and Supervise Certain Staff
Presents findings of an audit to determine whether Gallup Indian Medical Center, an Indian Health Service (IHS) operated facility, met federal requirements for conducting background investigations and supervision of staff in contact with Indian children. Offers recommendations to the IHS regarding completing background investigations, documenting provision staff supervision, and updating standard operating procedures for background investigations.
Additional links: Report in Brief
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Presents findings of an audit to determine whether Gallup Indian Medical Center, an Indian Health Service (IHS) operated facility, met federal requirements for conducting background investigations and supervision of staff in contact with Indian children. Offers recommendations to the IHS regarding completing background investigations, documenting provision staff supervision, and updating standard operating procedures for background investigations.
Additional links: Report in Brief
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Nonemergency Medical Transportation: Leading Practices Would Help the Federal Transit Administration Evaluate Its Pilot Program
Provides an overview of non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) services and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grant programs that can be used to support NEMT services. Evaluates the design and implementation of the FTA's Innovative Coordinated Access and Mobility (ICAM) pilot program, the only FTA program that includes NEMT as a primary objective. Discusses how FTA communicates the availability and use of its funding for NEMT. Offers recommendations for FTA related to evaluating ICAM and consolidating and publishing information about FTA funding for NEMT.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Provides an overview of non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) services and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grant programs that can be used to support NEMT services. Evaluates the design and implementation of the FTA's Innovative Coordinated Access and Mobility (ICAM) pilot program, the only FTA program that includes NEMT as a primary objective. Discusses how FTA communicates the availability and use of its funding for NEMT. Offers recommendations for FTA related to evaluating ICAM and consolidating and publishing information about FTA funding for NEMT.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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September 2024 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) September 2024 meeting. Covers Medicare's overall financial situation, cost-sharing for outpatient services at Critical Access Hospitals, and experiences and challenges of measuring the quality of care provided by rural providers.
Additional links: Cost Sharing for Outpatient Services at Critical Access Hospitals - Presentation Slides, Medicare's Measurement of Rural Provider Quality - Presentation Slides
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) September 2024 meeting. Covers Medicare's overall financial situation, cost-sharing for outpatient services at Critical Access Hospitals, and experiences and challenges of measuring the quality of care provided by rural providers.
Additional links: Cost Sharing for Outpatient Services at Critical Access Hospitals - Presentation Slides, Medicare's Measurement of Rural Provider Quality - Presentation Slides
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Rural Development: Actions Needed to Improve Assistance to Southwest Border Communities Known as Colonias
Provides an overview of colonias, predominately rural, Hispanic communities near the U.S.-Mexico border. Examines conditions in colonias and the challenges they face in obtaining and using federal assistance. Presents results of an analysis of American Community Survey data, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) program documentation and funding data for fiscal years 2020–2023, and interviews with stakeholders. Offers recommendations for Congress and the USDA to preserve eligibility to funding set aside for colonias and identify applications for Single Family Housing assistance for projects in colonias.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Provides an overview of colonias, predominately rural, Hispanic communities near the U.S.-Mexico border. Examines conditions in colonias and the challenges they face in obtaining and using federal assistance. Presents results of an analysis of American Community Survey data, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) program documentation and funding data for fiscal years 2020–2023, and interviews with stakeholders. Offers recommendations for Congress and the USDA to preserve eligibility to funding set aside for colonias and identify applications for Single Family Housing assistance for projects in colonias.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Exploring the State of Value-Based Care
Slides presented to the South Dakota Rural Health Equity Summit on September 5, 2024. Provides an overview of value-based care and payment models and progress toward value-based care models. Describes potential strategies state agencies and organizations may use to assist rural healthcare organizations to deliver value-based care and receive value-based payments. Highlights state-level engagements to advance rural value-based care and payment in North Dakota and Pennsylvania.
Author(s): Karla Weng
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Slides presented to the South Dakota Rural Health Equity Summit on September 5, 2024. Provides an overview of value-based care and payment models and progress toward value-based care models. Describes potential strategies state agencies and organizations may use to assist rural healthcare organizations to deliver value-based care and receive value-based payments. Highlights state-level engagements to advance rural value-based care and payment in North Dakota and Pennsylvania.
Author(s): Karla Weng
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Environmental Scan on Identifying a Pathway Toward Maximizing Participation in Population-Based Total Cost of Care (PB-TCOC) Models
Presents results of an environmental scan on the identification of a pathway toward maximizing participation in population-based total cost of care (PB-TCOC) models. Describes the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services's (CMS's) goal of having all Medicare beneficiaries with Parts A and B in accountable care relationships by 2030. Discusses challenges and technical issues related to maximizing participation in PB-TCOC models, including organizational structure, payment, and risk adjustment. Summarizes relevant features of CMS Innovation Center (CMMI) models identified in previous Physician-Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee (PTAC) proposals. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Presents results of an environmental scan on the identification of a pathway toward maximizing participation in population-based total cost of care (PB-TCOC) models. Describes the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services's (CMS's) goal of having all Medicare beneficiaries with Parts A and B in accountable care relationships by 2030. Discusses challenges and technical issues related to maximizing participation in PB-TCOC models, including organizational structure, payment, and risk adjustment. Summarizes relevant features of CMS Innovation Center (CMMI) models identified in previous Physician-Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee (PTAC) proposals. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Nursing Home Certificate of Need Moratoria During the COVID-19 Pandemic Had Little Impact on Access
Analyzes certificate of need (CON) moratoria and healthcare supply of skilled nursing facility (SNF) beds during the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizes 2015-2021 SNF cost report data to provide information on states that implemented CON moratoria, differences by rural versus urban counties, and impact on SNF bed supply.
Author(s): Anthony Yu, Christopher Whaley
Citation: INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 61
Date: 09/2024
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Analyzes certificate of need (CON) moratoria and healthcare supply of skilled nursing facility (SNF) beds during the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizes 2015-2021 SNF cost report data to provide information on states that implemented CON moratoria, differences by rural versus urban counties, and impact on SNF bed supply.
Author(s): Anthony Yu, Christopher Whaley
Citation: INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 61
Date: 09/2024
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