Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
Tornadoes: Agencies Promote Resilience but Actions Needed to Improve Access to FEMA Assistance
Report investigating accessibility of FEMA assistance funding for tribal and rural communities. Discusses grant writing, cost share, benefit-cost analyses, infrastructure, emergency management staffing, and more.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Report investigating accessibility of FEMA assistance funding for tribal and rural communities. Discusses grant writing, cost share, benefit-cost analyses, infrastructure, emergency management staffing, and more.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on CY 2026 Revisions to Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Changes to Part B for Payment Policies
Comment on a July 16, 2025, Federal Register proposed rule revising the physician fee schedule to improve payment systems for physicians and other Medicare Part B revisions. Includes a discussion of a proposal to allow Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) to provide and bill for medical visits via telehealth and be paid at Physician Fee Schedule (PFS)-equivalent rates through December 2026.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Comment on a July 16, 2025, Federal Register proposed rule revising the physician fee schedule to improve payment systems for physicians and other Medicare Part B revisions. Includes a discussion of a proposal to allow Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) to provide and bill for medical visits via telehealth and be paid at Physician Fee Schedule (PFS)-equivalent rates through December 2026.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Boosting Maternity Care in Rural America
Provides a brief overview of the state of maternal healthcare in rural areas. Highlights state and federal actions taken to improve access to quality maternal care and improve birth outcomes.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
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Provides a brief overview of the state of maternal healthcare in rural areas. Highlights state and federal actions taken to improve access to quality maternal care and improve birth outcomes.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
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The 340B Drug Discount Program: Litigation Topics and Trends
Provides an overview of the 340B Drug Discount Program. Discusses litigation surrounding the 340B program, including lawsuits against 340B-covered entities over their use of contract pharmacies to distribute 340B drugs to patients and lawsuits against states that have enacted laws to protect contract pharmacies and covered entities inside their state. Describes courts' interpretation of the 340B statute. Offers considerations for the 119th Congress in light of the litigation and describes several legislative changes that Congress could make to the program if it chose to do so.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Provides an overview of the 340B Drug Discount Program. Discusses litigation surrounding the 340B program, including lawsuits against 340B-covered entities over their use of contract pharmacies to distribute 340B drugs to patients and lawsuits against states that have enacted laws to protect contract pharmacies and covered entities inside their state. Describes courts' interpretation of the 340B statute. Offers considerations for the 119th Congress in light of the litigation and describes several legislative changes that Congress could make to the program if it chose to do so.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Growth in the 340B Drug Pricing Program
Explores trends in drug purchases through the 340B program between 2010-2021. Discusses drugs purchased through the Prime Vendor Program, factors contributing to growth in the 340B program, and effects of the 340B program on the federal budget. Includes information on the growth of 340B Program participation by hospitals in Medicaid expansion and non-expansion states by Critical Access Hospital designation.
Additional links: Data Underlying Figures
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Budget Office
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Explores trends in drug purchases through the 340B program between 2010-2021. Discusses drugs purchased through the Prime Vendor Program, factors contributing to growth in the 340B program, and effects of the 340B program on the federal budget. Includes information on the growth of 340B Program participation by hospitals in Medicaid expansion and non-expansion states by Critical Access Hospital designation.
Additional links: Data Underlying Figures
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Budget Office
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September 2025 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) September 2024 meeting. Covers Medicare payment operations and improving payment accuracy, a discussion with the Comptroller General of the United States regarding the Government Accountability Office's work related to improper payments in the Medicare program and opportunities to improve program sustainability, Medicare's overall financial situation, access to hospice and services under the Medicare hospice benefit for beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease or cancer, and the relationship between changes in Medicare Advantage enrollment and hospital finances.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) September 2024 meeting. Covers Medicare payment operations and improving payment accuracy, a discussion with the Comptroller General of the United States regarding the Government Accountability Office's work related to improper payments in the Medicare program and opportunities to improve program sustainability, Medicare's overall financial situation, access to hospice and services under the Medicare hospice benefit for beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease or cancer, and the relationship between changes in Medicare Advantage enrollment and hospital finances.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Tracking State Preparation for the Rural Health Transformation Program
Presents an interactive map displaying state actions to inform the creation of a transformation plan in preparation for the Rural Health Transformation Program application.
Author(s): Heather Howard, Rebecca Lopez, Jamila McLean
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: State Health & Value Strategies
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Presents an interactive map displaying state actions to inform the creation of a transformation plan in preparation for the Rural Health Transformation Program application.
Author(s): Heather Howard, Rebecca Lopez, Jamila McLean
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: State Health & Value Strategies
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Rural and Tribal Transit: The Federal Transit Administration Should Evaluate Its Efforts to Help Improve Accessibility and Service
Explores the primary federal funding sources for accessible transit for older adults and people with disabilities for rural and tribal communities. Describes the approaches these communities have used to provide accessible transit, and the challenges they have faced. Discusses how the Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) have helped communities use funds to improve these transit services.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Explores the primary federal funding sources for accessible transit for older adults and people with disabilities for rural and tribal communities. Describes the approaches these communities have used to provide accessible transit, and the challenges they have faced. Discusses how the Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) have helped communities use funds to improve these transit services.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Implementing High-Quality Primary Care: A Policy Menu for States
Presents policy strategies utilized by states to strengthen primary care across five priority areas. Strategies cover primary care reimbursement; addressing individual, community, and market-level barriers to care; expanding and supporting the primary care workforce; and supporting practice transformation. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Milbank Memorial Fund, National Academy for State Health Policy
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Presents policy strategies utilized by states to strengthen primary care across five priority areas. Strategies cover primary care reimbursement; addressing individual, community, and market-level barriers to care; expanding and supporting the primary care workforce; and supporting practice transformation. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Milbank Memorial Fund, National Academy for State Health Policy
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Expiring Health Provisions of the 119th Congress
Outlines the healthcare-related funding and governmental authorities that will expire during the 119th Congress, calendars year 2025-2026, if not extended through congressional action. Highlights similar provisions that expired during the 118th Congress (2023-2024). Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Outlines the healthcare-related funding and governmental authorities that will expire during the 119th Congress, calendars year 2025-2026, if not extended through congressional action. Highlights similar provisions that expired during the 118th Congress (2023-2024). Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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