Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
Pediatric Vaccination Rates in Rural America
Policy position paper regarding declining vaccination rates of children in rural communities. Compares rural and urban childhood vaccination rates and the potential for increasing health disparities. Describes a "5As of vaccine access" policy framework to evaluate current and future immunization policies and proposals. Offers recommended actions for federal, state, and local governments and organizations to improve rural vaccine uptake.
Author(s): Cynthia Calixte, Nitika Moibi, Andrea Stephenson Royster
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
view details
Policy position paper regarding declining vaccination rates of children in rural communities. Compares rural and urban childhood vaccination rates and the potential for increasing health disparities. Describes a "5As of vaccine access" policy framework to evaluate current and future immunization policies and proposals. Offers recommended actions for federal, state, and local governments and organizations to improve rural vaccine uptake.
Author(s): Cynthia Calixte, Nitika Moibi, Andrea Stephenson Royster
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
view details
Policy Solutions Addressing Psychiatric Boarding of Rural Youth
Policy position paper regarding psychiatric boarding - holding patients in an emergency department after the decision to admit or transfer has been made, but no beds are available - of rural children and adolescents. Describes recent trends in pediatric psychiatric boarding in rural areas. Offers policy recommendations to reduce boarding times and improve mental health outcomes in rural communities.
Author(s): Amah Riley, Jonathan Updike, Lauren Wood
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
view details
Policy position paper regarding psychiatric boarding - holding patients in an emergency department after the decision to admit or transfer has been made, but no beds are available - of rural children and adolescents. Describes recent trends in pediatric psychiatric boarding in rural areas. Offers policy recommendations to reduce boarding times and improve mental health outcomes in rural communities.
Author(s): Amah Riley, Jonathan Updike, Lauren Wood
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
view details
Cybersecurity: A Path to Increase Rural Health Care Preparedness
Policy position paper discussing the importance of increasing cybersecurity measures across rural healthcare facilities and organizations. Highlights challenges rural providers face in achieving adequate cybersecurity protections, preparedness, and response. Offers federal and state policy recommendations to support and enhance cybersecurity in rural healthcare settings.
Author(s): Michael Hassell, Jenny Niblock
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
view details
Policy position paper discussing the importance of increasing cybersecurity measures across rural healthcare facilities and organizations. Highlights challenges rural providers face in achieving adequate cybersecurity protections, preparedness, and response. Offers federal and state policy recommendations to support and enhance cybersecurity in rural healthcare settings.
Author(s): Michael Hassell, Jenny Niblock
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
view details
Medicare Advantage Growth and Its Impact on Rural Health Care
Policy position paper regarding the impact of the increase of Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollment in rural areas on healthcare access, delivery, and financial viability. Offers policy recommendations to support rural MA beneficiaries, healthcare providers, and hospitals at a local level, as well as rural healthcare provision within the MA framework.
Author(s): Carrie Shaver, Kevin Lambing, Lisa Rantz
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
view details
Policy position paper regarding the impact of the increase of Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollment in rural areas on healthcare access, delivery, and financial viability. Offers policy recommendations to support rural MA beneficiaries, healthcare providers, and hospitals at a local level, as well as rural healthcare provision within the MA framework.
Author(s): Carrie Shaver, Kevin Lambing, Lisa Rantz
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
view details
What's in it for Rural? Analyzing the Opportunities for Rural America in IIJA, CHIPS, and IRA
Evaluates the significance to rural areas of appropriations and authorizations approved by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the CHIPS and Science Act (CHIPS), and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Identifies rural-significant funding by agency and sector, and discusses economic and financial aspects of allocations and funding structure. Summarizes major appropriations in infrastructure, energy, broadband, environment, and more. Provides recommendations for use and reporting of funds by officials, agencies, and policymakers.
Author(s): Anthony F. Pipa, Elise Pietro
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: The Brookings Institution
view details
Evaluates the significance to rural areas of appropriations and authorizations approved by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the CHIPS and Science Act (CHIPS), and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Identifies rural-significant funding by agency and sector, and discusses economic and financial aspects of allocations and funding structure. Summarizes major appropriations in infrastructure, energy, broadband, environment, and more. Provides recommendations for use and reporting of funds by officials, agencies, and policymakers.
Author(s): Anthony F. Pipa, Elise Pietro
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: The Brookings Institution
view details
December 2023 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) December 2023 meeting. Covers payment adequacy and updates for physician and other health professional services, hospital inpatient and outpatient services, hospice services, outpatient dialysis services, ambulatory surgical center services, skilled nursing facilities, skilled nursing facility services, home health services, and inpatient rehabilitation facility services. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
view details
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) December 2023 meeting. Covers payment adequacy and updates for physician and other health professional services, hospital inpatient and outpatient services, hospice services, outpatient dialysis services, ambulatory surgical center services, skilled nursing facilities, skilled nursing facility services, home health services, and inpatient rehabilitation facility services. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
view details
Fact Sheet: How to Define Rurality
Fact sheet defines rural in the context of the Veterans Health Administration. Discusses RUCA codes, Census tracts, and how the VA assigns rurality.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: Veterans Health Administration's Office of Rural Health
view details
Fact sheet defines rural in the context of the Veterans Health Administration. Discusses RUCA codes, Census tracts, and how the VA assigns rurality.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: Veterans Health Administration's Office of Rural Health
view details
2023 Nebraska Rural Poll Research Report: Perceptions of the Farm Bill Among Nonmetropolitan Nebraskans
Analyzes 2023 Nebraska Rural Poll results related to how rural Nebraskans perceive federal agricultural policy and farm bill programs. Includes survey data and demographic information on survey respondents.
Author(s): Rebecca Vogt, Heather Akin, Cheryl Burkhart-Kriesel, et al.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: University of Nebraska-Lincoln
view details
Analyzes 2023 Nebraska Rural Poll results related to how rural Nebraskans perceive federal agricultural policy and farm bill programs. Includes survey data and demographic information on survey respondents.
Author(s): Rebecca Vogt, Heather Akin, Cheryl Burkhart-Kriesel, et al.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: University of Nebraska-Lincoln
view details
2023 Technical Expert Panel Meetings: Expanded Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Model Summary Report
Provides an overview of the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Model and the Expanded HHVBP Model. Summarizes discussions and feedback from the Expanded HHVBP Technical Expert Panel in 2023, including health equity approaches, performance measures, measure weights, and performance reporting. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organizations: Abt Associates, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
view details
Provides an overview of the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Model and the Expanded HHVBP Model. Summarizes discussions and feedback from the Expanded HHVBP Technical Expert Panel in 2023, including health equity approaches, performance measures, measure weights, and performance reporting. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organizations: Abt Associates, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
view details
Confronting Workforce Shortages and Health Worker Well-Being
Six videos addressing the impact of healthcare worker shortages and how those shortages affect individual well-being and the ability to provide care in rural communities. Includes a keynote presentation by the Chief Medical Officer of the Indian Health Service. Transcripts available under the descriptions of the videos.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Academy of Medicine
view details
Six videos addressing the impact of healthcare worker shortages and how those shortages affect individual well-being and the ability to provide care in rural communities. Includes a keynote presentation by the Chief Medical Officer of the Indian Health Service. Transcripts available under the descriptions of the videos.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Academy of Medicine
view details