Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
Rural Hospitals Must Keep up with Innovation to Remain Viable
Describes changes to the healthcare market environment, including technology, telehealth, services offered by retailers and large corporations, and declining patient volume. Outlines priorities for Critical Access Hospitals to remain viable, including the transition to population-based payment. Details a transition framework to guide hospitals as they move to a population-based payment system and navigate a changing environment.
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: Stroudwater Associates
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Describes changes to the healthcare market environment, including technology, telehealth, services offered by retailers and large corporations, and declining patient volume. Outlines priorities for Critical Access Hospitals to remain viable, including the transition to population-based payment. Details a transition framework to guide hospitals as they move to a population-based payment system and navigate a changing environment.
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: Stroudwater Associates
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Ohio Health Value Dashboard: A Closer Look at Outdoor Air Pollution and Health
Discusses the causes of air pollution in Ohio and the impact of air quality on population and individual health. Examines air pollution exposure by race/ethnicity and county. Provides suggestions for policies that can improve air quality and population health.
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: Health Policy Institute of Ohio
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Discusses the causes of air pollution in Ohio and the impact of air quality on population and individual health. Examines air pollution exposure by race/ethnicity and county. Provides suggestions for policies that can improve air quality and population health.
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: Health Policy Institute of Ohio
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Filling the Gaps in the Behavioral Health Workforce
Discusses the shortage of licensed behavioral health workers in rural and underserved communities. Explores the roles of behavioral health support specialists and community-initiated care to support licensed behavioral health professionals. Offers policy recommendations to strengthen the roles of the nonclinical workforce.
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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Discusses the shortage of licensed behavioral health workers in rural and underserved communities. Explores the roles of behavioral health support specialists and community-initiated care to support licensed behavioral health professionals. Offers policy recommendations to strengthen the roles of the nonclinical workforce.
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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The Health Equity & Access for Rural Dually Eligible Individuals (HEARD) Toolkit: Raising Rural Voices from New Mexico, North Dakota, and Tennessee to Create Action
Provides an overview on the access barriers and health disparities of Medicaid and Medicare dually eligible individuals residing in rural areas. Presents research and stakeholder feedback from New Mexico, North Dakota, and Tennessee to provide information to policymakers. Discusses topics such as community planning related to equity and infrastructure, workforce capacity and community health workers (CHWs), and social determinants of health.
Author(s): Ellen Breslin, Samantha Di Paola, Susan McGeehan, Rebecca Kellenberg, Andrea Maresca
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: Health Management Associates
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Provides an overview on the access barriers and health disparities of Medicaid and Medicare dually eligible individuals residing in rural areas. Presents research and stakeholder feedback from New Mexico, North Dakota, and Tennessee to provide information to policymakers. Discusses topics such as community planning related to equity and infrastructure, workforce capacity and community health workers (CHWs), and social determinants of health.
Author(s): Ellen Breslin, Samantha Di Paola, Susan McGeehan, Rebecca Kellenberg, Andrea Maresca
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: Health Management Associates
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Assessing the Effectiveness of Policies to Improve Access to Primary Care for Underserved Populations: A Case Study Analysis of Columbia County, Arkansas
Case study of policy initiatives to increase access to primary care, focusing on Columbia County, Arkansas. Discusses workforce shortages, a lack of training opportunities, issues of healthcare access and poverty, mitigating policies, and more.
Author(s): Maanasa Kona, Megan Houston, Jalisa Cark, Emma Walsh-Alker
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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Case study of policy initiatives to increase access to primary care, focusing on Columbia County, Arkansas. Discusses workforce shortages, a lack of training opportunities, issues of healthcare access and poverty, mitigating policies, and more.
Author(s): Maanasa Kona, Megan Houston, Jalisa Cark, Emma Walsh-Alker
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Nebraska's Eligibility Decision
Details the benefits and eligibility requirements of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Offers statistics and demographics on households participating in Nebraska's SNAP. Highlights the effect inflation and the higher cost of food has on low-income populations. Makes recommendations for policymakers to consider when evaluating eligibility limits that affect the availability of food and safeguard against hunger for low-income households.
Author(s): Derrik Conard
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Affairs
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Details the benefits and eligibility requirements of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Offers statistics and demographics on households participating in Nebraska's SNAP. Highlights the effect inflation and the higher cost of food has on low-income populations. Makes recommendations for policymakers to consider when evaluating eligibility limits that affect the availability of food and safeguard against hunger for low-income households.
Author(s): Derrik Conard
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Affairs
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Examining Rural Telehealth During the Public Health Emergency
Examines the use of telehealth visits for rural and urban fee-for-service Medicare enrollees between January 2018 and June 2021. Compares telehealth utilization before the COVID-19 pandemic (2018-2019) with telehealth utilization from January 2020 to June 2021. Describes the demographic, geographical, and technological characteristics of telehealth services that were associated with increased telehealth use. Explores the extent to which the increased implementation and utilization of telehealth during the PHE impacted the cost of patient care and provider utilization.
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, CMS Alliance to Modernize Healthcare
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Examines the use of telehealth visits for rural and urban fee-for-service Medicare enrollees between January 2018 and June 2021. Compares telehealth utilization before the COVID-19 pandemic (2018-2019) with telehealth utilization from January 2020 to June 2021. Describes the demographic, geographical, and technological characteristics of telehealth services that were associated with increased telehealth use. Explores the extent to which the increased implementation and utilization of telehealth during the PHE impacted the cost of patient care and provider utilization.
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, CMS Alliance to Modernize Healthcare
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Telerehabilitation Has Potential, but More Research, Funding, and Advocacy Are Needed
Reviews existing evidence on the use of telerehabilitation in the delivery of rehabilitation services, including physical therapy. Identifies barriers to the effective implementation of telerehabilitation and suggests potential areas that professional advocacy and policy can address to improve access to telerehabilitation services.
Author(s): Elizabeth Cornforth
Citation: Health Affairs Forefront
Date: 01/2023
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Reviews existing evidence on the use of telerehabilitation in the delivery of rehabilitation services, including physical therapy. Identifies barriers to the effective implementation of telerehabilitation and suggests potential areas that professional advocacy and policy can address to improve access to telerehabilitation services.
Author(s): Elizabeth Cornforth
Citation: Health Affairs Forefront
Date: 01/2023
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HUD Rural Capacity Building for Community Development and Affordable Housing (RCB) Program
Provides an overview of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Rural Capacity Building for Community Development and Affordable Housing program (RCB). Outlines the program structure and administration, eligibility for primary grantees and their activities, and fiscal year 2019 and 2020 RCB award amounts.
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Provides an overview of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Rural Capacity Building for Community Development and Affordable Housing program (RCB). Outlines the program structure and administration, eligibility for primary grantees and their activities, and fiscal year 2019 and 2020 RCB award amounts.
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Full Practice Authority for Nurse Practitioners in Indiana: A White Paper
A policy paper focused on nurse practitioner (NP) scope of practice in Indiana. Discusses requirements to become an NP, places in the U.S. that allow full practice NPs, and recommendations related to scope of practice and the impact on rural and underserved areas.
Date: 2023
Sponsoring organization: Indiana Rural Health Association
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A policy paper focused on nurse practitioner (NP) scope of practice in Indiana. Discusses requirements to become an NP, places in the U.S. that allow full practice NPs, and recommendations related to scope of practice and the impact on rural and underserved areas.
Date: 2023
Sponsoring organization: Indiana Rural Health Association
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