Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
Broadband: USDA Should Set Performance Goals and Improve Fraud Risk Management for Funding Program
Provides an overview of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) ReConnect program, which awards grants and loans to provide broadband service in rural areas. Analyzes ReConnect award and application data from 2018 through 2021 to examine the program's performance goals and alignment with selected leading fraud risk management practices. Offers recommendations to USDA on ReConnect's performance goals and fraud risk management.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Provides an overview of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) ReConnect program, which awards grants and loans to provide broadband service in rural areas. Analyzes ReConnect award and application data from 2018 through 2021 to examine the program's performance goals and alignment with selected leading fraud risk management practices. Offers recommendations to USDA on ReConnect's performance goals and fraud risk management.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Teledentistry Trends in the United States During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Reviews the use of teledentistry during and following the COVID-19 pandemic in California, Maine, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, and examines reimbursement issues and supports needed to enhance dental care in a post-COVID-19 world. Mentions rural throughout.
Author(s): Miranda Werts, Prashanta Patel, Elizabeth Mertz
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: Oral Health Workforce Research Center
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Reviews the use of teledentistry during and following the COVID-19 pandemic in California, Maine, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, and examines reimbursement issues and supports needed to enhance dental care in a post-COVID-19 world. Mentions rural throughout.
Author(s): Miranda Werts, Prashanta Patel, Elizabeth Mertz
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: Oral Health Workforce Research Center
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Federal Policy & Telehealth: What to be Aware of Going Forward
Webinar describing the telehealth policy landscape following the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated public health emergency, highlighting federal policy issues as of October 2022. Describes policy flexibilities, Medicare telehealth during the pandemic, and research initiatives examining telehealth.
Additional links: Presentation Slide Deck
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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Webinar describing the telehealth policy landscape following the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated public health emergency, highlighting federal policy issues as of October 2022. Describes policy flexibilities, Medicare telehealth during the pandemic, and research initiatives examining telehealth.
Additional links: Presentation Slide Deck
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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The Future of Telehealth After COVID-19: New Opportunities and Challenges
Provides an overview of the current evidence regarding telehealth's impact on equitable access to care and on quality of care, patient outcomes, and cost. Describes the COVID-19 pandemic-related regulatory flexibilities for mental health and substance use disorder services. Discusses the importance of telehealth on primary and specialty care during the public health emergency (PHE). Offers recommendations for Medicare telehealth policies to promote better outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries and value for the Medicare program.
Additional links: Medicare Telehealth Utilization and Spending Impacts 2019-2021, Webinar Recording
Author(s): Julia Harris, Sabah Bhatnagar, Brady Newell, et al.
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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Provides an overview of the current evidence regarding telehealth's impact on equitable access to care and on quality of care, patient outcomes, and cost. Describes the COVID-19 pandemic-related regulatory flexibilities for mental health and substance use disorder services. Discusses the importance of telehealth on primary and specialty care during the public health emergency (PHE). Offers recommendations for Medicare telehealth policies to promote better outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries and value for the Medicare program.
Additional links: Medicare Telehealth Utilization and Spending Impacts 2019-2021, Webinar Recording
Author(s): Julia Harris, Sabah Bhatnagar, Brady Newell, et al.
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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Behavioral Health: Available Workforce Information and Federal Actions to Help Recruit and Retain Providers
Examines the available information on the behavioral health workforce, including federal data on the number of providers nationwide and the projection of the supply and demand for behavioral health providers in 2030. Identifies key barriers to recruiting and retaining behavioral health providers, as well as actions federal agencies have taken to support recruiting and retaining these providers. Outlines federal loan repayment, scholarship, and training programs designed to address workforce challenges in rural and other underserved areas.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Examines the available information on the behavioral health workforce, including federal data on the number of providers nationwide and the projection of the supply and demand for behavioral health providers in 2030. Identifies key barriers to recruiting and retaining behavioral health providers, as well as actions federal agencies have taken to support recruiting and retaining these providers. Outlines federal loan repayment, scholarship, and training programs designed to address workforce challenges in rural and other underserved areas.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Rural Health Clinics: Focusing on the Patient
Brief overview of the history of Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), from their origins in the Rural Health Clinic Services Act of 1977, and into the present, as they continue to provide an array of vital services to rural communities.
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Brief overview of the history of Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), from their origins in the Rural Health Clinic Services Act of 1977, and into the present, as they continue to provide an array of vital services to rural communities.
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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A Career of Influencing Rural Healthcare Delivery: Bill Finerfrock and the NARHC Origin Story
Reviews the founding of the National Association of Rural Health Clinics (NARHC), with insights from long-time NARHC executive director Bill Finerfrock about collaborative work with other rural health organizations to support the Rural Health Clinic program.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Reviews the founding of the National Association of Rural Health Clinics (NARHC), with insights from long-time NARHC executive director Bill Finerfrock about collaborative work with other rural health organizations to support the Rural Health Clinic program.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Rural Health Clinic Program at 45 Years: Created for Access and Still Delivering Care
Features rural health policy experts, researchers, and clinicians discussing the impact of the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) program on outpatient healthcare delivery.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Features rural health policy experts, researchers, and clinicians discussing the impact of the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) program on outpatient healthcare delivery.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Advancing Health Equity and Integrated Care for Rural Dual Eligibles
Discusses health disparities for rural individuals dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. Presents an overview of a toolkit to advance health equity for rural dual eligibles and findings from roundtables of 50 stakeholders across 3 states regarding solutions for the workforce and service needs of this population.
Author(s): Ellen Breslin, Samantha Di Paola, Susan McGeehan, Rebecca Kellenberg, Andrea Maresca
Citation: Health Affairs Forefront
Date: 10/2022
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Discusses health disparities for rural individuals dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. Presents an overview of a toolkit to advance health equity for rural dual eligibles and findings from roundtables of 50 stakeholders across 3 states regarding solutions for the workforce and service needs of this population.
Author(s): Ellen Breslin, Samantha Di Paola, Susan McGeehan, Rebecca Kellenberg, Andrea Maresca
Citation: Health Affairs Forefront
Date: 10/2022
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Maternal Health: Availability of Hospital-Based Obstetric Care in Rural Areas
Explores the availability of hospital-based obstetric services in rural areas. Summarizes stakeholder perspectives on the factors affecting the availability of these services and on the efforts federal agencies, states, and others could take to increase the access to obstetric care. Highlights six programs identified by researchers and provider associations as effective at increasing obstetric care in rural areas.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Explores the availability of hospital-based obstetric services in rural areas. Summarizes stakeholder perspectives on the factors affecting the availability of these services and on the efforts federal agencies, states, and others could take to increase the access to obstetric care. Highlights six programs identified by researchers and provider associations as effective at increasing obstetric care in rural areas.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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