Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Reimbursement and payment models
Connection for a Cure: How Broadband Access Supports Telehealth Use
Describes broadband access, the impact it has on telehealth utilization, and the impact of telehealth on health outcomes. Highlights various state and federal policy measures addressing broadband and telehealth access, the Rural Health Transformation Program, reimbursement, cross-state licensure flexibility, teleprescribing, and emergency medical services.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
view details
Describes broadband access, the impact it has on telehealth utilization, and the impact of telehealth on health outcomes. Highlights various state and federal policy measures addressing broadband and telehealth access, the Rural Health Transformation Program, reimbursement, cross-state licensure flexibility, teleprescribing, and emergency medical services.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
view details
MedPAC Report to the Congress: Medicare and the Health Care Delivery System, June 2026
Evaluates Medicare payment issues and provides recommendations to the U.S. Congress. Covers payment incentives in Medicare, the complexity of Medicare enrollment decisions for beneficiaries, Medicare payment operations and their role in identifying improper payments, the estimated association between Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollment and hospitals' and post-acute care providers' finances, and access to hospice and certain complex palliative services for beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease or cancer. Includes a mandated report regarding the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
view details
Evaluates Medicare payment issues and provides recommendations to the U.S. Congress. Covers payment incentives in Medicare, the complexity of Medicare enrollment decisions for beneficiaries, Medicare payment operations and their role in identifying improper payments, the estimated association between Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollment and hospitals' and post-acute care providers' finances, and access to hospice and certain complex palliative services for beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease or cancer. Includes a mandated report regarding the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
view details
Factors Influencing Rural Hospitals to Participate and Remain in Accountable Care Organizations
Examines factors that impact rural hospital participation in Medicare and accountable care organization (ACO) models. Utilizes interview feedback from rural hospital executives regarding ACO participation and discusses themes such as financial incentives, value-based reimbursement, population health, healthcare quality, and more.
Author(s): Emily J. Lawton, Jenah McCarty, Thomas E. Vaughn, Fred Ullrich, Keith J. Mueller
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70179
Date: 06/2026
view details
Examines factors that impact rural hospital participation in Medicare and accountable care organization (ACO) models. Utilizes interview feedback from rural hospital executives regarding ACO participation and discusses themes such as financial incentives, value-based reimbursement, population health, healthcare quality, and more.
Author(s): Emily J. Lawton, Jenah McCarty, Thomas E. Vaughn, Fred Ullrich, Keith J. Mueller
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70179
Date: 06/2026
view details
Marriage and Family Therapist and Mental Health Counselor Workforces in Rural America Under New Medicare Reimbursement Policy
Describes how Medicare reimbursement expanded to cover marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and mental health counselors (MHCs) in January 2024. Examines the change in Medicare-enrolled MFTs and MHCs between the third quarter (Q3) of 2023 and fourth quarter (Q4) of 2024. Presents findings from semi-structured interviews with rural health system and mental health organization leaders regarding practice arrangements, the perceived impacts of MFT and MHC reimbursement, barriers to serving rural Medicare beneficiaries, and considerations for future policies.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Natalia V. Oster, Lisa A. Garberson, Davis G. Patterson, C. Holly A. Andrilla
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
view details
Describes how Medicare reimbursement expanded to cover marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and mental health counselors (MHCs) in January 2024. Examines the change in Medicare-enrolled MFTs and MHCs between the third quarter (Q3) of 2023 and fourth quarter (Q4) of 2024. Presents findings from semi-structured interviews with rural health system and mental health organization leaders regarding practice arrangements, the perceived impacts of MFT and MHC reimbursement, barriers to serving rural Medicare beneficiaries, and considerations for future policies.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Natalia V. Oster, Lisa A. Garberson, Davis G. Patterson, C. Holly A. Andrilla
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
view details
Medicare Hospice: Action Needed to Pay More Efficiently for Routine Home Care
Describes the frequency and characteristics of routine home care visits in 2024 for Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in hospice since 2022 who died or were discharged alive in 2024. Compares estimated per-visit Medicare payment rates for routine home care across hospices with the highest and lowest number of visits per week and to home health per-visit rates. Includes information on the average number of visits per week by rural and urban hospice providers. Offers recommendations to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services regarding revisions to the hospice payment system.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
view details
Describes the frequency and characteristics of routine home care visits in 2024 for Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in hospice since 2022 who died or were discharged alive in 2024. Compares estimated per-visit Medicare payment rates for routine home care across hospices with the highest and lowest number of visits per week and to home health per-visit rates. Includes information on the average number of visits per week by rural and urban hospice providers. Offers recommendations to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services regarding revisions to the hospice payment system.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
view details
2024 QPP Participation and Performance Results: At-a-Glance
Provides an overview of the results of the Quality Payment Program (QPP) for the 2024 performance year. Highlights the percentages of small and rural providers receiving negative, neutral, and positive payment adjustments for 2026.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
view details
Provides an overview of the results of the Quality Payment Program (QPP) for the 2024 performance year. Highlights the percentages of small and rural providers receiving negative, neutral, and positive payment adjustments for 2026.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
view details
How Do Changes in Medicare Reimbursement for Mental Health Services Impact Access for Rural Older Adults?
Examines how policies allowing marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and mental health counselors (MHCs) to independently bill Medicare have impacted mental healthcare access among Medicare beneficiaries living in rural areas. Utilizes interview data from 14 leaders representing rural health systems and mental health organizations regarding their perceptions on mental healthcare access, Medicare reimbursement policy, and the inclusion of MFTs and MHCs as mental health providers for Medicare recipients.
Author(s): Natalia V. Oster, C. Holly A. Andrilla, Davis G. Patterson, Signe Burchim, Janessa M. Graves
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70162
Date: 05/2026
view details
Examines how policies allowing marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and mental health counselors (MHCs) to independently bill Medicare have impacted mental healthcare access among Medicare beneficiaries living in rural areas. Utilizes interview data from 14 leaders representing rural health systems and mental health organizations regarding their perceptions on mental healthcare access, Medicare reimbursement policy, and the inclusion of MFTs and MHCs as mental health providers for Medicare recipients.
Author(s): Natalia V. Oster, C. Holly A. Andrilla, Davis G. Patterson, Signe Burchim, Janessa M. Graves
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70162
Date: 05/2026
view details
2026 Merit-Based Incentive Payment System Automatic Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances Policy
Addresses the automatic Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) extreme and uncontrollable circumstances (EUC) policy as it applies to individual MIPS eligible clinicians for 2026. Table 2 features information on reweighting for clinicians in a small practice.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
view details
Addresses the automatic Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) extreme and uncontrollable circumstances (EUC) policy as it applies to individual MIPS eligible clinicians for 2026. Table 2 features information on reweighting for clinicians in a small practice.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
view details
Access to and Provision of Child and Youth Behavioral Health Services in the Rural and Urban U.S.
Compiles findings from 9 reports on youth behavioral health in the rural U.S. Describes prevalence of behavioral health conditions, the youth behavioral health workforce, behavioral health licensure and reimbursement policy, and provision of youth behavioral health services. Features statistics with breakdowns by 7 levels of population density.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Lisa A. Garberson, Sara C. Woolcock, C. Holly A. Andrilla
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
view details
Compiles findings from 9 reports on youth behavioral health in the rural U.S. Describes prevalence of behavioral health conditions, the youth behavioral health workforce, behavioral health licensure and reimbursement policy, and provision of youth behavioral health services. Features statistics with breakdowns by 7 levels of population density.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Lisa A. Garberson, Sara C. Woolcock, C. Holly A. Andrilla
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
view details
Trends in Medicare Advantage Quality for Nonmetropolitan Enrollees, 2019-2023
Examines quality of care in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans by geography, region, and plan type. Analyzes average ratings of 2019-2023 MA plans on a 1-5 star rating scale according to metro, micro, or noncore rural location. Provides additional data on MA enrollments by rural concentration of contracts as well as star ratings by benchmark quartile and quality bonus capping.
Author(s): Abigail Barker, Eliot Jost, Timothy McBride, Keith J. Mueller
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
view details
Examines quality of care in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans by geography, region, and plan type. Analyzes average ratings of 2019-2023 MA plans on a 1-5 star rating scale according to metro, micro, or noncore rural location. Provides additional data on MA enrollments by rural concentration of contracts as well as star ratings by benchmark quartile and quality bonus capping.
Author(s): Abigail Barker, Eliot Jost, Timothy McBride, Keith J. Mueller
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
view details