Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Reimbursement and payment models
Improving the Value Proposition of Critical Access Hospitals – Lessons from Federal and State Initiatives
Report details how federal and state initiatives can support Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) transition to value-based payment models. Provides examples of initiatives that offer models for use by State Flex Programs (SFPs) for supporting CAHs' transformation to value-based care.
Author(s): John Gale, Rebecca Stearns, Bridget Harr
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Report details how federal and state initiatives can support Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) transition to value-based payment models. Provides examples of initiatives that offer models for use by State Flex Programs (SFPs) for supporting CAHs' transformation to value-based care.
Author(s): John Gale, Rebecca Stearns, Bridget Harr
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Meeting the Health Needs of Rural America: A Report of the Aspen Health Strategy Group
Presents a model for addressing rural health disparities and encouraging accessible, sustainable healthcare access through community-centered policy, investment, and healthcare delivery. Discusses topics related to health policy, funding, community development, infrastructure, preventive care, and more.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Aspen Institute
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Presents a model for addressing rural health disparities and encouraging accessible, sustainable healthcare access through community-centered policy, investment, and healthcare delivery. Discusses topics related to health policy, funding, community development, infrastructure, preventive care, and more.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Aspen Institute
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Chartis Center for Rural Health Research & Resources for the 2026 National Rural Health Association's Rural Health Policy Institute Conference
Offers research and analysis of the stability of the rural healthcare safety net. Includes 2026 Rural State of the State, and presentation slides on this report from the 2026 National Rural Health Association Policy Institute. Provides links to national and state data tables showing the financial impact of federal policies on rural hospitals.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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Offers research and analysis of the stability of the rural healthcare safety net. Includes 2026 Rural State of the State, and presentation slides on this report from the 2026 National Rural Health Association Policy Institute. Provides links to national and state data tables showing the financial impact of federal policies on rural hospitals.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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2026 Stability of the Rural Health Safety Net: State and National Data Tables
Provides links to national and state data tables showing the financial impact of federal policies such as sequestration and bad debt reimbursement on rural hospital revenues, jobs, and gross domestic product. Presented at the February 2026 National Rural Health Association Policy Institute.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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Provides links to national and state data tables showing the financial impact of federal policies such as sequestration and bad debt reimbursement on rural hospital revenues, jobs, and gross domestic product. Presented at the February 2026 National Rural Health Association Policy Institute.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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Update to the Payment for Historically Excepted Tribal Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) for Calendar Year (CY) 2026
Provides an overview of updates to the historically excepted Tribal Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Prospective Payment System (PPS) rate for calendar year 2026.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of updates to the historically excepted Tribal Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Prospective Payment System (PPS) rate for calendar year 2026.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Shared Savings Program Fast Facts
Provides summary statistics on the Medicare Shared Savings Program as of January 1, 2026. Offers data on the number of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), assigned beneficiaries, total earned shared savings, and quality scores each year since 2012; the number and percent of ACOs in each track; and more. Includes information on ACO participants, including the number of Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) participating in the program.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Provides summary statistics on the Medicare Shared Savings Program as of January 1, 2026. Offers data on the number of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), assigned beneficiaries, total earned shared savings, and quality scores each year since 2012; the number and percent of ACOs in each track; and more. Includes information on ACO participants, including the number of Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) participating in the program.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Small Practices Guide: Getting Started with Electronic Clinical Quality Measure (CQM) Reporting
Provides an overview of electronic clinical quality measures (eCQMs) under the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). Describes how small practices can report eCQMs, whether participating as an individual clinician, group, subgroup, or Alternative Payment Model (APM) Entity.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of electronic clinical quality measures (eCQMs) under the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). Describes how small practices can report eCQMs, whether participating as an individual clinician, group, subgroup, or Alternative Payment Model (APM) Entity.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Telehealth FAQ Calendar Year 2026
Provides information on Medicare telehealth regulations and payment policy for calendar year 2026. Includes information on audio-only services, behavioral health services, direct supervision, and more.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Provides information on Medicare telehealth regulations and payment policy for calendar year 2026. Includes information on audio-only services, behavioral health services, direct supervision, and more.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Small Practices Guide: Getting Started with Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Clinical Quality Measure (CQM) Reporting
Provides an overview of Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) clinical quality measures (MIPS CQMs). Describes how small practices can report MIPS CQMs, whether participating as an individual clinician, group, subgroup, or Alternative Payment Model (APM) Entity.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) clinical quality measures (MIPS CQMs). Describes how small practices can report MIPS CQMs, whether participating as an individual clinician, group, subgroup, or Alternative Payment Model (APM) Entity.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Purchased/Referred Care and Cancer: Overview and Options for Tribal Consideration
Describes the Purchased/Referred Care (PRC) program of the Indian Health Service (IHS) and discusses how it functions in the cancer care pathways for Oklahoma tribal communities. Offers recommendations to tribal leaders for working with and alongside the program to improve health outcomes while supporting self-determination. Recommendations discuss tribal governance, collaborations, service delivery models, care coordination, and engaging with federal policymakers.
Author(s): Grace Fox
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Native Nations Center for Tribal Policy Research
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Describes the Purchased/Referred Care (PRC) program of the Indian Health Service (IHS) and discusses how it functions in the cancer care pathways for Oklahoma tribal communities. Offers recommendations to tribal leaders for working with and alongside the program to improve health outcomes while supporting self-determination. Recommendations discuss tribal governance, collaborations, service delivery models, care coordination, and engaging with federal policymakers.
Author(s): Grace Fox
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Native Nations Center for Tribal Policy Research
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