Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Reimbursement and payment models
Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS): 2024 Opt-in and Voluntary Reporting Election Process Guide
Discusses the eligibility of clinicians, groups, and Alternative Payment Model (APM) participants that exceed some low-volume threshold criteria to opt-in to the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and the APM Performance Pathway (APP) for the 2024 performance period. Compares opting in and voluntarily reporting MIPS data and provides an overview of the election process.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Discusses the eligibility of clinicians, groups, and Alternative Payment Model (APM) participants that exceed some low-volume threshold criteria to opt-in to the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and the APM Performance Pathway (APP) for the 2024 performance period. Compares opting in and voluntarily reporting MIPS data and provides an overview of the election process.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Rural Hospital Experiences in the Colorado Hospital Transformation Program
Provides an overview of the Colorado Hospital Transformation Program (CO HTP), a 5-year program that ties Medicaid supplemental payments to hospitals' ability to meet performance targets through September 2026. Describes the experiences of three Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and explores how CO HTP impacts rural hospitals. Covers planning and community engagement, quality of care, and healthcare costs.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Provides an overview of the Colorado Hospital Transformation Program (CO HTP), a 5-year program that ties Medicaid supplemental payments to hospitals' ability to meet performance targets through September 2026. Describes the experiences of three Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and explores how CO HTP impacts rural hospitals. Covers planning and community engagement, quality of care, and healthcare costs.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Cost Burden of Cancer Screening in Kansas by Region and Rural/Urban Designation
Analyzes the cost burden of self-pay cancer screenings in Kansas by rural and urban location and geographic region of the state, with data on colonoscopies, chest computed tomography (CT) scans, and mammograms. Discusses rural-urban disparities in price of services and pricing transparency.
Author(s): Kale Mills, Nicole Freund
Citation: Kansas Journal of Medicine, 18(1):10–13
Date: 02/2025
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Analyzes the cost burden of self-pay cancer screenings in Kansas by rural and urban location and geographic region of the state, with data on colonoscopies, chest computed tomography (CT) scans, and mammograms. Discusses rural-urban disparities in price of services and pricing transparency.
Author(s): Kale Mills, Nicole Freund
Citation: Kansas Journal of Medicine, 18(1):10–13
Date: 02/2025
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Introduction to Rural Clinically Integrated Networks
Provides an overview of clinically integrated networks (CINs), including common CIN characteristics and the relationship between CINs and healthcare value. Offers examples of CINs comprised of independent rural healthcare organizations.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Provides an overview of clinically integrated networks (CINs), including common CIN characteristics and the relationship between CINs and healthcare value. Offers examples of CINs comprised of independent rural healthcare organizations.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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February 2025 MACPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission's (MACPAC) February 2025 meeting. Covers transitions of care for children and youth with special healthcare needs (CYSHCN), hospital non-disproportionate share hospital supplemental payments and directed payment targeting, improving access to medications for opioid use disorder, healthcare access for children in foster care, and more. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Hospital Non-DSH Supplemental Payment and Directed Payment Targeting Analyses
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Transcript from the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission's (MACPAC) February 2025 meeting. Covers transitions of care for children and youth with special healthcare needs (CYSHCN), hospital non-disproportionate share hospital supplemental payments and directed payment targeting, improving access to medications for opioid use disorder, healthcare access for children in foster care, and more. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Hospital Non-DSH Supplemental Payment and Directed Payment Targeting Analyses
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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The Growing Impact of Medicare Advantage on Rural Hospitals Across America
Examines the impact of Medicare Advantage (MA) on rural hospitals. Discusses payment and reimbursement, healthcare access, hospital finance and patient data, hospital case examples, and more.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Examines the impact of Medicare Advantage (MA) on rural hospitals. Discusses payment and reimbursement, healthcare access, hospital finance and patient data, hospital case examples, and more.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Medicare Advantage Penetration and the Financial Distress of Rural Hospitals
Examines county-level Medicare Advantage (MA) penetration rates and the financial impact on rural hospitals. Utilizes 2014-2020 American Hospital Association data to analyze Medicare and non-Medicare inpatient days paid by the plans, with data breakdowns according to patient demographics, rural versus urban location, timing of inpatient stay, and more.
Author(s): Guido Cataife, Siying Liu
Citation: Health Economics Review, 15, 9
Date: 02/2025
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Examines county-level Medicare Advantage (MA) penetration rates and the financial impact on rural hospitals. Utilizes 2014-2020 American Hospital Association data to analyze Medicare and non-Medicare inpatient days paid by the plans, with data breakdowns according to patient demographics, rural versus urban location, timing of inpatient stay, and more.
Author(s): Guido Cataife, Siying Liu
Citation: Health Economics Review, 15, 9
Date: 02/2025
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Chartis Center for Rural Health Research & Resources for the 2025 National Rural Health Association's Rural Health Policy Institute Conference
Offers research and analysis of the stability of the rural healthcare safety net. Includes Instability Continues to Threaten Rural Health Safety Net: Reduced Reimbursements, Dwindling Access to Care, and Deteriorating Population Health Status, and presentation slides on this report from the 2025 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: 02/2025
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 Instability Continues to Threaten Rural Health Safety Net: Reduced Reimbursements, Dwindling Access to Care, and Deteriorating Population Health Status, and presentation slides on this report from the 2025 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: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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2025 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 2025 National Rural Health Association Policy Institute.
Date: 02/2025
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 2025 National Rural Health Association Policy Institute.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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Instability Continues to Threaten Rural Health Safety Net: Reduced Reimbursements, Dwindling Access to Care and Deteriorating Population Health Status
Examines factors contributing to the instability of the rural healthcare safety net, including policy-related reimbursement cuts and changes to payer mixes. Presents data on rural hospitals that have stopped offering obstetrics and chemotherapy services. Explores aspects of rural population health and social drivers of health as they relate to rural healthcare delivery challenges.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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Examines factors contributing to the instability of the rural healthcare safety net, including policy-related reimbursement cuts and changes to payer mixes. Presents data on rural hospitals that have stopped offering obstetrics and chemotherapy services. Explores aspects of rural population health and social drivers of health as they relate to rural healthcare delivery challenges.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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