Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Technology for health and human services
Impact of COVID-19 on Clinical Trials Costs to Patients
Examines the direct and indirect costs of COVID-19 clinical trial participation to patients and the impact of utilizing remote technologies. Presents an environmental scan of articles published between 2010 and 2023 and discusses barriers to clinical trial participation experienced by underrepresented and rural populations.
Author(s): Keri Calkins, Emily Crabtree, Emily Harrison, Nyna Williams, Kirsten Barrett
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Mathematica
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Examines the direct and indirect costs of COVID-19 clinical trial participation to patients and the impact of utilizing remote technologies. Presents an environmental scan of articles published between 2010 and 2023 and discusses barriers to clinical trial participation experienced by underrepresented and rural populations.
Author(s): Keri Calkins, Emily Crabtree, Emily Harrison, Nyna Williams, Kirsten Barrett
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Mathematica
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Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS): 2025 MIPS Promoting Interoperability Performance Category Hardship Exception Application Guide
Provides guidance on how clinicians can apply for a MIPS hardship exception. Highlights guidance for having your MIPS Promoting Interoperability performance category reweighted to 0% in cases of insufficient internet connectivity, decertified electronic health record technology, or other circumstances out of the clinicians' control.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides guidance on how clinicians can apply for a MIPS hardship exception. Highlights guidance for having your MIPS Promoting Interoperability performance category reweighted to 0% in cases of insufficient internet connectivity, decertified electronic health record technology, or other circumstances out of the clinicians' control.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Broadband Programs: Agencies Need to Further Improve Their Data Quality and Coordination Efforts
Examines federal agencies' use of broadband availability information and the extent to which the Federal Communications Commission ensures the quality of data in its National Broadband Map. Explores the extent to which agencies' coordination of broadband funding programs aligns with leading practices for interagency collaboration, among other issues. Compares the FCC's practices for ensuring the quality of information in its National Broadband Map against relevant federal internal control standards.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Examines federal agencies' use of broadband availability information and the extent to which the Federal Communications Commission ensures the quality of data in its National Broadband Map. Explores the extent to which agencies' coordination of broadband funding programs aligns with leading practices for interagency collaboration, among other issues. Compares the FCC's practices for ensuring the quality of information in its National Broadband Map against relevant federal internal control standards.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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April 2025 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) April 2025 meeting. Covers physician fee schedule updates and improving the accuracy of relative payment rates; structural differences between the stand-alone prescription drug plan (PDP) and Medicare Advantage–Prescription Drug plan (MA–PD) markets; the utilization and delivery of Medicare Advantage supplemental benefits; the effect of Medicare Advantage on rural hospitals; paying for software technologies in Medicare; access to hospice and certain services under the hospice benefit for beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease and beneficiaries with cancer; and regulations, star ratings, and fee-for-service Medicare policies aimed at improving nursing home quality.
Additional links: Exploring the Effect of Medicare Advantage on Rural Hospitals
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) April 2025 meeting. Covers physician fee schedule updates and improving the accuracy of relative payment rates; structural differences between the stand-alone prescription drug plan (PDP) and Medicare Advantage–Prescription Drug plan (MA–PD) markets; the utilization and delivery of Medicare Advantage supplemental benefits; the effect of Medicare Advantage on rural hospitals; paying for software technologies in Medicare; access to hospice and certain services under the hospice benefit for beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease and beneficiaries with cancer; and regulations, star ratings, and fee-for-service Medicare policies aimed at improving nursing home quality.
Additional links: Exploring the Effect of Medicare Advantage on Rural Hospitals
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Farm Bill Primer: Rural Development Title
Provides an overview of the rural development provisions of the 2018 Farm Bill, including provisions related to rural broadband, water and waste disposal, and business creation and economic development. Offers considerations Congress may consider in the 2025 reauthorization of the Farm Bill related to the ReConnect Program and rural health challenges.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Provides an overview of the rural development provisions of the 2018 Farm Bill, including provisions related to rural broadband, water and waste disposal, and business creation and economic development. Offers considerations Congress may consider in the 2025 reauthorization of the Farm Bill related to the ReConnect Program and rural health challenges.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ASTP/ONC)
Provides an overview of the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ASTP/ONC) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Describes ASTP/ONC focus areas, statutory authorities, funding, and select policy considerations.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Provides an overview of the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ASTP/ONC) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Describes ASTP/ONC focus areas, statutory authorities, funding, and select policy considerations.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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USDA Rural Development: Together, America Prospers
Provides an overview of USDA Rural Development's mission and investments, highlighting programs and initiatives related to rural economic development, housing, and infrastructure. Discusses quality of life and healthcare needs in rural communities.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Rural Development
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Provides an overview of USDA Rural Development's mission and investments, highlighting programs and initiatives related to rural economic development, housing, and infrastructure. Discusses quality of life and healthcare needs in rural communities.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Rural Development
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An Examination of the Implementation and Effectiveness of the Telehealth Broadband Pilot Program in the United States
Provides a brief overview of the Telehealth Broadband Pilot (TBP) Program, which aimed to address gaps in broadband service that limited access to telehealth services in rural and underserved communities in Alaska, Michigan, Texas, and West Virginia. Describes the development and implementation of pods that measured broadband data in the communities over time. Summarizes discussions with TBP Program staff regarding the implementation and effectiveness of the program. Includes factors for consideration in the development of future programs to measure broadband in rural communities.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Rural Telehealth Evaluation Center, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Regional Campuses
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Provides a brief overview of the Telehealth Broadband Pilot (TBP) Program, which aimed to address gaps in broadband service that limited access to telehealth services in rural and underserved communities in Alaska, Michigan, Texas, and West Virginia. Describes the development and implementation of pods that measured broadband data in the communities over time. Summarizes discussions with TBP Program staff regarding the implementation and effectiveness of the program. Includes factors for consideration in the development of future programs to measure broadband in rural communities.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Rural Telehealth Evaluation Center, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Regional Campuses
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Nursing at an Inflection Point: Creating Systems of Care that Support and Value the Contributions of Nurses: 20th Annual Report to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Congress
Presents policy and programmatic recommendations to address valuing the impact of nursing care on patient outcomes, strengthening academic-practice partnerships, removing practice barriers for advanced practice registered nursing, and supporting the infusion of technology of nursing education and practice. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice
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Presents policy and programmatic recommendations to address valuing the impact of nursing care on patient outcomes, strengthening academic-practice partnerships, removing practice barriers for advanced practice registered nursing, and supporting the infusion of technology of nursing education and practice. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice
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A Summary of State Innovation Models (SIM) Evaluation Results Across 17 States (2013-2020)
Summarizes evaluation results of the State Innovation Models (SIM), which examined the ability of 17 state governments to implement and test innovative value-based payment (VBP) healthcare models across multiple payers between 2013 and 2020. Presents findings regarding the implementation and impact of 29 delivery and payment models, including patient-centered medical homes, accountable care organizations, behavioral health integration, and more. Covers state contracting and consensus building, practice transformation, pediatric care, behavioral healthcare, beneficiary and provider perspectives, and more. Includes a section on payment model designs tailored to unique state needs, including rural populations, as well as rural references throughout.
Additional links: A Summary of State Innovation Models (SIM): Focus on State-Led Transformation - Findings at a Glance, Executive Summary, Findings at a Glance
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Summarizes evaluation results of the State Innovation Models (SIM), which examined the ability of 17 state governments to implement and test innovative value-based payment (VBP) healthcare models across multiple payers between 2013 and 2020. Presents findings regarding the implementation and impact of 29 delivery and payment models, including patient-centered medical homes, accountable care organizations, behavioral health integration, and more. Covers state contracting and consensus building, practice transformation, pediatric care, behavioral healthcare, beneficiary and provider perspectives, and more. Includes a section on payment model designs tailored to unique state needs, including rural populations, as well as rural references throughout.
Additional links: A Summary of State Innovation Models (SIM): Focus on State-Led Transformation - Findings at a Glance, Executive Summary, Findings at a Glance
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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