Rural Health
Resources by Type: Document
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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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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Uranium Exposure, Hypertension, and Blood Pressure in the Strong Heart Family Study
Examines the correlation between uranium exposure and health conditions such as hypertension and blood pressure changes in rural, tribal communities. Analyzes health status and uranium levels of 1,453 participants in the Strong Heart Family Study. Discusses rock and soil health, groundwater, and surface water contamination as factors in uranium exposure.
Author(s): Kevin P. Patterson, Abigail Onderwyzer Gold, Miranda J. Spratlen, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 22
Date: 04/2025
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Examines the correlation between uranium exposure and health conditions such as hypertension and blood pressure changes in rural, tribal communities. Analyzes health status and uranium levels of 1,453 participants in the Strong Heart Family Study. Discusses rock and soil health, groundwater, and surface water contamination as factors in uranium exposure.
Author(s): Kevin P. Patterson, Abigail Onderwyzer Gold, Miranda J. Spratlen, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 22
Date: 04/2025
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Congress Must Act to Bring Needed Reforms to the 340B Drug Pricing Program: Majority Staff Report
Presents findings from a U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions majority staff report on how covered entities generate and use revenue from the 340B Drug Pricing Program and how patients benefit from the program. Describes data and information collected from hospital covered entities, Bon Secours Mercy Health and Cleveland Clinic; Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) covered entities, Sun River Health and Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic; contract pharmacies, CVS Health and Walgreens; and drug manufacturers, Eli Lilly and Amgen. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
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Presents findings from a U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions majority staff report on how covered entities generate and use revenue from the 340B Drug Pricing Program and how patients benefit from the program. Describes data and information collected from hospital covered entities, Bon Secours Mercy Health and Cleveland Clinic; Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) covered entities, Sun River Health and Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic; contract pharmacies, CVS Health and Walgreens; and drug manufacturers, Eli Lilly and Amgen. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
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CMS Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Advanced Model: Sixth Annual Evaluation Report
Sixth annual report of the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Advanced (BPCI Advanced) Model, which tests whether linking payments for a clinical episode of care can reduce Medicare expenditures while maintaining or improving the quality of care. Examines the impact of BPCI Advanced on episode payments, utilization, and quality of care, as well as estimates of Medicare program savings in Model Year 5. Also explores the impact of the model on accountable care relationships, strengthening primary care, and care for patients eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. Includes data on the percentage of BPCI Advanced episodes with and without ACO attribution by patient characteristics, including rural residents.
Additional links: Appendices, Executive Summary, Findings at a Glance, Transformation Spotlight
Author(s): The Lewin Group, Abt Associates, GDIT, Telligen
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Sixth annual report of the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Advanced (BPCI Advanced) Model, which tests whether linking payments for a clinical episode of care can reduce Medicare expenditures while maintaining or improving the quality of care. Examines the impact of BPCI Advanced on episode payments, utilization, and quality of care, as well as estimates of Medicare program savings in Model Year 5. Also explores the impact of the model on accountable care relationships, strengthening primary care, and care for patients eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. Includes data on the percentage of BPCI Advanced episodes with and without ACO attribution by patient characteristics, including rural residents.
Additional links: Appendices, Executive Summary, Findings at a Glance, Transformation Spotlight
Author(s): The Lewin Group, Abt Associates, GDIT, Telligen
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Characteristics of Adults Age 18 and Older Who Took Prescription Medication for Depression: United States, 2023
Provides 2023 data on the characteristics of adults who took prescription medication for depression. Includes a breakdown by region and urbanization level, including nonmetropolitan, medium and small metropolitan, large fringe metropolitan, or large central metropolitan area.
Author(s): Nazik Elgaddal, Julie D. Weeks, Laryssa Mykyta
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Provides 2023 data on the characteristics of adults who took prescription medication for depression. Includes a breakdown by region and urbanization level, including nonmetropolitan, medium and small metropolitan, large fringe metropolitan, or large central metropolitan area.
Author(s): Nazik Elgaddal, Julie D. Weeks, Laryssa Mykyta
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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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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Fiscal Year 2026 Medicare Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Prospective Payment System and Quality Reporting Updates Proposed Rule CMS-1831-P Fact Sheet
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) fiscal year 2026 inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS) proposed rule. Covers proposed annual updates to the prospective payment rates, outlier threshold, and wage index. Also describes proposed changes to facility-level adjustment factors for teaching status and rural location.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) fiscal year 2026 inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS) proposed rule. Covers proposed annual updates to the prospective payment rates, outlier threshold, and wage index. Also describes proposed changes to facility-level adjustment factors for teaching status and rural location.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Initiating Research in Indian Country: Lessons From the Strong Heart Study
Discusses the process of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) initiating studies to examine cardiovascular disease in rural and remote areas, isolated populations, and sovereign nations. Discusses the steps in conducting research with a focus on building trust, transparent implementation, and mutual feedback and results sharing.
Author(s): Barbara V. Howard, Elisa T. Lee, Thomas K. Welty, Richard R. Fabsitz
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 22
Date: 04/2025
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Discusses the process of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) initiating studies to examine cardiovascular disease in rural and remote areas, isolated populations, and sovereign nations. Discusses the steps in conducting research with a focus on building trust, transparent implementation, and mutual feedback and results sharing.
Author(s): Barbara V. Howard, Elisa T. Lee, Thomas K. Welty, Richard R. Fabsitz
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 22
Date: 04/2025
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Are HHC Scores a Reliable Health Status Indicator Across Rural and Urban Areas?
Examines differences in Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Hierarchical Condition Category (HCC) risk scores between rural and urban Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) beneficiaries and analyzes which factors drive observed differences. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban, large rural, small rural, and isolated rural areas for 4 chronic conditions in 2019-2020.
Author(s): Craig D. Holden, Alana Knudson, Marilyn Klug, Samantha Augenbraun, Shena Popat
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: ETSU/NORC Rural Health Research Center
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Examines differences in Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Hierarchical Condition Category (HCC) risk scores between rural and urban Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) beneficiaries and analyzes which factors drive observed differences. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban, large rural, small rural, and isolated rural areas for 4 chronic conditions in 2019-2020.
Author(s): Craig D. Holden, Alana Knudson, Marilyn Klug, Samantha Augenbraun, Shena Popat
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: ETSU/NORC Rural Health Research Center
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