Rural Health
Resources by Type: Document
Evaluation of the Primary Care First Model: Third Annual Report
Provides an overview of the Primary Care First (PCF) model, which aims to enhance primary care and move primary care practitioners toward value-based payment. Describes the PCF model implementation experiences for Cohort 1 and Cohort 2 practices through 2023. Explores the characteristics of practices and payers that continued to participate in the PCF model compared to those who left. Examines the role that the PCF Model's incentives and supports played in the strategies and practices adopted to improve care delivery and how the trajectory of these strategies and activities practices have transformed over time. Estimates the impact of the PCF Model on Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) expenditures and service use, including acute hospitalizations. Estimates the impacts of the model on a set of seven leading indicators to provide an early assessment of whether care delivery changes are resulting in meaningful early outcome changes.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Findings at a Glance
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Mathematica
view details
Provides an overview of the Primary Care First (PCF) model, which aims to enhance primary care and move primary care practitioners toward value-based payment. Describes the PCF model implementation experiences for Cohort 1 and Cohort 2 practices through 2023. Explores the characteristics of practices and payers that continued to participate in the PCF model compared to those who left. Examines the role that the PCF Model's incentives and supports played in the strategies and practices adopted to improve care delivery and how the trajectory of these strategies and activities practices have transformed over time. Estimates the impact of the PCF Model on Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) expenditures and service use, including acute hospitalizations. Estimates the impacts of the model on a set of seven leading indicators to provide an early assessment of whether care delivery changes are resulting in meaningful early outcome changes.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Findings at a Glance
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Mathematica
view details
Longitudinal Lipidomic Profile of Subclinical Peripheral Artery Disease in American Indians: The Strong Heart Family Study
Examines associations between lipid species and peripheral artery disease (PAD) among 1,886 American Indian members of tribal communities who participated in the Strong Heart Family Study. Provides data on the connection between specific lipid species and PAD, coronary heart disease, and other clinical factors.
Author(s): Mingjing Chen, Guanhong Miao, Mary J. Roman, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 22, 240220
Date: 05/2025
view details
Examines associations between lipid species and peripheral artery disease (PAD) among 1,886 American Indian members of tribal communities who participated in the Strong Heart Family Study. Provides data on the connection between specific lipid species and PAD, coronary heart disease, and other clinical factors.
Author(s): Mingjing Chen, Guanhong Miao, Mary J. Roman, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 22, 240220
Date: 05/2025
view details
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
view details
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
view details
Rural Access to Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs)
Examines access to, and services offered by, Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) in rural and urban communities. Also compares services at CCBHCs with those offered at other mental health clinics. Features state-level maps showing CCBHC counts by state, and statistics on services counts in CCBHCs and other mental health facilities, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Author(s): Aaron P. Smith, Jeffrey Talbert
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
view details
Examines access to, and services offered by, Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) in rural and urban communities. Also compares services at CCBHCs with those offered at other mental health clinics. Features state-level maps showing CCBHC counts by state, and statistics on services counts in CCBHCs and other mental health facilities, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Author(s): Aaron P. Smith, Jeffrey Talbert
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
view details
Rural and Urban Differences in Suicide in the United States, 2018-2021
Highlights the rates of suicide across the U.S. from 2018-2021 in rural and urban areas. Discusses some of the geographic and demographic characteristics that correlate with higher rates of suicide. Breaks down data by year, demographics, Census and HHS regions, and rural versus urban location. Makes policy recommendations based on the report's findings.
Author(s): Qian Huang, Nicole Galler, Michael Meit, Amy Wahlquist
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: ETSU/NORC Rural Health Research Center
view details
Highlights the rates of suicide across the U.S. from 2018-2021 in rural and urban areas. Discusses some of the geographic and demographic characteristics that correlate with higher rates of suicide. Breaks down data by year, demographics, Census and HHS regions, and rural versus urban location. Makes policy recommendations based on the report's findings.
Author(s): Qian Huang, Nicole Galler, Michael Meit, Amy Wahlquist
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: ETSU/NORC Rural Health Research Center
view details
2024 National CAH Quality Inventory & Assessment National Report
Presents a high-level summary of key data points from the September-November 2024 National Critical Access Hospital (CAH) Quality Inventory and Assessment. Includes data on CAH system affiliation; median average daily census and emergency department volume; median swing bed admissions and swing bed length of stay; hospital inpatient, behavioral health and specialty care, and outpatient and other service lines; and CAH quality payment model participation.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
view details
Presents a high-level summary of key data points from the September-November 2024 National Critical Access Hospital (CAH) Quality Inventory and Assessment. Includes data on CAH system affiliation; median average daily census and emergency department volume; median swing bed admissions and swing bed length of stay; hospital inpatient, behavioral health and specialty care, and outpatient and other service lines; and CAH quality payment model participation.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
view details
Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS): 2025 Improvement Activities Performance Category Quick Start Guide
Provides an overview of Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) requirements, data collection, and data submission for the improvement activities performance category for the 2025 performance year. Includes information about special status scoring for small practices and clinicians located in a rural or Health Professional Shortage Area.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
view details
Provides an overview of Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) requirements, data collection, and data submission for the improvement activities performance category for the 2025 performance year. Includes information about special status scoring for small practices and clinicians located in a rural or Health Professional Shortage Area.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
view details
Impact of Alcohol Use Disorder on Inpatient Hospitalizations: A Comparison of Outcomes Between Urban and Rural Veterans Affairs Hospitals
Analyzes Veterans Health Administration hospital admissions data from 2016 to 2020 to determine the burden of alcohol use disorder on 129 rural and urban hospitals. Data shows break down of patient characteristics, hospital characteristics, and admissions characteristics. Discusses mortality and the potential impact of COVID-19.
Author(s): James Willey, Peter Kaboli, Andrea Holcombe, et al.
Citation: Journal of Hospital Medicine, 20(5), 463-470
Date: 05/2025
view details
Analyzes Veterans Health Administration hospital admissions data from 2016 to 2020 to determine the burden of alcohol use disorder on 129 rural and urban hospitals. Data shows break down of patient characteristics, hospital characteristics, and admissions characteristics. Discusses mortality and the potential impact of COVID-19.
Author(s): James Willey, Peter Kaboli, Andrea Holcombe, et al.
Citation: Journal of Hospital Medicine, 20(5), 463-470
Date: 05/2025
view details
Medicare Shared Savings Program: Rule Changes and Implications for Rural Health Care Organizations
Summarizes changes to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare Shared Savings Program (SSP) that take effect in January 2023 for current participants, and in January 2024 for organizations applying for a January 1, 2024 start. Discusses the potential impact of these changes on rural health and participation considerations.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
view details
Summarizes changes to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare Shared Savings Program (SSP) that take effect in January 2023 for current participants, and in January 2024 for organizations applying for a January 1, 2024 start. Discusses the potential impact of these changes on rural health and participation considerations.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
view details
Reflections from Lived Experience: Disability and Public Libraries
Examines disability needs as related to rural public libraries and their services. Focuses on library networking, information resources, outreach, and accessing community resources in rural areas. Discusses library services such as assisting with health insurance and benefits enrollment, social connectedness, transportation needs, and more.
Author(s): Jeff Gutierrez
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Montana: Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities
view details
Examines disability needs as related to rural public libraries and their services. Focuses on library networking, information resources, outreach, and accessing community resources in rural areas. Discusses library services such as assisting with health insurance and benefits enrollment, social connectedness, transportation needs, and more.
Author(s): Jeff Gutierrez
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Montana: Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities
view details