Rural Pharmacy and Prescription Drugs resources via the Rural Health Information Hub

Resource: Medicare Advantage Plan Availability Varies Widely by County for 2027

Fri, 09 Oct 2026 09:51:46 -0500

Describes the availability of Medicare Advantage prescription drug (MA-PD) plans in 2027. Presents data on MA-PD plan availability by county in 2026 and 2027, as well as the number of counties 10 MA insurers have entered and exited between 2026 and 2027. -- KFF

News: Q&A: Why Rural Pharmacies Prioritize Trust Over Technology

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 09:23:30 -0500

Offers an interview with an Appalachian pharmacy educator discussing access to pharmacies for rural communities. Discusses policy, rural culture, barriers in healthcare access, trust, and rural innovation.

News: CMS: Global Benchmark for Efficient Drug Pricing (GLOBE) Model

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 09:00:24 -0500

Notice of final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) implementing the Global Benchmark for Efficient Drug Pricing Model (GLOBE Model), a new Medicare payment model under section 1115A of the Social Security Act. The GLOBE Model would test whether a payment model that uses an alternative method for calculating Part B inflation rebate amounts for certain separately payable Part B drugs and biological products reduces costs for Original Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) beneficiaries and the Medicare program while preserving quality of care. This rule also summarizes and responds to comments received on the December 23, 2025, proposed rule, including the potential impact of this model on small rural hospitals. These regulations are effective November 30, 2026.

Resource: Availability of Real-Time Prescription Benefit Information Among U.S. Hospitals

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 11:48:21 -0500

Describes the availability of real-time prescription benefit (RTPB) information across U.S. hospitals in 2025. Presents data and analysis on RTPB information availability by hospital type, including Critical Access Hospital (CAH) designation, rural location, system affiliation, Accountable Care Organization (ACO) participation, ownership status, and more. -- Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology

News: CMS: Request for Information; Medicare Part D Reasonable and Relevant Pharmacy Contracting Standards

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 09:00:03 -0500

Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeking public input regarding the establishment of standards for reasonable and relevant pharmacy contract terms and conditions under the Medicare prescription drug benefit as outlined by Section 6223(a) of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 (P.L. 119-75). Specifically, CMS seeks comments on pharmacy reimbursement and dispensing fees, current contract practices, trends in contract terms and conditions, and pharmacy quality and performance measures, among other things. Comments are due by November 23, 2026.

Resource: Geographical Access to Preferred Pharmacies in Medicare Part D

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 08:46:53 -0500

Analyzes access to preferred pharmacies in Medicare Part D prescription drug plans (PDPs) and Medicare Advantage PDPs (MAPDs). Utilizes multiple data sources to examine the nearest preferred pharmacy in MAPDs and stand-alone PDPs across rural and urban ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs). Discusses geographic disparities related to PDP and MAPD access.

Resource: Rural West Virginia Health Center Helps Patients Access Prescriptions

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 15:46:19 -0500

Features Mountain Laurel Integrated Healthcare (MLIH), which started its own onsite pharmacy to help patients fill prescriptions the same day they see their provider. MLIH offers medication management, compliance packaging, and assistance addressing access barriers. -- Rural Health Information Hub

Event: 2027 Annual 340B Coalition Summer Conference

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 16:10:39 -0500

Washington DC
July 12, 2027

Resource: Analysis of 340B Program Impact on Rural Hospitals

Fri, 29 May 2026 10:17:53 -0500

Examines the impact of the 340B program on rural hospitals and their patients. Provides data on rural versus urban payers and patient demographics, utilization of 340B drugs under Medicare Part B, financial metrics, and more.

Event: 2027 Annual 340B Coalition Winter Conference

Mon, 18 May 2026 14:46:53 -0500

San Diego CA
February 22, 2027

Resource: Where Primary Care and Clinical Pharmacy Services 'Intersect': Louisiana Program Helps Patients Understand and Manage Medications

Wed, 13 May 2026 13:13:23 -0500

Features a program at Arbor Family Health in Louisiana that connects chronic disease patients with nurse health coaches and clinical pharmacists. Shares how pharmacy faculty and students from the Xavier University of Louisiana's College of Pharmacy conduct annual comprehensive medication reviews by phone. -- Rural Health Information Hub

Resource: April 2026 MedPAC Meeting Transcript

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 10:52:21 -0500

Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) April 2026 meeting. Covers Medicare payment incentives, regional benchmarks and benchmark-plan availability in the Part D prescription drug plan (PDP) market, preferred networks and pharmacy access in Medicare Part D, the estimated association between Medicare Advantage enrollment and hospitals' and post-acute care providers' finances, information sources that beneficiaries use to make Medicare enrollment decisions, and institutional special-needs plans. Includes a mandated report on the assessment of the Medicare ground ambulance data collection system. Includes rural references and considerations throughout. -- Medicare Payment Advisory Commission

Resource: Unapologetically Built Backwards: ONU HealthWise, Pharmacist-Driven Healthcare Access in Rural Ohio

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 14:33:18 -0500

Features a university pharmacy department in rural Ohio that prepares pharmacy students for rural practice while also providing mobile services in nearby rural counties. Describes how the program has expanded to offer interprofessional education experiences and serve a larger region. -- Rural Health Information Hub

Resource: Barriers to Implementing a Pharmacist-Led COPD CARE Bundle in Rural Settings: A Qualitative Evaluation

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 12:11:04 -0500

Examines barriers to implementing the COPD Coordinated Access to Reduce Exacerbations (COPD CARE) program, a care bundle focused on improving chronic obstructive pulmonary disease care coordination among pharmacists, nurse care managers, and other pharmacy clinicians in the Veterans Affairs system. Describes themes from clinician interviews, including discussion of staffing challenges, limited referral availability, fragmentation of care, technological limitations, and more.

Resource: Rural Health System Administrator Perspectives on Pharmacists' Role in Collaborative Drug Therapy Management

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 09:45:27 -0600

Examines the impact of pharmacist-led collaborative drug therapy modification (CDTM) on access to patient care in rural Georgia. Utilizes interview feedback from 7 primary healthcare system administrators regarding CDTM benefits and barriers, such as patient access to care, interprofessional collaboration among healthcare professionals, pharmacist knowledge and scope of practice, financial impacts, and more.

Resource: Pharmacy Barriers to Receiving Buprenorphine among Patients Undergoing Telemedicine Addiction Treatment

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 10:39:51 -0600

Presents a study exploring pharmacy-level barriers experienced by patients with opioid use disorder who are receiving treatment via telemedicine. Discusses barriers that lead to missed doses or inaccessible prescriptions. Breaks down data by health and demographic characteristics, such as age, education, and insurance type, among others, and whether the patient lived in a rural or nonrural area.

Resource: How USPS Network Changes Threaten Prescription Drug Access for Vulnerable Populations

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 11:45:55 -0600

Discusses the impact of mail processing changes on mail-order medication and asthma and diabetes management for rural communities. Highlights the "triple burden" of limited pharmacy access, high use of mail-order prescriptions, and proximity to postal service restructuring. Includes rural and urban comparisons, Medicare data, and county-level analysis. -- The Brookings Institution

Resource: Calendar Year 2026 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center Final Rule (CMS-1834-FC)

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 16:00:00 -0600

Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare payments for hospital outpatient and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) services for calendar year 2026. Summarizes provisions regarding changes to hospital price transparency; Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) and partial hospital program rate setting; updates to the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR), Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR), and Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Programs; hospital quality start ratings; and more. -- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Resource: Innovations in Pharmacy Training and Sustainable Practice to Advance Patient Care: Proceedings of a Workshop (2025)

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 15:29:28 -0600

Proceedings from a workshop convened May 29-30, 2025, exploring opportunities and challenges in pharmacy. Features sections on pharmacy deserts and workforce, financial sustainability, education and training programs, and recommendations for the future. Mentions rural throughout. -- Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Resource: Drone-Based Medication Delivery for Rural, Flood-Prone Coastal Communities

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 09:48:06 -0500

Discusses access to essential medical services and healthcare for rural communities in Virginia's flood-prone Eastern Shore. Utilizes geospatial data to examine the impact of drone-based medication delivery to overcome transportation barriers in these communities.

Resource: The 340B Drug Discount Program: Litigation Topics and Trends

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 11:48:33 -0500

Provides an overview of the 340B Drug Discount Program. Discusses litigation surrounding the 340B program, including lawsuits against 340B-covered entities over their use of contract pharmacies to distribute 340B drugs to patients and lawsuits against states that have enacted laws to protect contract pharmacies and covered entities inside their state. Describes courts' interpretation of the 340B statute. Offers considerations for the 119th Congress in light of the litigation and describes several legislative changes that Congress could make to the program if it chose to do so. -- Congressional Research Service

Resource: Growth in the 340B Drug Pricing Program

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 11:06:31 -0500

Explores trends in drug purchases through the 340B program between 2010-2021. Discusses drugs purchased through the Prime Vendor Program, factors contributing to growth in the 340B program, and effects of the 340B program on the federal budget. Includes information on the growth of 340B Program participation by hospitals in Medicaid expansion and non-expansion states by Critical Access Hospital designation. -- Congressional Budget Office

Resource: Rural Beneficiary Access to Medicare Advantage-Part D Plans

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 10:53:48 -0500

Policy brief updating RUPRI's analysis of Medicare Advantage-Part D plans (MA-PDs) including enhanced benefit plan availability and differences in characteristics across metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore areas. Features statistics including number of MA-PDs and stand-alone prescription drug plans (PDPs), average monthly premium costs, and availability in metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore areas from 2008-2023. -- RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis

Resource: Congress Must Act to Bring Needed Reforms to the 340B Drug Pricing Program: Majority Staff Report

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 09:09:08 -0500

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. -- Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions

Resource: Projecting the Impact of the $2,000 Part D Out-Of-Pocket Cap for Medicare Part D Enrollees with High Prescription Drug Spending

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 14:32:45 -0600

Examines the impact of the Medicare Part D $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket prescription drugs. Provides projected savings according to low-income subsidy (LIS) status, state, and demographic characteristics, including urban, rural-micropolitan, rural-other, or unclassified geographic location. -- HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation

Resource: Screening and Referral Programs for Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease: Can Community Pharmacists Bridge the Care Gap?

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 09:13:49 -0600

Examines the community-based valued-driven care initiative (CVCI) in community pharmacies to evaluate its effectiveness related to screening and referral (S&R) to treat cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes mellitus (DM). Analyzes patient demographics and success rates of CVD and DM S&R in 6 community pharmacies, with both rural and urban locations represented.

Resource: Buprenorphine Injection among Rural Persons Who Inject Drugs

Thu, 12 Dec 2024 15:07:24 -0600

Describes buprenorphine use by rural people who inject drugs, using data from the Rural Opioid Initiative, to inform patient-clinician discussions and public health interventions. Features demographics and behavioral characteristics of 2,369 people who were surveyed between 2018-2020.

Resource: Pharmacy-Based Preventive Services for Opioid Use Disorder: A Survey of U.S. Pharmacists

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 09:34:13 -0600

Examines pharmacist perceptions related to addressing opioid use disorder (OUD) and substance use disorder (SUD) in their patients. Utilizes online survey data from 1,146 pharmacists to analyze pharmacist concerns about drug use; drug screenings, interventions, and referrals; and commitment and readiness to address OUD and SUD in their patients. Includes breakdowns of pharmacist demographics as well as rurality of pharmacy locations.

Resource: Community Responses and Adaptations Following the Closure of a Rural Pharmacy and Primary Care Facility

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 09:50:10 -0600

Uses interviews with 26 community members to identify the impact of a pharmacy and primary healthcare facility closure in a rural Pennsylvania community. Discusses challenges for vulnerable populations, distance to care, social networks, delayed treatment, emergency medical services, alternative medicine, and more.

Resource: Ensuring Access To Care: 340B Arrangements with Community and Specialty Pharmacies Improve Access to Care for Underserved Patients

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 09:23:45 -0500

Provides an overview of the 340B Drug Pricing Program, related legislation, benefits to underserved communities, relationship to specialty and community pharmacies, and more. Includes discussion on the value of the 340B program for rural pharmacies. -- American Hospital Association