Rural Healthcare Quality – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Healthcare Quality.
Shared Savings Program Fast Facts
Provides summary statistics on the Medicare Shared Savings Program as of January 1, 2026. Offers data on the number of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), assigned beneficiaries, total earned shared savings, and quality scores each year since 2012; the number and percent of ACOs in each track; and more. Includes information on ACO participants, including the number of Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) participating in the program.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides summary statistics on the Medicare Shared Savings Program as of January 1, 2026. Offers data on the number of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), assigned beneficiaries, total earned shared savings, and quality scores each year since 2012; the number and percent of ACOs in each track; and more. Includes information on ACO participants, including the number of Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) participating in the program.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Advancing Diagnostic Excellence in Rural Areas: Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief
Summarizes proceedings from an October 2025 workshop discussing current diagnostic challenges in rural areas and identifying strategies for improvement. Covers topics including access to diagnosis, diagnosis-related health disparities, new technologies and innovations, workforce training, education, and support, and other innovations in diagnosis and patient-centered care.
Additional links: Read Online
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Summarizes proceedings from an October 2025 workshop discussing current diagnostic challenges in rural areas and identifying strategies for improvement. Covers topics including access to diagnosis, diagnosis-related health disparities, new technologies and innovations, workforce training, education, and support, and other innovations in diagnosis and patient-centered care.
Additional links: Read Online
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Medicare Fee-for-Service Health Care Expenditures among Rural and Urban Beneficiaries During 2009-2019
Examines trends in Medicare Fee-for-Service spending among rural noncore, rural micropolitan, and urban beneficiaries, utilizing 2009-2019 CMS Medicare Geographic Variation Public Use files data. Details rural-urban differences in spending over time on per-patient hospital inpatient, hospital outpatient, physician services, and post-acute care, among other categories. Discusses implications for healthcare access and quality.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Theodoros Giannouchos, Xuanzi Qin, et al.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
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Examines trends in Medicare Fee-for-Service spending among rural noncore, rural micropolitan, and urban beneficiaries, utilizing 2009-2019 CMS Medicare Geographic Variation Public Use files data. Details rural-urban differences in spending over time on per-patient hospital inpatient, hospital outpatient, physician services, and post-acute care, among other categories. Discusses implications for healthcare access and quality.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Theodoros Giannouchos, Xuanzi Qin, et al.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
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Small Practices Guide: Getting Started with Electronic Clinical Quality Measure (CQM) Reporting
Provides an overview of electronic clinical quality measures (eCQMs) under the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). Describes how small practices can report eCQMs, whether participating as an individual clinician, group, subgroup, or Alternative Payment Model (APM) Entity.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of electronic clinical quality measures (eCQMs) under the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). Describes how small practices can report eCQMs, whether participating as an individual clinician, group, subgroup, or Alternative Payment Model (APM) Entity.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Management of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors by Rural and Urban Primary Care Practices
Results of a study comparing management of cardiovascular disease risk factors between rural and urban practices, using data from a national primary care registry from 2016-2020. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban, large rural, and small rural areas.
Author(s): Lars E. Peterson, Zachary J. Morgan
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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Results of a study comparing management of cardiovascular disease risk factors between rural and urban practices, using data from a national primary care registry from 2016-2020. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban, large rural, and small rural areas.
Author(s): Lars E. Peterson, Zachary J. Morgan
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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Use of Preventive Services by Rurality, Disability Status, and Health Insurance
Examines rates of use of routine physicals and flu vaccination by rural or urban location, disability status, and health insurance type. Uses data from the 2022 National Health Interview Survey.
Author(s): Alexis Swendener, Katie Rydberg, Lisa I. Iezzoni, Carrie Henning-Smith
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Examines rates of use of routine physicals and flu vaccination by rural or urban location, disability status, and health insurance type. Uses data from the 2022 National Health Interview Survey.
Author(s): Alexis Swendener, Katie Rydberg, Lisa I. Iezzoni, Carrie Henning-Smith
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) 2026 Small Practice Eligibility and Participation Frequently Asked Questions
Provides answers to frequently asked questions regarding small practice participation and eligibility for the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) for the 2026 performance year. Covers individual and group eligibility, the low-volume threshold, changes to group composition during the performance year, and more.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides answers to frequently asked questions regarding small practice participation and eligibility for the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) for the 2026 performance year. Covers individual and group eligibility, the low-volume threshold, changes to group composition during the performance year, and more.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS): 2026 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 2026 performance year. Includes information about special status scoring for small practices and clinicians located in a rural or Health Professional Shortage Area.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) requirements, data collection, and data submission for the improvement activities performance category for the 2026 performance year. Includes information about special status scoring for small practices and clinicians located in a rural or Health Professional Shortage Area.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS): 2026 MIPS Quick Start Guide for Small Practices
Provides an overview of the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). Outlines 6 steps for small practices regarding participation in the 2026 performance year. Includes information on performance category redistribution policies for small practices.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). Outlines 6 steps for small practices regarding participation in the 2026 performance year. Includes information on performance category redistribution policies for small practices.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS): 2025 Opt-in and Voluntary Reporting Election 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 2025 performance period. Compares opting in and voluntarily reporting MIPS data and provides an overview of the election process.
Date: 12/2025
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 2025 performance period. Compares opting in and voluntarily reporting MIPS data and provides an overview of the election process.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Last Updated: 2/5/2026