Rural Healthcare Quality – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Healthcare Quality.
Calendar Year (CY) 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule (CMS-1848-F) — Medicare Shared Savings Program
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare Shared Savings Program for calendar year 2027. Covers modifications to the Shared Savings Program financial methodology, quality measurement and reporting, advance investment payments to encourage rural participation in Accountable Care Organizations, and more.
Date: 11/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare Shared Savings Program for calendar year 2027. Covers modifications to the Shared Savings Program financial methodology, quality measurement and reporting, advance investment payments to encourage rural participation in Accountable Care Organizations, and more.
Date: 11/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Calendar Year 2027 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Final Rule (CMS-1850-F)
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 2027. Summarizes provisions regarding changes to the inpatient only (IPO) list, Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) rate setting, updates to the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR) and Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR) programs, a cost-of-living adjustment to the nonlabor share of outpatient hospital service payments provided in Alaska and Hawaii, and more.
Date: 11/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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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 2027. Summarizes provisions regarding changes to the inpatient only (IPO) list, Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) rate setting, updates to the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR) and Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR) programs, a cost-of-living adjustment to the nonlabor share of outpatient hospital service payments provided in Alaska and Hawaii, and more.
Date: 11/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Calendar Year (CY) 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) Final Rule: Quality Payment Program (QPP) Fact Sheet and Policy Comparison Table
Provides an overview of the 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) final rule, focusing on policy changes impacting the Quality Payment Program (QPP). Describes quality measures that are new, revised, and removed for the 2027 performance period. Compares previous policies with the newly finalized policies by policy area.
Date: 11/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of the 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) final rule, focusing on policy changes impacting the Quality Payment Program (QPP). Describes quality measures that are new, revised, and removed for the 2027 performance period. Compares previous policies with the newly finalized policies by policy area.
Date: 11/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS): 2025 Performance Year/2027 MIPS Payment Year - Payment Adjustment User Guide
Provides information on Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) payment adjustments for calendar year 2027. Describes how 2025 MIPS scores relate to 2027 payment adjustments and how payment adjustments are applied. Offers answers to frequently asked questions.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Provides information on Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) payment adjustments for calendar year 2027. Describes how 2025 MIPS scores relate to 2027 payment adjustments and how payment adjustments are applied. Offers answers to frequently asked questions.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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County-Level Differences in Fee-for-Service Medicare Quality Measures by Rurality and Disability Status
Results of a study examining county-level differences in 3 fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare quality measures to address differences in quality of care by rurality and disability status. Features statistics on percent of FFS enrollees receiving flu vaccine and mammogram screening, and rate of hospital stays for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions, with breakdowns by rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Andrew Abram, Alexis Swendener, et al.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Results of a study examining county-level differences in 3 fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare quality measures to address differences in quality of care by rurality and disability status. Features statistics on percent of FFS enrollees receiving flu vaccine and mammogram screening, and rate of hospital stays for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions, with breakdowns by rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Andrew Abram, Alexis Swendener, et al.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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2025 Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Performance Feedback FAQs for Small Practices
Provides answers to frequently asked questions about the 2025 Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) performance feedback for small practices. Includes information on how to access and navigate performance feedback, as well as performance category reweighting and redistribution.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Provides answers to frequently asked questions about the 2025 Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) performance feedback for small practices. Includes information on how to access and navigate performance feedback, as well as performance category reweighting and redistribution.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Outpatient Care Fragmentation and Patient Satisfaction With Care
Examines the relationship between outpatient care fragmentation and Medicare patient satisfaction. Utilizes 2020-2022 survey data from 2,294 Medicare beneficiaries to analyze physician and practice-level fragmentation alongside patient satisfaction, measured by perceived accessibility, communication, coordination, and quality as experienced by rural, suburban, and urban Medicare populations.
Author(s): Isabella Ratto, Neelam Ahmed, Mengyuan Chen, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(3), e70220
Date: 09/2026
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Examines the relationship between outpatient care fragmentation and Medicare patient satisfaction. Utilizes 2020-2022 survey data from 2,294 Medicare beneficiaries to analyze physician and practice-level fragmentation alongside patient satisfaction, measured by perceived accessibility, communication, coordination, and quality as experienced by rural, suburban, and urban Medicare populations.
Author(s): Isabella Ratto, Neelam Ahmed, Mengyuan Chen, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(3), e70220
Date: 09/2026
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Rural Residence and Postsurgical Outcomes Among Medicare Beneficiaries
Explores the post-surgical outcomes of Medicare beneficiaries undergoing four common inpatient general surgery operations: appendectomy, cholecystectomy, colectomy, or incisional hernia repair. Compares quality outcomes including mortality, complications, 30-day readmissions, and discharge disposition for rural and nonrural Medicare beneficiaries using Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MEDPAR) data from 2016 to 2023.
Author(s): Cody Lendon Mullens, Adrian Diaz, Brooke C. Bredbeck, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(8), e2626959
Date: 08/2026
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Explores the post-surgical outcomes of Medicare beneficiaries undergoing four common inpatient general surgery operations: appendectomy, cholecystectomy, colectomy, or incisional hernia repair. Compares quality outcomes including mortality, complications, 30-day readmissions, and discharge disposition for rural and nonrural Medicare beneficiaries using Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MEDPAR) data from 2016 to 2023.
Author(s): Cody Lendon Mullens, Adrian Diaz, Brooke C. Bredbeck, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(8), e2626959
Date: 08/2026
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MVP Transition Toolkit for Small Practices
Zip file download, provides resources for small practices that participate in the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) to support the transition from traditional MIPS reporting to MIPS Value Pathways (MVP) reporting. Includes an MVP Transition Guide for Small Practices and a Measure Mapping Tool.
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Zip file download, provides resources for small practices that participate in the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) to support the transition from traditional MIPS reporting to MIPS Value Pathways (MVP) reporting. Includes an MVP Transition Guide for Small Practices and a Measure Mapping Tool.
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS): Small Practice Countdown to 2026 Performance Year (PY) Data Submission
Checklist outlining the steps small practices must follow to submit Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) 2026 performance year data. Highlights key dates and links to key resources for small practices.
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Checklist outlining the steps small practices must follow to submit Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) 2026 performance year data. Highlights key dates and links to key resources for small practices.
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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