Rural Health Policy – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Health Policy.
Advancing Rural Maternal Health Equity
Summarizes the activities implemented by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Office of Minority Health between June 2019 and November 2021 as part of its Rural Maternal Health Initiative. Outlines next steps to address rural maternal health disparities. Includes potential solutions for rural providers and stakeholders from the Rural Obstetric Readiness Workgroup.
Date: 05/2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Summarizes the activities implemented by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Office of Minority Health between June 2019 and November 2021 as part of its Rural Maternal Health Initiative. Outlines next steps to address rural maternal health disparities. Includes potential solutions for rural providers and stakeholders from the Rural Obstetric Readiness Workgroup.
Date: 05/2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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ARPA's Enhanced Premium Subsidies Provide Particularly Large Benefits to Residents of Rural Areas
Compares the differences between average Marketplace benchmark monthly premiums in urban and rural areas in each state in 2022. Discusses the impact of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) expanded premium subsidies in rural areas.
Author(s): John Holahan, Erik Wengle, Claire O'Brien
Date: 05/2022
Sponsoring organization: Urban Institute
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Compares the differences between average Marketplace benchmark monthly premiums in urban and rural areas in each state in 2022. Discusses the impact of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) expanded premium subsidies in rural areas.
Author(s): John Holahan, Erik Wengle, Claire O'Brien
Date: 05/2022
Sponsoring organization: Urban Institute
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The Impact of COVID-19 on the Rural Health Care Landscape: Challenges and Opportunities
Presents an overview of key findings from interviews with stakeholders in eight states - Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming - regarding the rural healthcare landscape. Discusses rural hospital financial health, rural hospital transformation models, challenges facing the rural healthcare workforce, and the role of telehealth in increasing access to care. Provides recommendations aimed at further advancing the use of virtual care in all communities, including rural and frontier areas, beyond the temporary federal COVID-19 public health emergency flexibilities.
Author(s): Sabah Bhatnagar, Julia Harris, Tara Hartnett, et al.
Date: 05/2022
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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Presents an overview of key findings from interviews with stakeholders in eight states - Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming - regarding the rural healthcare landscape. Discusses rural hospital financial health, rural hospital transformation models, challenges facing the rural healthcare workforce, and the role of telehealth in increasing access to care. Provides recommendations aimed at further advancing the use of virtual care in all communities, including rural and frontier areas, beyond the temporary federal COVID-19 public health emergency flexibilities.
Author(s): Sabah Bhatnagar, Julia Harris, Tara Hartnett, et al.
Date: 05/2022
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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The Effectiveness of Policies to Improve Primary Care Access for Underserved Populations: An Assessment of the Literature
Review of research literature to assess whether policy initiatives targeting primary care access for rural and underserved populations has been effective in reducing healthcare disparities. Initiatives considered include availability, accessibility, accommodation, affordability, and acceptability.
Additional links: Fact Sheet: Alleviating Structural Barriers to Obtaining Primary Care Services, Fact Sheet: Bringing Outpatient Clinics into Communities, Fact Sheet: Ensuring Comfort and Communication in the Delivery of Primary Care Services, Fact Sheet: Increasing the Availability of Primary Care Clinicians, Fact Sheet: Removing Financial Barriers to Primary Care
Author(s): Maanasa Kona, Megan Houston, Nia Gooding
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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Review of research literature to assess whether policy initiatives targeting primary care access for rural and underserved populations has been effective in reducing healthcare disparities. Initiatives considered include availability, accessibility, accommodation, affordability, and acceptability.
Additional links: Fact Sheet: Alleviating Structural Barriers to Obtaining Primary Care Services, Fact Sheet: Bringing Outpatient Clinics into Communities, Fact Sheet: Ensuring Comfort and Communication in the Delivery of Primary Care Services, Fact Sheet: Increasing the Availability of Primary Care Clinicians, Fact Sheet: Removing Financial Barriers to Primary Care
Author(s): Maanasa Kona, Megan Houston, Nia Gooding
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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ASTHO Legislative Prospectus: Rural Health
Discusses legislative trends to support rural healthcare access and facilities. Includes information on developing loan repayment programs for medical providers in rural areas, supporting behavioral healthcare, expanding telehealth, and creating broadband infrastructure.
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
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Discusses legislative trends to support rural healthcare access and facilities. Includes information on developing loan repayment programs for medical providers in rural areas, supporting behavioral healthcare, expanding telehealth, and creating broadband infrastructure.
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
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Medicare: Information on the Transition to Alternative Payment Models by Providers in Rural, Health Professional Shortage, or Underserved Areas
Describes the participation of providers in rural and health professional shortage areas in Advanced APMs from 2017 through 2019. Discusses challenges providers in rural, shortage, and underserved areas face in transitioning to APMs, as well as actions CMS takes to help these providers transition to APMs. Includes data by practice and provider type.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Describes the participation of providers in rural and health professional shortage areas in Advanced APMs from 2017 through 2019. Discusses challenges providers in rural, shortage, and underserved areas face in transitioning to APMs, as well as actions CMS takes to help these providers transition to APMs. Includes data by practice and provider type.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Medicaid and Housing Partnerships: A Resource for Local Health Departments
Explores how local health departments (LHDs) in rural areas can utilize Medicaid managed care levers to address homelessness and housing security issues. Summarizes results from a gap analysis and readiness assessment which identified key opportunities to help prepare 3 LHDs in rural North Carolina counties for the transition to Medicaid-managed care. Identifies action steps for these counties to strengthen housing supports that can also inform similar initiatives in other states.
Author(s): Matthew Ralls, Kathy Moses, Rob Houston
Date: 07/2021
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Explores how local health departments (LHDs) in rural areas can utilize Medicaid managed care levers to address homelessness and housing security issues. Summarizes results from a gap analysis and readiness assessment which identified key opportunities to help prepare 3 LHDs in rural North Carolina counties for the transition to Medicaid-managed care. Identifies action steps for these counties to strengthen housing supports that can also inform similar initiatives in other states.
Author(s): Matthew Ralls, Kathy Moses, Rob Houston
Date: 07/2021
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Medicaid and Rural Health
Provides an overview of rural residents, including socioeconomic characteristics, insurance status, and health status. Explores the availability of healthcare providers in rural areas, with a focus on primary care providers and hospitals. Discusses the role of Medicaid in rural health, as well as Medicaid policies and services that are important for providing healthcare in rural communities.
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Provides an overview of rural residents, including socioeconomic characteristics, insurance status, and health status. Explores the availability of healthcare providers in rural areas, with a focus on primary care providers and hospitals. Discusses the role of Medicaid in rural health, as well as Medicaid policies and services that are important for providing healthcare in rural communities.
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Supporting and Sustaining Rural Hospitals
Describes state and federal actions to support and safeguard rural hospitals. Discusses appropriated funding opportunities for struggling hospitals, Medicaid coverage and eligibility, alternative payment models, and technical assistance programs.
Author(s): Noah Cruz
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
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Describes state and federal actions to support and safeguard rural hospitals. Discusses appropriated funding opportunities for struggling hospitals, Medicaid coverage and eligibility, alternative payment models, and technical assistance programs.
Author(s): Noah Cruz
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
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American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (P.L. 117-2): Private Health Insurance, Medicaid, CHIP, and Medicare Provisions
Provides an overview of the provisions of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 that relate to private health insurance, Medicaid, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Medicare. Includes information on provisions specific to rural providers.
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Provides an overview of the provisions of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 that relate to private health insurance, Medicaid, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Medicare. Includes information on provisions specific to rural providers.
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Additional resources are available related to this guide. See the full list of resources by topic for: