Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access
NADTC Best Practices Compendium
Highlights innovative programs, best practices, and lessons learned by 16 programs funded by the National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC) between 2017-2019. Identifies common themes across the programs that serve as key considerations for communities that want to expand accessible transportation options for older adults and people with disabilities. Includes a section focused on rural transportation programs.
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Aging and Disability Transportation Center
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Highlights innovative programs, best practices, and lessons learned by 16 programs funded by the National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC) between 2017-2019. Identifies common themes across the programs that serve as key considerations for communities that want to expand accessible transportation options for older adults and people with disabilities. Includes a section focused on rural transportation programs.
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Aging and Disability Transportation Center
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Housing Affordability, Adequacy, and Access to the Internet in Homes of Medicaid Enrollees
Examines the housing adequacy, affordability, and internet access among Medicaid enrollees in 2019. Describes the impact of housing conditions on health, with a focus on the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses policy options for Medicaid programs to address housing challenges. Presents data by Medicaid enrollee demographic characteristics, including race/ethnicity, age, sex, and metro/non-metro status.
Author(s): Bradley Corallo
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Examines the housing adequacy, affordability, and internet access among Medicaid enrollees in 2019. Describes the impact of housing conditions on health, with a focus on the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses policy options for Medicaid programs to address housing challenges. Presents data by Medicaid enrollee demographic characteristics, including race/ethnicity, age, sex, and metro/non-metro status.
Author(s): Bradley Corallo
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Opportunities Exist to Strengthen Evaluation and Oversight of Telehealth for Behavioral Health in Medicaid
Explores how 37 states evaluated and conducted oversight of telehealth for behavioral health services for Medicaid enrollees in January and February 2020. Discusses states' experiences with telehealth and the impacts of telehealth on access to care, as well as concerns regarding the impact of these services on cost and quality of care. Provides recommendations for states the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to meet the behavioral health needs of Medicaid enrollees and prevent fraud, waste, and abuse.
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Explores how 37 states evaluated and conducted oversight of telehealth for behavioral health services for Medicaid enrollees in January and February 2020. Discusses states' experiences with telehealth and the impacts of telehealth on access to care, as well as concerns regarding the impact of these services on cost and quality of care. Provides recommendations for states the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to meet the behavioral health needs of Medicaid enrollees and prevent fraud, waste, and abuse.
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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States Reported Multiple Challenges with Using Telehealth to Provide Behavioral Health Services to Medicaid Enrollees
Summarizes results of a January-February 2020 survey of State Medicaid Directors in 37 states that provide behavioral health services via telehealth through managed care organizations. Describes challenges with using telehealth to serve Medicaid enrollees, including provider and enrollee training, internet connectivity, privacy, and technology costs. Offers recommendations for the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to help states address these challenges.
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Summarizes results of a January-February 2020 survey of State Medicaid Directors in 37 states that provide behavioral health services via telehealth through managed care organizations. Describes challenges with using telehealth to serve Medicaid enrollees, including provider and enrollee training, internet connectivity, privacy, and technology costs. Offers recommendations for the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to help states address these challenges.
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Availability of Post-Acute Care and Long-Term Care Services in Rural Areas
September 14, 2021 webinar discussing the availability of post-acute care and long-term services in rural areas. Shares information on nursing home closures, nursing home deserts, and data describing nursing homes characteristics by metro and nonmetro location. Includes an analysis of hospitals with swing beds that provide coverage for post-acute care and long-term services in rural areas and home health services in rural areas without nursing homes.
Additional links: Presentation Slides, Transcript
Author(s): Hari Sharma
Date: 09/2021
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Research Gateway
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September 14, 2021 webinar discussing the availability of post-acute care and long-term services in rural areas. Shares information on nursing home closures, nursing home deserts, and data describing nursing homes characteristics by metro and nonmetro location. Includes an analysis of hospitals with swing beds that provide coverage for post-acute care and long-term services in rural areas and home health services in rural areas without nursing homes.
Additional links: Presentation Slides, Transcript
Author(s): Hari Sharma
Date: 09/2021
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Research Gateway
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Ready to Respond: Mental Health Beyond Crisis and COVID-19
Report highlights strategies for addressing the need for mental health services in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Details seven recommendations for state mental health programs post-pandemic and discusses workforce challenges and how telehealth can be used to expand access to care to rural and underserved areas.
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors
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Report highlights strategies for addressing the need for mental health services in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Details seven recommendations for state mental health programs post-pandemic and discusses workforce challenges and how telehealth can be used to expand access to care to rural and underserved areas.
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors
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Changes in Socioeconomic Mix and Health Outcomes in Rural Counties with Hospital Closures, 2005-2018
Explores changes in socioeconomic mix and health outcomes that occurred in micropolitan and noncore counties with and without a complete hospital closure between 2005-2018, using the 2013 National Center for Health Statistics Rural Classification Scheme for Counties. Features statistics on number of counties that experienced hospital closures, percentage of hospital closures by Medicaid expansion status, trends in area unemployment and poverty rates and proportion of non-white residents across counties by closure status, and mortality rates, with breakdowns by micropolitan and noncore areas.
Author(s): Nathaniel Bell, Peiyin Hung, Kewei Shi, et al.
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
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Explores changes in socioeconomic mix and health outcomes that occurred in micropolitan and noncore counties with and without a complete hospital closure between 2005-2018, using the 2013 National Center for Health Statistics Rural Classification Scheme for Counties. Features statistics on number of counties that experienced hospital closures, percentage of hospital closures by Medicaid expansion status, trends in area unemployment and poverty rates and proportion of non-white residents across counties by closure status, and mortality rates, with breakdowns by micropolitan and noncore areas.
Author(s): Nathaniel Bell, Peiyin Hung, Kewei Shi, et al.
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
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Geographic Access to Health Care for Rural Medicare Beneficiaries: A National Study
Policy brief exploring rural and urban healthcare, geographic access to providers, and types of providers seen by Medicare beneficiaries based on Medicare administrative data from 2014. Charts offer rural and urban comparisons of characteristics of beneficiaries, number of visits by region, number of visits by race/ethnicity, visits by provider type, and travel distance and time.
Author(s): Eric H. Larson, C. Holly A. Andrilla, Lisa A. Garberson, David V. Evans
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Policy brief exploring rural and urban healthcare, geographic access to providers, and types of providers seen by Medicare beneficiaries based on Medicare administrative data from 2014. Charts offer rural and urban comparisons of characteristics of beneficiaries, number of visits by region, number of visits by race/ethnicity, visits by provider type, and travel distance and time.
Author(s): Eric H. Larson, C. Holly A. Andrilla, Lisa A. Garberson, David V. Evans
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Keeping the Doors Open: Vulnerable Rural Hospitals Benefit from Federally Funded Technical Assistance
Features the work of Texas A&M's Center for Optimizing Rural Health (CORH), which provides technical assistance through a federally funded program for vulnerable hospitals. Highlights the experiences of a participating Oklahoma hospital.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Features the work of Texas A&M's Center for Optimizing Rural Health (CORH), which provides technical assistance through a federally funded program for vulnerable hospitals. Highlights the experiences of a participating Oklahoma hospital.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Overview of Barriers and Facilitators in COVID-19 Vaccine Outreach
Provides an overview of lessons learned from infectious disease outbreaks about barriers to vaccine uptake. Describes examples of promising and innovative COVID-19 vaccination outreach strategies, including strategies to build vaccine confidence in rural communities. Identifies best practices that could be used to inform outreach in areas with low vaccination rates. Highlights online tools and resources to assist with the design of vaccine outreach programs.
Author(s): Aldren Gonzales, Euny C. Lee, Violanda Grigorescu, et al.
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Provides an overview of lessons learned from infectious disease outbreaks about barriers to vaccine uptake. Describes examples of promising and innovative COVID-19 vaccination outreach strategies, including strategies to build vaccine confidence in rural communities. Identifies best practices that could be used to inform outreach in areas with low vaccination rates. Highlights online tools and resources to assist with the design of vaccine outreach programs.
Author(s): Aldren Gonzales, Euny C. Lee, Violanda Grigorescu, et al.
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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