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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access

Hospitals Reported That the COVID-19 Pandemic Has Significantly Strained Health Care Delivery
Examines how the COVID-19 pandemic response impacted hospitals' capacity to care for patients, staff, and communities, based on a February 22-26, 2021 brief survey of hospital administrators. Includes discussion of challenges faced by rural hospitals related to hospital operations and rural access to vaccinations.
Date: 03/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Testimony: Medicaid and CHIP in the U.S. Territories
Presents the statement of the Executive Director of Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission in a hearing before the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Energy and Commerce's Subcommittee on Health regarding the role Medicaid and CHIP play in securing healthcare access in the U.S Territories. Compares current funding through Medicaid for the Territories with the projected funding if no action is taken.
Author(s): Anne L. Schwartz
Date: 03/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Telehealth & Medicaid: A Policy Webinar Series
Summarizes a series of webinars on Medicaid telehealth policy changes during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics covered include telehealth policy developments related to the public health emergency (PHE), Medicaid program engagement and education of healthcare providers, patient education and engagement to increase telehealth access, and discussions of the future of telehealth policy. Offers specific examples from state-level Medicaid programs, with charts and data on telehealth utilization and outcomes.
Date: 03/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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CHWs At Work: Making a Difference for Oklahoma's Marshallese Community
Highlights an Oklahoma program that uses community health workers (CHWs) for outreach to the Marshallese community in a three-county area. Provides a brief history and overview of the Marshallese population and discusses the health concerns the CHWs address.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 03/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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An Examination of Telehealth Policy Impacts on Initial Rural Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Patterns During the COVID‐19 Pandemic
Explores changes in the patterns of medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in western North Carolina during the COVID-19 pandemic. Examines the impact of telehealth policy changes during the pandemic on the patient population seen for MOUD, access to MOUD services for rural patients, overall MOUD clinic volume, and changes to the provision of MOUD.
Author(s): Phillip M. Hughes, Genevieve Verrastro, Carriedelle Wilson Fusco, Courtenay Gilmore Wilson, Bayla Ostrach
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 37(3), 467-472
Date: 03/2021
Type: Document
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COVID-19 and Rural Communities: Protecting Rural Lives and Health
Report examining the impact of COVID-19 in rural America, presenting data on case rates and mortality, prevalence in diverse rural communities, and health conditions contributing to severe cases of COVID-19. Discusses issues of socioeconomic vulnerability, healthcare access, and public health compliance. Offers actions to address disparities, including increasing access, supporting livelihoods, and considering social determinants of health in healthcare planning.
Author(s): Jesse Bradford, Erica Coe, Kana Enomoto, Matt White
Date: 03/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: McKinsey & Company
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The Digital Divide: What Is It, Where Is It, and Federal Assistance Programs
Describes the availability of broadband internet access in the United States by state and across urban, rural, and tribal areas. Outlines federal programs to fund and support broadband infrastructure and deployment.
Date: 03/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Trends in Heart Failure-Related Cardiovascular Mortality in Rural Versus Urban United States Counties, 2011–2018: A Cross-Sectional Study
Study comparing rates of cardiovascular disease in rural and urban areas at the county level. Analyzes CDC WONDER data on heart failure deaths related to cardiovascular disease between 2011 and 2018, comparing population demographics, socioeconomic characteristics, risk factor prevalence, and physician density. Discusses issues of access to care in rural areas with high rates of heart failure.
Author(s): Jacob B. Pierce, Nilay S. Shah, Lucia C. Petito, et al.
Citation: PLoS One, 16(3), e0246813
Date: 03/2021
Type: Document
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The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021: Broadband Provisions - In Brief
Provides an overview of broadband-related provisions of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. Discusses the COVID-19 Telehealth Program and the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program. Highlights new grant programs to support broadband connectivity on tribal lands and broadband infrastructure deployment to areas lacking broadband.
Date: 03/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Geographic Expansion of Medicaid Managed Care Organizations: Assessing Access to Primary Care in Nonmetropolitan Counties
Presents a study on primary care access for Medicaid beneficiaries in nonmetropolitan counties who were enrolled through managed care organizations (MCOs) from 2012 to 2018. Details the level of access to primary care in the nonmetropolitan counties of 15 states and compares the rates of access for beneficiaries enrolled through MCOs established before 2012 and after 2012. Discusses findings and makes recommendations for policy makers.
Author(s): Linda Li, Matthew Najarian, Abigail R. Barker, et al.
Date: 03/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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