Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access
Evolving Remote Monitoring: An Evidence-Based Approach to Coverage and Payment
Reports on trends in utilization of remote patient monitoring (RPM) and discusses policy and payment approaches for effectively and efficiently utilizing RPM, particularly via Medicare and Medicaid. Includes data and discussion of rural barriers to RPM access.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Peterson Center on Healthcare
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Reports on trends in utilization of remote patient monitoring (RPM) and discusses policy and payment approaches for effectively and efficiently utilizing RPM, particularly via Medicare and Medicaid. Includes data and discussion of rural barriers to RPM access.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Peterson Center on Healthcare
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Perceived Risk and HPV Vaccination Awareness Among Women in Rural and Underserved Communities in the State of Louisiana
Explores human papillomavirus (HPV) awareness and vaccination knowledge among women in rural and underserved areas of Louisiana, via a study of 141 women who participated in a mobile health unit-based study conducted between November 2022 and December 2023. Includes data on awareness of the existence of the HPV vaccine, history of being offered or receiving the HPV vaccine, willingness to be vaccinated, and the relationship between HPV knowledge and perceived HPV risk.
Author(s): Deborah Gurgel Smith, Emily M Dantes, Robbie Beyl, et al.
Citation: Journal of Community Health, 50(5), 826-832
Date: 04/2025
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Explores human papillomavirus (HPV) awareness and vaccination knowledge among women in rural and underserved areas of Louisiana, via a study of 141 women who participated in a mobile health unit-based study conducted between November 2022 and December 2023. Includes data on awareness of the existence of the HPV vaccine, history of being offered or receiving the HPV vaccine, willingness to be vaccinated, and the relationship between HPV knowledge and perceived HPV risk.
Author(s): Deborah Gurgel Smith, Emily M Dantes, Robbie Beyl, et al.
Citation: Journal of Community Health, 50(5), 826-832
Date: 04/2025
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Taking to the Skies: How a Doctor Cares for Patients in Rural Colorado
Discusses using air travel to help physicians reach remote areas in Colorado and patients who need critical medical care.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Discusses using air travel to help physicians reach remote areas in Colorado and patients who need critical medical care.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Exploring Oral Health and Care Access among Adults with Disabilities
Report discusses the challenges adults with disabilities have accessing oral healthcare. Explores the role of transportation, Medicare and Medicaid coverage, and metro versus non-metro location, among other factors, as barriers to oral healthcare access for people with disabilities.
Author(s): Morgan Santoro, Lisa J. Heaton, Rebecca Preston, et al.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: CareQuest Institute for Oral Health
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Report discusses the challenges adults with disabilities have accessing oral healthcare. Explores the role of transportation, Medicare and Medicaid coverage, and metro versus non-metro location, among other factors, as barriers to oral healthcare access for people with disabilities.
Author(s): Morgan Santoro, Lisa J. Heaton, Rebecca Preston, et al.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: CareQuest Institute for Oral Health
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Texas Health Stephenville Enhances Respiratory Care in Erath County
Profiles Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Stephenville in rural Texas and their pulmonary rehabilitation services. Discusses the need for pulmonary healthcare access in rural areas.
Author(s): Chandra Caradine
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Texas Health Resources
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Profiles Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Stephenville in rural Texas and their pulmonary rehabilitation services. Discusses the need for pulmonary healthcare access in rural areas.
Author(s): Chandra Caradine
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Texas Health Resources
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Profile in Innovation: Rural Hospital Participation in Missouri HealthNet's Transformation of Rural Community Health (ToRCH) Program
Provides an overview of ToRCH, a Missouri Medicaid program designed to improve health outcomes and overall well-being in rural Missouri communities by addressing both medical and health-related social needs through a comprehensive, integrated care model. Discusses how hospitals, primary care teams, and community-based organizations implemented the model and funding strategy for the program.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Provides an overview of ToRCH, a Missouri Medicaid program designed to improve health outcomes and overall well-being in rural Missouri communities by addressing both medical and health-related social needs through a comprehensive, integrated care model. Discusses how hospitals, primary care teams, and community-based organizations implemented the model and funding strategy for the program.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Federal and State Reimbursement for Youth Behavioral Health Services
Report details Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage of behavioral health services for rural people under 21 years of age. Breaks down reimbursement eligibility for behavioral health providers in all 50 states and discusses barriers to access in rural areas.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Report details Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage of behavioral health services for rural people under 21 years of age. Breaks down reimbursement eligibility for behavioral health providers in all 50 states and discusses barriers to access in rural areas.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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April 2025 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) April 2025 meeting. Covers physician fee schedule updates and improving the accuracy of relative payment rates; structural differences between the stand-alone prescription drug plan (PDP) and Medicare Advantage–Prescription Drug plan (MA–PD) markets; the utilization and delivery of Medicare Advantage supplemental benefits; the effect of Medicare Advantage on rural hospitals; paying for software technologies in Medicare; access to hospice and certain services under the hospice benefit for beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease and beneficiaries with cancer; and regulations, star ratings, and fee-for-service Medicare policies aimed at improving nursing home quality.
Additional links: Exploring the Effect of Medicare Advantage on Rural Hospitals
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) April 2025 meeting. Covers physician fee schedule updates and improving the accuracy of relative payment rates; structural differences between the stand-alone prescription drug plan (PDP) and Medicare Advantage–Prescription Drug plan (MA–PD) markets; the utilization and delivery of Medicare Advantage supplemental benefits; the effect of Medicare Advantage on rural hospitals; paying for software technologies in Medicare; access to hospice and certain services under the hospice benefit for beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease and beneficiaries with cancer; and regulations, star ratings, and fee-for-service Medicare policies aimed at improving nursing home quality.
Additional links: Exploring the Effect of Medicare Advantage on Rural Hospitals
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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County Characteristics Associated With Receipt of Food Boxes Through the Farmers to Families Food Box Program
Reports on county-level food box distribution through the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box Program between May 2020 and May 2021. Provides data on program funding and characteristics of food distributed by program round. Examines associations between likelihood of receiving food boxes and county-level rurality, access to food, and other demographic factors.
Additional links: Report Summary
Author(s): Keenan Marchesi, Saied Toossi, Katy Georg
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Reports on county-level food box distribution through the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box Program between May 2020 and May 2021. Provides data on program funding and characteristics of food distributed by program round. Examines associations between likelihood of receiving food boxes and county-level rurality, access to food, and other demographic factors.
Additional links: Report Summary
Author(s): Keenan Marchesi, Saied Toossi, Katy Georg
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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The Rural and Urban Supply of Clinicians With a DEA Waiver to Prescribe Buprenorphine in 2022 Prior to the Elimination of the Waiver Requirement
Report explores the differences in rates of clinicians with DEA waivers to prescribe buprenorphine in 2022 in rural versus urban counties. Highlights the rural gaps in access to buprenorphine to treat opioid use disorder prior to the elimination of the DEA waiver requirement in 2023. Provides rural, urban, and regional comparisons.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Report explores the differences in rates of clinicians with DEA waivers to prescribe buprenorphine in 2022 in rural versus urban counties. Highlights the rural gaps in access to buprenorphine to treat opioid use disorder prior to the elimination of the DEA waiver requirement in 2023. Provides rural, urban, and regional comparisons.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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