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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health insurance

Report to Congress: Evaluations of Hospitals' Ambulance Data on Medicare Cost Reports and Feasibility of Obtaining Cost Data from All Ambulance Providers and Suppliers
Exploration of the use of cost surveys and reports to collect data on ambulance services, examination of development of a standard cost reporting tool for providers of services and suppliers of ground ambulance services, and examination of the ability to furnish cost data by various types of ambulance providers of services and suppliers, especially for rural and super-rural providers. Features statistics from fiscal years 2007-2012 relating to costs, number of trips by type of hospital, distribution of provider/supplier trip volume, origin-destination pairs, and barriers experienced by people in geographically isolated areas.
Date: 09/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Challenges of Rural Cancer Care in the United States
Highlights the impact of rurality affecting the care of rural cancer patients and healthcare providers treating cancer patients. Discussion includes the availability of cancer specialists, limited transportation services, lower socioeconomic status, health insurance coverage, less access to clinical trials, and the shortage of palliative and end-of-life staff and services.
Author(s): Mary Charlton, Jennifer Schlichting, Catherine Chioreso, et al.
Citation: Oncology (Williston Park), 29(9), 633-640
Date: 09/2015
Type: Document
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Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2014
Provides statistics on health insurance coverage in 2014 and also focuses on changes between 2013 and 2014. Table 5 lists statistics for metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. Based on data from the 2015 Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement.
Author(s): Jessica C. Smith, Carla Medalia
Date: 09/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Performance Measurement for Rural Low-Volume Providers: Final Report
Identifies challenges to measuring healthcare performance among low-volume rural providers, and presents recommendations to meet these challenges. Primary focus is on finding appropriate quality measures for use within Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) pay-for-performance programs and encouraging rural participation in CMS quality improvement initiatives.
Date: 09/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Quality Forum
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Hawaii Oral Health: Key Findings
Reports on access to oral health care in Hawaii and describes the state's oral health status. Includes county-level breakdowns of data and discusses key findings, such as the impact of Medicaid on oral health access.
Date: 08/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Hawaii State Department of Health
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Simulation and Analysis of an Alternative Medicare Home Health Payment System Not Based on Number of Therapy Visits
Outlines a possible approach to redesigning the Medicare home health payment system and describes the likely impacts of such a change. Includes statistics with breakdowns by number of therapy and non-therapy visits, payment-to-cost ratios, medical procedure or chronic illness, and type of health facility.
Author(s): Doug Wissoker, Bowen Garrett
Date: 08/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Urban Institute
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Competition Among Medicare's Private Health Plans: Does It Really Exist?
Measures rates of competition among private Medicare Advantage (MA) plans across the country and across rural/urban geographies.
Author(s): Brian Biles, Giselle Casillas, Stuart Guterman
Date: 08/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Investing in Population Health
Profile of a pilot project in rural New Mexico focused on population health for Medicaid recipients. Offers communities 3 levels of patient services and payment. Uses community health workers to address the social determinants of health.
Date: 08/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Rural Health Care Disparities Created by Medicare Regulations
Transcript of a July 28, 2015, U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee, Subcommittee on Health hearing concerning rural healthcare disparities created by Medicare regulations. Features testimony from the Arizona Center for Rural Health and leaders from two Critical Access Hospitals and one rural hospital. Covers physician shortages; graduate medical education; the impact of regulatory changes such as the 96-hour rule, the two-midnight rule, and physician supervision requirements; and more.
Additional links: Carrie Saia, Holton Community Hospital - Testimony, Daniel Derksen, Arizona Center for Rural Health - Testimony, Shannon Sorensen, Brown County Hospital - Testimony, Tim Joslin, Community Regional Medical Centers - Testimony
Date: 07/2015
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: House Ways and Means Committee, Subcommittee on Health
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Evaluation of CMS's Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Advanced Primary Care Practice (APCP) Demonstration
Reports on a 3 year demonstration project regarding the change of Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) into advanced primary care practices (APCPs) that provide comprehensive patient-centered healthcare for Medicare beneficiaries. Examines the processes and challenges involved in this change and the effects of the APCP model on access, quality and cost of care delivered to Medicare and Medicaid patients. Includes a rural/urban comparison of findings and data.
Author(s): Katherine L. Kahn, Justin W. Timbie, Mark W. Friedberg, et al.
Date: 07/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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