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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health insurance

Dynamics of Economic Well-Being: Participation in Government Programs, 2009-2012: Who Gets Assistance?
Provides information on the characteristics and participation rates of people receiving benefits from Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), housing assistance, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and general assistance. Tables in the appendices include metropolitan and non-metropolitan participation rates by program.
Author(s): Shelley K. Irving, Tracy A. Loveless
Date: 05/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Report to Congress: Overview of the 340B Drug Pricing Program
Provides a general overview of the 340B Drug Pricing Program, including eligibility criteria for hospitals and providers, analysis of the program's financial impact, and a summary of the debate over the program's importance, especially to rural and underserved communities.
Date: 05/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Characteristics of Rural Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) – A Survey of Medicare ACOs with Rural Presence
Describes the findings of a survey of 27 Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) that have a presence in a rural area, focusing on characteristics concerning their formation and operation to better inform policy discussions around ACOs in rural areas.
Author(s): Abiodun Salako, Xi Zhu, A. Clinton MacKinney, Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 05/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Statement by Tim Wolters, Citizens Memorial Hospital and Lake Regional Health System, before the Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies
Testimony presented at a May 7, 2015 Labor-HHS Subcommittee hearing on rural health. Discusses the impact rural hospitals have on their communities and the challenges rural Prospective Payment System (PPS) hospitals face that make them vulnerable to cuts in Medicare reimbursement.
Author(s): Tim Wolters
Date: 05/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Appropriations
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Statement of Sean Cavanaugh, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, on Rural Health before the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
Testimony presented at a May 7, 2015 Labor-HHS Subcommittee hearing on rural health. Provides an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) activities to improve access to services for rural Medicare beneficiaries. Discusses telehealth, Critical Access Hospitals, Rural Health Clinics, and rural projects being tested through the Health Care Innovation Awards.
Author(s): Sean Cavanaugh, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Date: 05/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Appropriations
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Health, United States, 2014: With Special Feature on Adults Aged 55-64
Presents an annual overview of national trends in health statistics. Covers health status and determinants, healthcare utilization, access, and expenditures. Includes data on rural areas - see index under "Metropolitan/nonmetropolitan data." 2014 edition includes a special section on adults aged 55-64, covering health status, health behaviors, health insurance coverage, healthcare utilization, and more.
Date: 05/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Health Insurance Marketplaces: Early Findings on Changes in Plan Availability and Premiums in Rural Places, 2014-2015
Assesses changes in the Health Insurance Marketplaces from 2014 to 2015 concerning health insurance plans offered and premiums charged, with a focus on differences between those offered in rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Abigail R. Barker, Timothy D. McBride, Leah M. Kemper, Keith Mueller
Date: 05/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Public Law 114-10: Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015
Full text of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, commonly referred to as MACRA. MACRA seeks to transition healthcare from fee-for-service to value-based care by repealing the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula and replacing it with the Quality Payment Program (QPP). The QPP streamlines data collection efforts and rewards providers based on value instead of volume through the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and Advanced Alternative Payment Models (Advanced APMs).
Date: 04/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Congress
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The Health and Well-Being of Children in Rural Areas: A Portrait of the Nation 2011–2012
Describes data from the National Survey of Children's Health demonstrating the health and well-being of children, as well as the family environment and the characteristics of the community that affect rural children and their families.
Date: 04/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Maternal and Child Health Bureau
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Compendium of Unimplemented Recommendations: March 2015
Annual report identifying the top 25 unimplemented recommendations from the Office of Inspector General (OIG) that, in OIG's view, would have the most substantial positive impact on Health and Human Services (HHS) programs. Positive impact may refer to cost savings, program efficacy and efficiency, and/or quality improvement. Primary areas of interest in the March 2015 edition include: Medicare payment policies and oversight mechanisms, face-to-face requirements for home health agencies, and strengthening fraud prevention in electronic health record (EHR) technology across all providers, including Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs).
Date: 03/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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