Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health insurance

Minnesota Chartbook Section 5: Public Health Insurance Programs
Provides information on public insurance programs in Minnesota, including Medicare, Medical Assistance (Medicaid), and MinnesotaCare. Includes data on enrollment, spending, distribution of enrollees, and enrollee location by region and county.
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Minnesota Department of Health
view details
As Pandemic-Era Policies End, Medicaid Programs Focus on Enrollee Access and Reducing Health Disparities Amid Future Uncertainties: Results from an Annual Medicaid Budget Survey for State Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025
Examines changes taking place in Medicaid programs in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Features sections on delivery systems, provider rates and taxes, benefits, and pharmacy and prescription drugs. Highlights challenges and priorities related to state workforce shortages, systems issues, emerging state budget pressures, and more.
Author(s): Elizabeth Hinton, Elizabeth Williams, Jada Raphael, et al.
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: KFF
view details
The Rural Emergency Hospital Model: Year Two Progress Report
Provides an overview of the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) payment designation, including the growth in REHs through September 1, 2024, factors that contribute to a hospital seeking REH conversion, and the impacts of REH conversion. Outlines concerns identified by REH leaders, facilities considering converting to REH status, and other rural stakeholders related to the REH designation, as well as policy recommendations to address these concerns.
Author(s): Emma Sheffert, Julia Harris, Marilyn Werber Serafini
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
view details
Medicare Part D Enrollees Reaching the Out-of-Pocket Limit by June 2024
Examines the number of Medicare Part D enrollees who reached the catastrophic Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) out-of-pocket prescription drug spending cap by June 2024. Provides demographic information on enrollees who reach the catastrophic phase and the related savings, including breakdowns for state and metropolitan, micropolitan, or rural/unknown location.
Author(s): Kenneth Finegold, Kristen L. King, Bisma A. Sayed, Rachael Zuckerman
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
view details
Nationwide Availability of and Enrollment in Medicare and Medicaid Dual-Eligible Special Needs Plans With Exclusively Aligned Enrollment
Explores the availability and enrollment of dual-eligible special needs plans (D-SNPs) with exclusively aligned enrollment, in which the beneficiary can receive Medicare and Medicaid benefits through the same plan or affiliated plans within the same organization. Analyzes 2021-2022 beneficiary data and examines D-SNP plan availability and enrollment according to beneficiary demographics, health status, rurality, and more.
Author(s): Kenton J. Johnston, Michelle Hendricks, Megha Dabas, et al.
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 5(10)
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
view details
Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Maternal Health Chartbook 2010–2019
Analyzes data from the National Inpatient Sample from between 2010 and 2019 to highlight trends in maternal health related to diabetes, hypertension, mental health disorders, substance use disorders, and severe maternal morbidity. Includes data by expected payer, patient characteristics, and geography. Includes large metropolitan, medium/small metropolitan, and nonmetropolitan comparisons throughout.
Author(s): Lawrence Reid, Kimberly Marin, Jessica Monnet
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
view details
What to Know About Medicare Coverage of Telehealth
Discusses telehealth use by Medicare patients before, during, and after declaration of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Notes temporary telehealth provisions set to expire December 31, 2024, telehealth provisions made permanent, and trends in use since 2020. Includes rural and urban comparisons of telehealth use since 2020. Discusses payment models for Medicare and Medicare Advantage, current policies related to telehealth, fraud, and the cost of coverage through Medicare.
Author(s): Alex Cottrill, Juliette Cubanski, Tricia Neuman
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: KFF
view details
Health Care Transparency: CMS Needs More Information on Hospital Pricing Data Completeness and Accuracy
Provides an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) hospital price transparency requirements before and after 2024 updates to the requirements. Describes users' experiences with hospital pricing data before the 2024 updates. Examines CMS's enforcement of hospital price transparency requirements and offers recommendations to CMS regarding the sufficiency and accuracy of the data reported. Table 3 compares CMS enforcement actions by hospitals' rural or urban designation between 2021 and 2023.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
view details
Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS): 2025 MIPS Payment Year (2023 Performance Year) - Payment Adjustment User Guide
Provides information on Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) payment adjustments for calendar year 2025. Describes how 2023 MIPS scores relate to 2025 payment adjustments and how payment adjustments are applied. Offers answers to frequently asked questions.
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
view details
Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS): 2024 Reporting Options Comparison Resource
Provides an overview of the similarities and differences among the three Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) reporting options: Traditional MIPS, MIPS Value Pathways (MVP), and Alternative Payment Model (APM) Performance Pathway (APP). Designed to help providers understand which reporting options may be best for their practice. Includes information on reporting flexibilities and scoring for small and rural practices.
Additional links: 2024 Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) At-A-Glance Reporting Options for Small Practices
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
view details