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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health insurance

Medicare: CMS Needs to Address Risks Posed by Provider Enrollment Waivers and Flexibilities
Report discusses the waivers and flexibilities in Medicare requirements that were implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. Highlights how these waivers, such as fingerprint-based criminal background checks and revalidating provider eligibility, put Medicare at a high risk for fraud, waste, and abuse. Details how these waivers affect rural providers, as well.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Ownership of Skilled Nursing Facilities: An Analysis of Newly-Released Federal Data
Analyzes the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) dataset on the ownership of all U.S. skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) enrolled in Medicare. Examines 15,151 nursing homes by for-profit, nonprofit, or government controlled; organizational structure; affiliated entity by SNF size, Medicare and Medicaid certified versus Medicare-only certified, and rural versus urban location. Includes data on the 10 largest SNF chains and their distribution of SNFs across the U.S.
Author(s): W. Pete Welch, Iara Oliveira, Martin Blanco, Benjamin D. Sommers
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Doula Care and Maternal Health: An Evidence Review
Examines the role of doula care in maternal health as well as impacts, challenges, access, disparities, reimbursement, and policy efforts related to maternity/doula care. Includes a county-level U.S. map of maternity care deserts and discussion of rural-specific maternity programs.
Author(s): Kathleen Knocke, Andre Chappel, Sarah Sugar, Nancy De Lew, Benjamin D. Sommers
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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CMS Innovation Center: 2022 Report to Congress
Reports to Congress on payment and service delivery models and initiatives tested or announced by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation between October 2020 and September 2022. Includes summaries and updates on multiple rural-relevant models and initiatives, including Community Health Access and Rural Transformation (CHART) Model, the Pennsylvania Rural Health Model (PARHM), the Vermont All-Payer Accountable Care Organization Model, and more.
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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MBQIP Quality Measures National Annual Report - 2021
Summarizes quality measure reporting rates and performance among Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in 2021. Presents data on the four Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) domains: patient safety/inpatient, outpatient, patient engagement, and care transitions.
Author(s): Megan Lahr, Alyssa Furukawa, Madeleine Pick
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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RHC Regulatory Updates & Good Faith Estimate (GFE) Policy
Recording of a December 7, 2022, webinar providing an overview of telehealth payment rates for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and other regulatory updates and potential changes for 2023. Discusses price transparency in healthcare and good faith estimate requirements for RHCs. Includes links to good faith estimate resources. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides, Transcript
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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How the COVID-19 Pandemic Changed Urban and Rural Spending Habits
A collection of charts showing changes in spending in urban and rural areas in 2019 compared to 2020. Includes data on healthcare expenditures, including medical supplies, medical services, health insurance, and prescription drugs. Also covers spending related to food, transportation, and more.
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: Bureau of Labor Statistics
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30 Years Of 340B: Preserving The Health Care Safety Net
Discusses the development and purpose of the 340B Drug Pricing Program, and provides an overview of the program. Summarizes research on the impact of the 340B program on hospitals and lessons learned.
Author(s): Henry A. Waxman
Citation: Health Affairs Forefront
Date: 12/2022
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Health Insurance in Rural Communities, with Abigail Barker and Timothy McBride
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Abigail Barker and Timothy McBride, co-investigators at the Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis. Discusses their findings about rural health insurance coverage shared in the recently published chartbook, An Insurance Profile of Rural America.
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Exploring Health Insurance Coverage in the North Central Region at the Intersection of Location, Employment, Gender, Race, and Ethnicity
Provides data on health insurance coverage in North Central Region states. Includes rural versus urban coverage comparisons, further broken down by employment type and demographic variables.
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: North Central Regional Center for Rural Development
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