Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health insurance
Health Panel Comment Letter – Access to Coverage and Care in Medicaid & CHIP
Offers comments in response to the Access to Coverage and Care in Medicaid and CHIP Request for Information. Discusses ways the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) can support states in addressing barriers to enrollment and retention, minimum access standards, and monitoring care availability and access to care.
Date: 04/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Offers comments in response to the Access to Coverage and Care in Medicaid and CHIP Request for Information. Discusses ways the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) can support states in addressing barriers to enrollment and retention, minimum access standards, and monitoring care availability and access to care.
Date: 04/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Utilization of Z Codes for Social Determinants of Health among a Sample of Medicare Advantage Enrollees, 2017 and 2019
Examines the use of Z codes for social determinants of health in a sample of Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollees from 2016 through 2019. Identifies the five most-used Z codes among MA enrollees, including the percent of enrollees and claims with these Z codes in 2017 and 2019. Presents data on the proportion of MA enrollees with Z code claims in 2017 and 2019 across demographic characteristics, including rurality, place of service, and provider type.
Date: 04/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Examines the use of Z codes for social determinants of health in a sample of Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollees from 2016 through 2019. Identifies the five most-used Z codes among MA enrollees, including the percent of enrollees and claims with these Z codes in 2017 and 2019. Presents data on the proportion of MA enrollees with Z code claims in 2017 and 2019 across demographic characteristics, including rurality, place of service, and provider type.
Date: 04/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Learning From COVID-19-Related Flexibilities: Moving Toward More Person-Centered Medicare and Medicaid Programs
Presents a person-centered framework to facilitate policymakers' decisions regarding the future of COVID-19-related temporary regulatory flexibilities. Identifies priority flexibilities that should be considered for permanence, modification, or further evaluation. Covers regulatory flexibilities regarding telehealth, scope of practice, Medicare Advantage requirements, and more. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Health Management Associates, Manatt Health, The Scan Foundation
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Presents a person-centered framework to facilitate policymakers' decisions regarding the future of COVID-19-related temporary regulatory flexibilities. Identifies priority flexibilities that should be considered for permanence, modification, or further evaluation. Covers regulatory flexibilities regarding telehealth, scope of practice, Medicare Advantage requirements, and more. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Health Management Associates, Manatt Health, The Scan Foundation
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March 2022 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) March 2022 meeting. Covers findings from MedPAC's annual beneficiary and clinician focus groups, Medicare payment policies to support safety-net providers, opportunities to strengthen the geriatric workforce, integrating episode-based payment with population-based payment, and improving Medicare Advantage risk adjustment. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) March 2022 meeting. Covers findings from MedPAC's annual beneficiary and clinician focus groups, Medicare payment policies to support safety-net providers, opportunities to strengthen the geriatric workforce, integrating episode-based payment with population-based payment, and improving Medicare Advantage risk adjustment. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Environmental Scan on Issues Related to the Development of Population-Based Total Cost of Care (TCOC) Models in the Broader Context of Alternative Payment Models (APMs) and Physician-Focused Payment Models (PFPMs)
Presents results of an environmental scan regarding population-based total cost of care (TCOC) payment models and the role these models can play in optimizing health care delivery and value-based transformation in the context of alternative payment models (APMs) and physician-focused payment models (PFPMs). Provides an overview of TCOC payment models, relevant performance and outcome measures used in reporting and evaluation, findings from research related to population-based models and programs that seek to reduce TCOC, barriers and challenges related to implementing population-based TCOC models, and opportunities for improving and optimizing efforts to develop and implement these models. Highlights rural considerations and examples throughout.
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Presents results of an environmental scan regarding population-based total cost of care (TCOC) payment models and the role these models can play in optimizing health care delivery and value-based transformation in the context of alternative payment models (APMs) and physician-focused payment models (PFPMs). Provides an overview of TCOC payment models, relevant performance and outcome measures used in reporting and evaluation, findings from research related to population-based models and programs that seek to reduce TCOC, barriers and challenges related to implementing population-based TCOC models, and opportunities for improving and optimizing efforts to develop and implement these models. Highlights rural considerations and examples throughout.
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Emergency Department Visit Rates by Selected Characteristics: United States, 2019
Describes emergency department visit rates in 2019 using data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS). Presents data by selected patient characteristics including metropolitan statistical area status, age, sex, race and ethnicity, and health insurance status.
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Describes emergency department visit rates in 2019 using data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS). Presents data by selected patient characteristics including metropolitan statistical area status, age, sex, race and ethnicity, and health insurance status.
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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MedPAC Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy, 2022
Annual review of Medicare payment policies, with recommendations to Congress. Includes discussion on Medicare payment policies directly affecting rural providers and beneficiaries. Addresses payment adequacy for healthcare facilities and services, improving Medicare payment for post-acute care, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D, and the impact of healthcare provider consolidation.
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Annual review of Medicare payment policies, with recommendations to Congress. Includes discussion on Medicare payment policies directly affecting rural providers and beneficiaries. Addresses payment adequacy for healthcare facilities and services, improving Medicare payment for post-acute care, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D, and the impact of healthcare provider consolidation.
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Telehealth Has Played an Outsized Role Meeting Mental Health Needs During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Explores usage of telehealth for physical and mental health outpatient visits between March 2019 and August 2021. Figure 3 shows use of mental health and substance use telehealth visits versus other outpatient telehealth visits, with rural versus urban comparisons. Includes a discussion about payment models for telehealth via private insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid.
Author(s): Justin Lo, Matthew Rae, Krutika Amin, et al.
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Explores usage of telehealth for physical and mental health outpatient visits between March 2019 and August 2021. Figure 3 shows use of mental health and substance use telehealth visits versus other outpatient telehealth visits, with rural versus urban comparisons. Includes a discussion about payment models for telehealth via private insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid.
Author(s): Justin Lo, Matthew Rae, Krutika Amin, et al.
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Report to Congress on Medicaid and CHIP, March 2022
Reports on five aspects of Medicaid: 1) transitioning Medicaid beneficiaries out of institutions and back into the community under the Money Follows the Person (MFP) demonstration program, 2) improving access to vaccines and vaccination rates for adults enrolled in Medicaid, and 3) reviewing hospital payment policy for the nation's safety-net hospitals. Chapter 3 examines the relationship between disproportionate share hospital (DSH) allotments to states and the number of uninsured individuals, the amounts and sources of hospitals' uncompensated care costs, and the amounts and sources of hospitals' uncompensated care costs. Table 3-1 details DSH spending for urban and rural hospitals and for Critical Access Hospitals.
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Reports on five aspects of Medicaid: 1) transitioning Medicaid beneficiaries out of institutions and back into the community under the Money Follows the Person (MFP) demonstration program, 2) improving access to vaccines and vaccination rates for adults enrolled in Medicaid, and 3) reviewing hospital payment policy for the nation's safety-net hospitals. Chapter 3 examines the relationship between disproportionate share hospital (DSH) allotments to states and the number of uninsured individuals, the amounts and sources of hospitals' uncompensated care costs, and the amounts and sources of hospitals' uncompensated care costs. Table 3-1 details DSH spending for urban and rural hospitals and for Critical Access Hospitals.
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Measure Applications Partnership 2021-2022 Considerations for Implementing Measures in Federal Programs: Clinician, Hospital, and Post-Acute Care Long-Term Care
Reviews the 44 pre-rulemaking quality measures the National Quality Forum's Measure Applications Partnership (MAP) considered during the 2021-2022 cycle. Discusses measures for clinician programs, hospital and setting-specific programs, and post-acute care/long-term care programs. Highlights the MAP Rural Health Workgroup's support or determination of the suitability of each measure for rural providers.
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Quality Forum
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Reviews the 44 pre-rulemaking quality measures the National Quality Forum's Measure Applications Partnership (MAP) considered during the 2021-2022 cycle. Discusses measures for clinician programs, hospital and setting-specific programs, and post-acute care/long-term care programs. Highlights the MAP Rural Health Workgroup's support or determination of the suitability of each measure for rural providers.
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Quality Forum
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