Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare business and finance
Medicare Benefit Policy Manual: Chapter 13 - Rural Health Clinic (RHC) and Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Services
Current regulations, as of March 2025, regarding Medicare payment policies for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs).
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Current regulations, as of March 2025, regarding Medicare payment policies for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs).
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Purchased/Referred Care and Cancer: Overview and Options for Tribal Consideration
Describes the Purchased/Referred Care (PRC) program of the Indian Health Service (IHS) and discusses how it functions in the cancer care pathways for Oklahoma tribal communities. Offers recommendations to tribal leaders for working with and alongside the program to improve health outcomes while supporting self-determination. Recommendations discuss tribal governance, collaborations, service delivery models, care coordination, and engaging with federal policymakers.
Author(s): Grace Fox
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Native Nations Center for Tribal Policy Research
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Describes the Purchased/Referred Care (PRC) program of the Indian Health Service (IHS) and discusses how it functions in the cancer care pathways for Oklahoma tribal communities. Offers recommendations to tribal leaders for working with and alongside the program to improve health outcomes while supporting self-determination. Recommendations discuss tribal governance, collaborations, service delivery models, care coordination, and engaging with federal policymakers.
Author(s): Grace Fox
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Native Nations Center for Tribal Policy Research
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Planning for the Future: Strategic Planning in Rural Health Networks Webinar Materials
Offers webinar training materials on strategic planning for rural health networks. Discusses the purpose, creating measurable goals, actionable initiatives to achieve those goals, and tracking progress.
Author(s): Ann Wing
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Communities Opioid Response Program - Technical Assistance
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Offers webinar training materials on strategic planning for rural health networks. Discusses the purpose, creating measurable goals, actionable initiatives to achieve those goals, and tracking progress.
Author(s): Ann Wing
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Communities Opioid Response Program - Technical Assistance
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Unlocking Collaboration: How Data Sharing Agreements Strengthen Rural Networks Webinar
Offers webinar training materials discussing data sharing agreements for rural health networks including what data sharing agreements are, why they matter for rural communities, best practices, and implementation considerations.
Author(s): Karen Yost, Stephen Crowe
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Communities Opioid Response Program - Technical Assistance
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Offers webinar training materials discussing data sharing agreements for rural health networks including what data sharing agreements are, why they matter for rural communities, best practices, and implementation considerations.
Author(s): Karen Yost, Stephen Crowe
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Communities Opioid Response Program - Technical Assistance
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Emergency Dental Care in the ACA Era: Rural–Urban Disparities and Their Association With State Medicaid Policy
Highlights a study exploring the role Medicaid expansion has played in the utilization of emergency department (ED) visits for nontraumatic dental conditions (NTDCs) among adults in rural and urban areas. Details the rates of ED utilization for NTDCs in rural and urban hospitals in 8 states and explores rates based on states' Medicaid policy.
Author(s): Marvellous A. Akinlotan, Dan Burch, Alva O. Ferdinand
Citation: Public Health Dentistry, 86(1), 99-108
Date: 01/2026
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Highlights a study exploring the role Medicaid expansion has played in the utilization of emergency department (ED) visits for nontraumatic dental conditions (NTDCs) among adults in rural and urban areas. Details the rates of ED utilization for NTDCs in rural and urban hospitals in 8 states and explores rates based on states' Medicaid policy.
Author(s): Marvellous A. Akinlotan, Dan Burch, Alva O. Ferdinand
Citation: Public Health Dentistry, 86(1), 99-108
Date: 01/2026
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Encouraging Rural Participation in Population-Based Total Cost of Care (PB-TCOC) Models
Examines the financial constraints rural providers have in pivoting to value-based care and alternative payment models (APMs), including population-based total cost of care (PB-TCOC) models. Provides recommendations and supportive policies to increase rural participation in PB-TCOC models and discusses issues such as financial risk, use of benchmarks to meet spending goals, performance measurements, information technology and telehealth, and more.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Examines the financial constraints rural providers have in pivoting to value-based care and alternative payment models (APMs), including population-based total cost of care (PB-TCOC) models. Provides recommendations and supportive policies to increase rural participation in PB-TCOC models and discusses issues such as financial risk, use of benchmarks to meet spending goals, performance measurements, information technology and telehealth, and more.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Glossary of Value-Based Care Terms
Presents definitions of key terms related to value-based care and payment. Includes terminology regarding healthcare value, payment and incentive structures, care delivery, data and technology, and more.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Presents definitions of key terms related to value-based care and payment. Includes terminology regarding healthcare value, payment and incentive structures, care delivery, data and technology, and more.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Health Panel Comment Letter - Contract Year 2027 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Programs
Offers comments in response to a November 28, 2025, proposed rule regarding policy and technical changes to the Medicare Advantage, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit, and Medicare Cost Plan programs for contract year 2027. Includes data on trends in chronic condition special need plans (C-SNPs) and institutional special needs plans (I-SNPs) between 2016 and 2025 and MA plan offerings by county metropolitan status.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Offers comments in response to a November 28, 2025, proposed rule regarding policy and technical changes to the Medicare Advantage, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit, and Medicare Cost Plan programs for contract year 2027. Includes data on trends in chronic condition special need plans (C-SNPs) and institutional special needs plans (I-SNPs) between 2016 and 2025 and MA plan offerings by county metropolitan status.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Prepublication Requirements: Requirement Revisions Related to NFPA Codes and CMS CoPs
Outlines new and revised Joint Commission requirements for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) effective March 1, 2026. Changes clarify elements of performance (EPs) based on National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) requirements and further align Joint Commission standards with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Conditions of Participation (CoPs).
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Joint Commission
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Outlines new and revised Joint Commission requirements for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) effective March 1, 2026. Changes clarify elements of performance (EPs) based on National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) requirements and further align Joint Commission standards with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Conditions of Participation (CoPs).
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Joint Commission
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Bridging the Gap: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation of a New Rural Maternity Care Center Amid Nationwide Closures
Examines healthcare quality and access following the reopening of a maternity care center at a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) in a rural community that experienced a maternity unit closure. Includes data comparisons of rural maternity care center (MCC) versus suburban tertiary care center patient demographics, delivery outcomes, and patient experiences. Discusses policy efforts to improve access to rural maternal health.
Author(s): Kathryn Wouk, Ellen Chetwynd, Emily C. Sheffield, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 23(1),102
Date: 01/2026
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Examines healthcare quality and access following the reopening of a maternity care center at a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) in a rural community that experienced a maternity unit closure. Includes data comparisons of rural maternity care center (MCC) versus suburban tertiary care center patient demographics, delivery outcomes, and patient experiences. Discusses policy efforts to improve access to rural maternal health.
Author(s): Kathryn Wouk, Ellen Chetwynd, Emily C. Sheffield, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 23(1),102
Date: 01/2026
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