Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare business and finance
Medicare and Beneficiaries Pay More for Preadmission Services at Affiliated Hospitals Than at Wholly Owned Settings
Provides an overview of the Medicare diagnosis-related group (DRG) window policy. Examines how much Medicare and Medicare beneficiaries paid affiliated settings, including Critical Access Hospitals, for admission-related outpatient services in 2019 that would have otherwise been covered by the DRG policy at wholly-owned hospitals. Offers recommendations to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for updating the DRG policy.
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Provides an overview of the Medicare diagnosis-related group (DRG) window policy. Examines how much Medicare and Medicare beneficiaries paid affiliated settings, including Critical Access Hospitals, for admission-related outpatient services in 2019 that would have otherwise been covered by the DRG policy at wholly-owned hospitals. Offers recommendations to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for updating the DRG policy.
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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COVID-19 National Emergency: Early Trends in Hospitalizations for Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program Health Conditions and 30-Day Readmission Rates
Provides an overview of the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP). Describes monthly trends in hospitalizations of Medicare beneficiaries for HRRP conditions before and after the implementation of COVID-19 emergency measures through September 30, 2020. Examines how monthly trends in unadjusted 30-day readmission rates before and after implementation of COVID-19 emergency measures and how these rates differ by sociodemographic characteristics, including rurality. Discusses policy opportunities and interventions to enhance post-discharge follow-up and reduce readmission rates.
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP). Describes monthly trends in hospitalizations of Medicare beneficiaries for HRRP conditions before and after the implementation of COVID-19 emergency measures through September 30, 2020. Examines how monthly trends in unadjusted 30-day readmission rates before and after implementation of COVID-19 emergency measures and how these rates differ by sociodemographic characteristics, including rurality. Discusses policy opportunities and interventions to enhance post-discharge follow-up and reduce readmission rates.
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Oral Health in America: Advances and Challenges
Report explores the relationship oral health has to overall health and wellness. Discusses the societal factors that affect oral health and oral healthcare access. Features a discussion on rural oral health disparities and access to care in rural areas.
Additional links: Errata Notice, Executive Summary
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organizations: National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health
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Report explores the relationship oral health has to overall health and wellness. Discusses the societal factors that affect oral health and oral healthcare access. Features a discussion on rural oral health disparities and access to care in rural areas.
Additional links: Errata Notice, Executive Summary
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organizations: National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health
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December 2021 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) December 2021 meeting. Covers payment adequacy and updates for hospital inpatient and outpatient services and the mandated report on changes to the low-volume hospital payment adjustment, physician and other health professional services, ambulatory surgical center services, outpatient dialysis services, and hospice services. Highlights the effect of COVID-19 relief funding on rural hospital margins, rural hospital bypass, and rural hospice payment utilization, among other rural references.
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) December 2021 meeting. Covers payment adequacy and updates for hospital inpatient and outpatient services and the mandated report on changes to the low-volume hospital payment adjustment, physician and other health professional services, ambulatory surgical center services, outpatient dialysis services, and hospice services. Highlights the effect of COVID-19 relief funding on rural hospital margins, rural hospital bypass, and rural hospice payment utilization, among other rural references.
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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No Surprises Act Webinar
Recording of a December 14, 2021, webinar providing an overview of the No Surprises Act and how it impacts Rural Health Clinics. Outlines price transparency and good faith estimate requirements and enforcement. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: CMS Regulations, CMS-10791 Good Faith Estimate for Health Care Items and Services, Good Faith Estimate Information and Webinar Q&A Follow-Up, Presentation Slides, Transcript
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Recording of a December 14, 2021, webinar providing an overview of the No Surprises Act and how it impacts Rural Health Clinics. Outlines price transparency and good faith estimate requirements and enforcement. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: CMS Regulations, CMS-10791 Good Faith Estimate for Health Care Items and Services, Good Faith Estimate Information and Webinar Q&A Follow-Up, Presentation Slides, Transcript
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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For-profit Hospitals as Anchor Institutions in the United States: A Study of Organizational Stability
Examines whether for-profit hospitals are stable enough to fulfill the role of long-standing anchor institutions through a long-term presence in communities. Analyzes if for-profit hospitals had higher odds of closing and merging, and discusses the potential economic contributions of for-profit anchor institution hospitals to the surrounding community. Includes statistics by hospital characteristics, including rural location, and a discussion of rural hospital closures.
Author(s): Berkeley Franz, Cory E. Cronin, Vanessa Rodriguez, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 21
Date: 12/2021
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Examines whether for-profit hospitals are stable enough to fulfill the role of long-standing anchor institutions through a long-term presence in communities. Analyzes if for-profit hospitals had higher odds of closing and merging, and discusses the potential economic contributions of for-profit anchor institution hospitals to the surrounding community. Includes statistics by hospital characteristics, including rural location, and a discussion of rural hospital closures.
Author(s): Berkeley Franz, Cory E. Cronin, Vanessa Rodriguez, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 21
Date: 12/2021
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Understanding the "Tool-ish-ness" of Telehealth: Q&A with Dr. Jonathan Neufeld
An interview with clinical psychologist and program director for the Great Plains Telehealth Resource & Assistance Center, Dr. Jonathan Neufeld. Discusses the role of telehealth in healthcare delivery. Describes how telecommunications tools can be used by providers to bring quality care to rural areas.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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An interview with clinical psychologist and program director for the Great Plains Telehealth Resource & Assistance Center, Dr. Jonathan Neufeld. Discusses the role of telehealth in healthcare delivery. Describes how telecommunications tools can be used by providers to bring quality care to rural areas.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Outcome Measures for State Flex Program Financial and Operational Improvement Interventions
Discusses strategies for State Flex Programs (SFP) to monitor Critical Access Hospital (CAH) financial and operational improvement (FOI) interventions and the underlying theories of the activities. Provides recommendations for short- and intermediate-term outcome measures to assist SFPs in monitoring FOI initiatives.
Author(s): John Gale, Sara Kahn-Troster, Zach Croll
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Discusses strategies for State Flex Programs (SFP) to monitor Critical Access Hospital (CAH) financial and operational improvement (FOI) interventions and the underlying theories of the activities. Provides recommendations for short- and intermediate-term outcome measures to assist SFPs in monitoring FOI initiatives.
Author(s): John Gale, Sara Kahn-Troster, Zach Croll
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Medicare Telemedicine Snapshot
Presents data on telemedicine utilization by Medicare beneficiaries from March 1, 2020 to February 28, 2021, including pre- and post-pandemic rates of accessing telehealth services, trends in e-visits and virtual check-ins, geographic breakdowns including rural and urban residence, and beneficiary characteristics. Uses data from Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) claims, Medicare Advantage (MA) encounters, and Medicare enrollment.
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Presents data on telemedicine utilization by Medicare beneficiaries from March 1, 2020 to February 28, 2021, including pre- and post-pandemic rates of accessing telehealth services, trends in e-visits and virtual check-ins, geographic breakdowns including rural and urban residence, and beneficiary characteristics. Uses data from Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) claims, Medicare Advantage (MA) encounters, and Medicare enrollment.
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Medicare Beneficiaries' Use of Telehealth in 2020: Trends by Beneficiary Characteristics and Location
Report examining telehealth visits by Medicare beneficiaries in 2020 that compares urban and rural residence and breaks down data by visit location, race/ethnicity, visit specialty, and by state, with comparisons to 2019 data. Data drawn from Medicare FFS Part B outpatient and carrier claims submitted between January and December 2020 and the same period in 2019.
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Report examining telehealth visits by Medicare beneficiaries in 2020 that compares urban and rural residence and breaks down data by visit location, race/ethnicity, visit specialty, and by state, with comparisons to 2019 data. Data drawn from Medicare FFS Part B outpatient and carrier claims submitted between January and December 2020 and the same period in 2019.
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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