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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare business and finance

Medicare and Home Health: Taking Stock in the COVID-19 Era
Provides an overview of the Medicare home health benefit including Medicare financing, demographics of beneficiaries, and the home health workforce. Describes the impact of COVID-19 on the utilization home health services and regulatory changes taken in response to the pandemic. Offers policy recommendations to increase the value of home health services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Author(s): Courtney Harold Van Houtven, Walter D. Dawson
Date: 10/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Volume to Value Transition for Rural Health Systems
Policy position paper providing an overview of the transition from volume-based payment models to value-based payment models. Identifies opportunities and barriers to rural healthcare success in value-based payment models. Presents policy recommendations to promote rural healthcare facility participation in value-based payment models.
Author(s): Kim Breidenbach, Tammy Moore
Date: 10/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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"Tweener" Hospital Crisis
Policy position paper addressing the closure of hospitals that are too large to be considered Critical Access Hospitals but too small to be considered rural referral centers, and the challenges these facilities face. Discusses the impact of a hospital closure on the community. Includes policy recommendations to prevent the additional hospitals from closing.
Author(s): Alexandra Bryant, Lauren Canary, SuLynn Mester
Date: 10/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Rural Hospital CEO Turnover
Policy paper examining CEO turnover in rural hospitals. Discusses factors that contribute to CEO turnover as well as the impact of turnover on hospitals. Offers policy initiatives and recommendations for hospital boards to address CEO turnover.
Author(s): Mellie Bridewell, Matt Shahan
Date: 10/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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The Financing of Rural Health
Features a recording of a panel discussion on innovative strategies for financing rural health. Discusses challenges in rural communities, such as health disparities, limited broadband access, hospital closures, and more. Mentions the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural health.
Date: 10/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
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Health System Affiliation and Characteristics of Inpatient Stays at Rural and Metropolitan Hospitals, 2016
Presents statistics on inpatient stays at rural and metropolitan hospitals. Compares the number of inpatient hospitals stays by metropolitan status, health system affiliation, census region, and selected characteristics of the patients and hospital stays.
Author(s): Zeynal Karaca, Kathryn R. Fingar
Date: 10/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment Systems and Quality Reporting Programs for CY 2021
Comments on an August 12, 2020, Federal Register proposed rule revising the Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Medicare Ambulatory Surgical Center (ACS) payment system for calendar year 2021. Includes comments on payment rates for separately payable non–pass-through drugs obtained through the 340B Drug Pricing Program.
Date: 10/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Revisions to Part B for CY 2021
Comment on an August 17, 2020 Federal Register proposed rule revising the physician fee schedule to improve payment systems for physicians and other Medicare Part B revisions. Includes a discussion of COVID-19-related telehealth expansion.
Date: 10/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Supporting CAHs During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Summary Results of a Survey of State Flex Coordinators
Summarizes key findings from a survey of State Flex Programs regarding the impact of COVID-19 on Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) between May 26 - July 2, 2020. Describes the type of support and assistance requested by CAHs, promising strategies State Flex Programs used to support CAHs, and how State Flex Programs are planning for CAH needs after the pandemic.
Author(s): John Gale, Zacharia Croll, Yvonne Jonk, Sara Kahn-Troster, Karen Pearson
Date: 10/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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State Support to Rural Hospitals Fact Sheet
Overview of the Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program (SHIP) and the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) program supporting rural hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals. Highlights with data the impact of these programs on a national level.
Date: 10/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
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