This website is being reviewed for updates. Some information is offline. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare business and finance

April 2021 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) April 2021 meeting. Covers Medicare's skilled nursing facility value-based purchasing program and proposed replacement, streamlining CMS's portfolio of alternative payment models, rebalancing the Medicare Advantage benchmark policy, revising Medicare's indirect medical education payments to better reflect teaching hospital costs, Medicare vaccine coverage and payment, and improving Medicare's policies for separately payable drugs in the hospital outpatient prospective payment system. Includes a discussion of training rural physicians, among other rural references.
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
view details
Access to Marketplace Plans with Low Premiums on the Federal Platform Part III: Availability among Current Healthcare.gov Enrollees under the American Rescue Plan
Analyzes access to federally-sponsored Health Insurance Marketplace low premium plans among current HealthCare.gov enrollees under the American Rescue Plan (ARP). Table 2 provides demographic data on zero- and low-premium plan availability for both pre- and post-ARP by rural status, age, income, and race/ethnicity. Includes enrollee data by state for zero- and low-premium plan availability for both pre- and post-ARP.
Author(s): D. Keith Branham, Ann B. Conmy, Thomas DeLeire, et al.
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
view details
Access to Marketplace Plans with Low Premiums on the Federal Platform Part II: Availability among Uninsured Non-Elderly Adults under the American Rescue Plan
Analyzes the expanded access to federally-sponsored Health Insurance Marketplace low premium plans among eligible uninsured non-elderly adults under the American Rescue Plan (ARP). Table 2 provides demographic data on zero- and low-premium plan availability pre- and post-ARP by rural status, age, income, and race/ethnicity. Includes uninsured non-elderly adult data by state for zero- and low-premium plan availability for both pre- and post-ARP.
Author(s): D. Keith Branham, Ann B. Conmy, Thomas DeLeire, et al.
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
view details
Case Study: Avera Behavioral Health
Profiles Avera Behavioral Health, which partners with primary care providers, families, and other healthcare providers via a telepsychiatry network to serve rural communities nationwide. Discusses the development of the Avera Behavioral Health network, goals of the program, innovative approaches, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the network. Highlights key lessons for successful community networks.
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
view details
The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Economics of United States Emergency Care
Examines how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the economics of emergency departments (ED) from January through September 2020. Discusses the impact of the pandemic on ED visit volumes and complexity, clinical revenues and expenses, and clinician hours and compensation. Includes data for large, medium, small, and freestanding EDs.
Author(s): Jesse M. Pines, Mark S. Zocchi, Bernard S. Black, et al.
Citation: Annals of Emergency Medicine
Date: 04/2021
view details
Examining the Potential for Additional Rebalancing of Long-Term Services and Supports
Explores efforts to rebalance long-term services and supports (LTSS) for older adults and people with disabilities toward home and community-based settings. Profiles five states with lower levels of rebalancing compared to the national average: Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Dakota, and West Virginia. Presents findings from interviews with federal and state officials, as well as other stakeholders involved with Medicaid LTSS systems and beneficiaries. Discusses how the COVID-19 public health emergency and flexibilities influenced LTSS services in these states. Offers future considerations for federal and state governments when addressing barriers to home and community-based services.
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organizations: Center for Health Care Strategies, Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, RTI International
view details
Medicaid and Rural Health
Provides an overview of rural residents, including socioeconomic characteristics, insurance status, and health status. Explores the availability of healthcare providers in rural areas, with a focus on primary care providers and hospitals. Discusses the role of Medicaid in rural health, as well as Medicaid policies and services that are important for providing healthcare in rural communities.
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
view details
Supporting and Sustaining Rural Hospitals
Describes state and federal actions to support and safeguard rural hospitals. Discusses appropriated funding opportunities for struggling hospitals, Medicaid coverage and eligibility, alternative payment models, and technical assistance programs.
Author(s): Noah Cruz
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
view details
Women's Sexual and Reproductive Health Services: Key Findings from the 2020 KFF Women's Health Survey
Presents selected findings from the 2020 KFF Women's Health Survey with a focus on coverage and use of reproductive and sexual health services. Discusses the use and coverage of contraceptives, access to sexual and reproductive healthcare, sexual and reproductive health counseling and education, and more. Includes rural data throughout.
Author(s): Brittni Frederiksen, Usha Ranji, Alina Salganicoff, Michelle Long
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: KFF
view details
Place and Population Matter in General Surgeon Location and Practice Structure
Examines ways in which population changes over time in different geographical regions of the United States have affected the availability of general surgeons and quality of care. Explores the implications of hospital mergers on the viability of rural hospitals.
Author(s): Thomas C. Ricketts
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 4(4)
Date: 04/2021
view details