Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare business and finance
Report to Congress on Medicaid and CHIP, June 2025
Semi-annual report to Congress from the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC). Covers recommendations related to transitions from pediatric to adult care for Medicaid-covered children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN). Also discusses appropriate access to residential behavioral health treatment services for children, findings from MACPAC's analytic work on access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in Medicaid, an overview on the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, and self-direction for Medicaid home- and community-based services. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Semi-annual report to Congress from the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC). Covers recommendations related to transitions from pediatric to adult care for Medicaid-covered children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN). Also discusses appropriate access to residential behavioral health treatment services for children, findings from MACPAC's analytic work on access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in Medicaid, an overview on the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, and self-direction for Medicaid home- and community-based services. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility PPS for FY 2026
Comments on an April 30, 2025, Federal Register proposed rule addressing updates to the prospective payment system for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) for fiscal year 2026. Includes comments on the potential impact of replacing payment weights on small and rural IRFs.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Comments on an April 30, 2025, Federal Register proposed rule addressing updates to the prospective payment system for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) for fiscal year 2026. Includes comments on the potential impact of replacing payment weights on small and rural IRFs.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on Inpatient Prospective Payment System for FY 2026
Comments on an April 30, 2025, Federal Register proposed rule revising the hospital inpatient and long-term care hospital (LTCH) prospective payment systems (PPS). Discusses proposals to update inpatient prospective payment systems (IPPS) payment rates, update wage index values and policies, modify the Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), and remove the proposed health-equity adjustment from the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Comments on an April 30, 2025, Federal Register proposed rule revising the hospital inpatient and long-term care hospital (LTCH) prospective payment systems (PPS). Discusses proposals to update inpatient prospective payment systems (IPPS) payment rates, update wage index values and policies, modify the Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), and remove the proposed health-equity adjustment from the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Payment Source Shift for Surgical Care Among Veterans Enrolled in Medicare Advantage Plans
Examines the likelihood of veterans enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans to shift payments for inpatient surgical care from MA to the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Analyzes 54,754 inpatient surgeries of VHA enrollees to observe payment trends, with data broken down by demographics, insurance characteristics, region, and rurality.
Author(s): Winta T. Mehtsun, Yanlei Ma, Ellen Latsko, et al.
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 6(6)
Date: 06/2025
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Examines the likelihood of veterans enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans to shift payments for inpatient surgical care from MA to the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Analyzes 54,754 inpatient surgeries of VHA enrollees to observe payment trends, with data broken down by demographics, insurance characteristics, region, and rurality.
Author(s): Winta T. Mehtsun, Yanlei Ma, Ellen Latsko, et al.
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 6(6)
Date: 06/2025
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Pharmacy Deserts in Rural Pennsylvania
Describes the landscape of pharmacies and pharmacists in Pennsylvania as of May 2025 and examines the projected impact of Rite Aid pharmacy closures. Features statistics on numbers of pharmacies and pharmacists, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas, and county-level maps showing areas within a 5-mile radius of all pharmacies and all non-Rite Aid pharmacies, with shadings showing urban and rural areas.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Describes the landscape of pharmacies and pharmacists in Pennsylvania as of May 2025 and examines the projected impact of Rite Aid pharmacy closures. Features statistics on numbers of pharmacies and pharmacists, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas, and county-level maps showing areas within a 5-mile radius of all pharmacies and all non-Rite Aid pharmacies, with shadings showing urban and rural areas.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Organizational Factors Associated with Using Telehealth Services: Perspectives from Leaders of Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers
Research and policy brief examining organizational factors influencing telehealth use in Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Summarizes interviews with RHC and FQHC key informants to discuss perceptions of telehealth, implementation challenges, operational challenges, and opportunities for innovation. Provides suggestions for policy and reimbursement approaches to improve telehealth provision and access.
Author(s): Constance van Eeghen, John A. Gale, Erika Ziller, Yvonne Jonk
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Telehealth Research Center
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Research and policy brief examining organizational factors influencing telehealth use in Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Summarizes interviews with RHC and FQHC key informants to discuss perceptions of telehealth, implementation challenges, operational challenges, and opportunities for innovation. Provides suggestions for policy and reimbursement approaches to improve telehealth provision and access.
Author(s): Constance van Eeghen, John A. Gale, Erika Ziller, Yvonne Jonk
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Telehealth Research Center
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Bridging the Gap: Examples of Medicaid Innovation Enhancing Health Care Access in Rural America
Describes ways state Medicaid programs can improve access to rural healthcare. Highlights policies implemented in Tennessee, Missouri, and Georgia to fund projects related to improving rural healthcare needs, address social determinants of health, and support rural hospitals that serve large Medicaid and uninsured populations.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Medicaid Directors
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Describes ways state Medicaid programs can improve access to rural healthcare. Highlights policies implemented in Tennessee, Missouri, and Georgia to fund projects related to improving rural healthcare needs, address social determinants of health, and support rural hospitals that serve large Medicaid and uninsured populations.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Medicaid Directors
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Preventing Medical Debt among Rural Residents: Example Programs from Hospitals in Minnesota and Montana
Highlights the ways some rural hospitals are working to reduce medical debt for their patients. Presents a number of strategies from hospitals in Minnesota and Montana that aim to reduce patient medical debts through financial assistance programs and cost-cutting measures. Features case-studies reviewing the structure of each hospital's debt reduction efforts.
Author(s): Katie Rydberg, Sushma Shankar, Mariana Tuttle, Carrie Henning-Smith
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Highlights the ways some rural hospitals are working to reduce medical debt for their patients. Presents a number of strategies from hospitals in Minnesota and Montana that aim to reduce patient medical debts through financial assistance programs and cost-cutting measures. Features case-studies reviewing the structure of each hospital's debt reduction efforts.
Author(s): Katie Rydberg, Sushma Shankar, Mariana Tuttle, Carrie Henning-Smith
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Quality Payment Program (QPP) 2023: Participation and Payment Results At-a-Glance
Provides an overview of the results of the Quality Payment Program (QPP) for the 2023 performance year. Highlights the percentages of small and rural providers receiving negative, neutral, and positive payment adjustments for 2025.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of the results of the Quality Payment Program (QPP) for the 2023 performance year. Highlights the percentages of small and rural providers receiving negative, neutral, and positive payment adjustments for 2025.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Associations Between Rural Hospital Closures and Acute and Post-Acute Care Access and Outcomes
Examines the impact of rural hospital closures on hospital and post-acute care (PAC) use and outcomes. Analyzes 32 rural hospital closures and county-level impacts on travel distances, lengths of stay at hospitals, hospital charges, PAC episodes, fall injuries and related mortality and hospitalizations, and population-level hospitalization and death rates. Includes descriptive statistics of 2014-2018 rural hospital closure status.
Author(s): Geoffrey J. Hoffman, Jinkyung Ha, Zhaohui Fan, Jun Li
Citation: Health Services Research, 60(3), e14426
Date: 06/2025
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Examines the impact of rural hospital closures on hospital and post-acute care (PAC) use and outcomes. Analyzes 32 rural hospital closures and county-level impacts on travel distances, lengths of stay at hospitals, hospital charges, PAC episodes, fall injuries and related mortality and hospitalizations, and population-level hospitalization and death rates. Includes descriptive statistics of 2014-2018 rural hospital closure status.
Author(s): Geoffrey J. Hoffman, Jinkyung Ha, Zhaohui Fan, Jun Li
Citation: Health Services Research, 60(3), e14426
Date: 06/2025
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