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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare business and finance

Sources of Insurance Coverage in Nonmetropolitan Areas: The Role of Public and Private Insurance Since 2009
Describes regional variation in insurance coverage rates, using the American Community Survey 5-year estimates from 2009-2013 and 2013-2017 to compare types of health insurance coverage for people less than 65 years of age. Features statistics including share of nonmetropolitan nonelderly population per region, health insurance rates for nonelderly with breakdowns by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and source of health insurance for nonelderly by region.
Author(s): Linda Li, Matthew Najarian, Abigail R. Barker, Timothy D. McBride, Keith J. Mueller
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Geographic Expansion of Medicaid Managed Care Organizations: Assessing Access to Primary Care in Nonmetropolitan Counties
Presents a study on primary care access for Medicaid beneficiaries in nonmetropolitan counties who were enrolled through managed care organizations (MCOs) from 2012 to 2018. Details the level of access to primary care in the nonmetropolitan counties of 15 states and compares the rates of access for beneficiaries enrolled through MCOs established before 2012 and after 2012. Discusses findings and makes recommendations for policy makers.
Author(s): Linda Li, Matthew Najarian, Abigail R. Barker, et al.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Monitoring State Flex Program Financial and Operational Improvement Activities
Presents the results of a qualitative evaluation of State Flex Program interventions implemented under Program Area 2: Financial and Operational Improvement (FOI). Describes the type of projects proposed by a subset of 14 State Flex Programs, key themes, and challenges faced to monitoring and documenting these interventions on financial and operational performance. Includes an inventory of all 45 State Flex Program FOI initiatives.
Author(s): John Gale, Sara Kahn-Troster, Zachariah Croll, Nathan First
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Rural Initiatives Addressing Community Social Needs
Describes the role of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in improving population health and addressing social needs in their communities. Profiles two Critical Access Hospital social needs programs: Lakewood Health System's food access initiatives in Minnesota, and Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital's NEK Prosper. Provides an overview of both programs and highlights best practices of each.
Author(s): Madeleine Pick, Megan Lahr, Ira Moscovice
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Sustainability Strategies for Community-based Palliative Care
Summarizes themes from two roundtable discussions conducted in late 2018 with 9 rural palliative care programs in Minnesota and surrounding states. Offers examples and resources for sustainability strategies to support community-based palliative care programs.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Stratis Health
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Primary Care in the United States: A Chartbook of Facts and Statistics
Examines aspects of primary care in the United States, including facts and figures on patient contact with primary care, frequency and range of conditions seen in primary care, care coordination, scope of practice, payment models, and preventive care visit utilization. Features statistics on percentage of primary care physicians by geography, with breakdowns by urban, large rural, small rural, and isolated rural location.
Author(s): Brian Antono, Andrew Bazemore, Irene Dankwa-Mullan, et al.
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: Robert Graham Center
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Rural Hospital Patient and Family Engagement - 2021 Toolkit
Toolkit provides guidance for rural hospitals to foster effective communication between patients, staff, and leadership. Discusses communication strategies in a number of domains, such as data collection, community engagement, and workforce development, among others.
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: Colorado Hospital Association
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Rural-Urban Disparities in All-cause Mortality among Low-Income Medicare Beneficiaries, 2004–17
Examines the change in all-cause mortality rates among low-income Medicare beneficiaries dually-enrolled in Medicaid between 2004 and 2017. Compares rates between rural and urban beneficiaries by age, ethnicity, insurance type, and census region.
Author(s): Emefah Loccoh, Karen E. Joynt Maddox, Jiaman Xu, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs, 40(2), 289-296
Date: 02/2021
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OBGYNs and the Provision of Sexual and Reproductive Health Care: Key Findings from a National Survey
Reports on a nationwide survey of obstetrician-gynecologists (OBGYNs) regarding sexual and reproductive healthcare, covering screening practices; provision of contraception, abortion, and sexually transmitted infection care; and the effects of policy on healthcare access and quality. Analyzes survey data from 1,210 OBGYN participants on contraception provision and other services, access to specific services based on regional and urban/rural location, provider characteristics and experiences, Medicaid coverage, and more.
Author(s): Gabriela Weigel, Brittni Frederiksen, Usha Ranji, Alina Salganicoff
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Medicare Reimbursement in Rural America
Policy brief discussing Medicare reimbursement for services provided at rural hospitals and how it impacts hospital finances. Provides policy recommendations for rural health reimbursement, and identifies and other considerations for addressing rural healthcare sustainability.
Author(s): Eric Schlidt, Cody Wilkinson
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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