Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare business and finance
Securing a Better Future for Rural Health
Slides presented at the 2025 National Rural Health Association Annual Conference summarizing findings from a November 2024 summit of rural health services delivery and finance experts. Covers financing rural health services, payment policies, workforce considerations, the use of technology and data, and more.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
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Slides presented at the 2025 National Rural Health Association Annual Conference summarizing findings from a November 2024 summit of rural health services delivery and finance experts. Covers financing rural health services, payment policies, workforce considerations, the use of technology and data, and more.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
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Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS): 2025 Reporting Options Comparison Resource
Provides an overview of the similarities and differences among the three Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) reporting options: Traditional MIPS, MIPS Value Pathways (MVP), and Alternative Payment Model (APM) Performance Pathway (APP). Designed to help providers understand which reporting options may be best for their practice. Includes information on reporting flexibilities and scoring for small and rural practices.
Additional links: 2025 Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) At-A-Glance Reporting Options for Small Practices
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of the similarities and differences among the three Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) reporting options: Traditional MIPS, MIPS Value Pathways (MVP), and Alternative Payment Model (APM) Performance Pathway (APP). Designed to help providers understand which reporting options may be best for their practice. Includes information on reporting flexibilities and scoring for small and rural practices.
Additional links: 2025 Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) At-A-Glance Reporting Options for Small Practices
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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CAH Financial Indicators Report: Summary of Indicator Medians by State
Presents state and national median values of 29 financial indicators included in the Critical Access Hospital Measurement and Performance Assessment System (CAHMPAS). Provides an overview of each measurement and reports median values by state. Indicators represent seven areas of financial performance: profitability, liquidity, capital structure, revenue, cost, utilization, and other.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Presents state and national median values of 29 financial indicators included in the Critical Access Hospital Measurement and Performance Assessment System (CAHMPAS). Provides an overview of each measurement and reports median values by state. Indicators represent seven areas of financial performance: profitability, liquidity, capital structure, revenue, cost, utilization, and other.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Ohio Rural Hospitals Form Clinically Integrated Network
Discusses the Ohio High-Value Network (OHVN), a clinically integrated network that supports rural health and serves 26 hospitals in Ohio and West Virginia. Focuses on collaboration related to clinical initiatives, operational best practices, and reducing costs and administrative burdens.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Discusses the Ohio High-Value Network (OHVN), a clinically integrated network that supports rural health and serves 26 hospitals in Ohio and West Virginia. Focuses on collaboration related to clinical initiatives, operational best practices, and reducing costs and administrative burdens.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Community Health Centers: Leading Innovation in Health Care
Presents graphs, charts, and data highlighting services provided by Community Health Centers, characteristics of the patients served, and progress made in improving access to healthcare. Reports on health centers' historical growth and recent trends, financial health, healthcare screening and disease prevention, management of chronic diseases, maternal and child health, workforce and service utilization, health information technology, and more. Includes urban-rural comparisons and maps with data by state throughout.
Author(s): Sarah Hurlbert, Mahima Singeetham, Amy Flowers
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Community Health Centers
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Presents graphs, charts, and data highlighting services provided by Community Health Centers, characteristics of the patients served, and progress made in improving access to healthcare. Reports on health centers' historical growth and recent trends, financial health, healthcare screening and disease prevention, management of chronic diseases, maternal and child health, workforce and service utilization, health information technology, and more. Includes urban-rural comparisons and maps with data by state throughout.
Author(s): Sarah Hurlbert, Mahima Singeetham, Amy Flowers
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Community Health Centers
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Characteristics and Trends of Critical Access Hospitals That Own or Operate Ambulance Services
Explores trends in the number of Critical Access Hospital (CAH)-based ambulance services between 2017 and 2022. Analyzes Medicare Cost Report data to compare the characteristics of of CAHs that own and operate ambulance services to CAHs that do not. Presents findings from interviews with eight CAH-based ambulance services regarding the challenges of operating these services, including workforce recruitment and retention issues, the role of partnerships and community involvement, and lessons learned.
Author(s): John Gale, Karen Pearson, Rebecca Stearns, Zachariah Croll
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Explores trends in the number of Critical Access Hospital (CAH)-based ambulance services between 2017 and 2022. Analyzes Medicare Cost Report data to compare the characteristics of of CAHs that own and operate ambulance services to CAHs that do not. Presents findings from interviews with eight CAH-based ambulance services regarding the challenges of operating these services, including workforce recruitment and retention issues, the role of partnerships and community involvement, and lessons learned.
Author(s): John Gale, Karen Pearson, Rebecca Stearns, Zachariah Croll
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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The State of Medicare Supplement Coverage: Trends in Enrollment and Demographics
Provides an overview of Medicare Supplement, or Medigap, coverage and coverage options. Examines the demographics of Medicare enrollees with Medicare Supplement policies in 2023 and enrollment trends. Includes demographic data on rural Medicare Supplement policyholders.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: AHIP
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Provides an overview of Medicare Supplement, or Medigap, coverage and coverage options. Examines the demographics of Medicare enrollees with Medicare Supplement policies in 2023 and enrollment trends. Includes demographic data on rural Medicare Supplement policyholders.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: AHIP
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Medicaid Plays A Key Role for Maternal and Infant Health in Rural Communities
Explores the role of Medicaid in covering women of childbearing age - 19 through 44 years old - living in small towns and rural areas. Presents data from the 2023 U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) on the percentage of women of childbearing age in small towns and rural areas have Medicaid coverage by state and compares the share of Medicaid coverage to similar women in metropolitan counties. Describes the percentage of women of childbearing age with Medicaid coverage as a share of non-elderly adults with Medicaid across Medicaid expansion states and non-expansion states. Highlights the 20 small towns and rural areas with the highest share of women of childbearing age covered by Medicaid.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Georgetown University Health Policy Institute
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Explores the role of Medicaid in covering women of childbearing age - 19 through 44 years old - living in small towns and rural areas. Presents data from the 2023 U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) on the percentage of women of childbearing age in small towns and rural areas have Medicaid coverage by state and compares the share of Medicaid coverage to similar women in metropolitan counties. Describes the percentage of women of childbearing age with Medicaid coverage as a share of non-elderly adults with Medicaid across Medicaid expansion states and non-expansion states. Highlights the 20 small towns and rural areas with the highest share of women of childbearing age covered by Medicaid.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Georgetown University Health Policy Institute
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CMS Innovation Center Strategic Direction
Describes the vision and strategic objectives for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMS Innovation Center). Strategic objectives include promoting evidence-based prevention, empowering people to achieve their health goals, and driving choice and competition.
Additional links: Frequently Asked Questions, White Paper: The CMS Innovation Center's Strategy to Make America Healthy Again
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Describes the vision and strategic objectives for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMS Innovation Center). Strategic objectives include promoting evidence-based prevention, empowering people to achieve their health goals, and driving choice and competition.
Additional links: Frequently Asked Questions, White Paper: The CMS Innovation Center's Strategy to Make America Healthy Again
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Community Health Centers Are Increasingly Important to Medicare Beneficiaries
Presents data on health center Medicare patient characteristics, service utilization, and revenue between 2019-2023. Compares sociodemographic and health characteristics of health center patients with those of the general Medicare population. Discusses the impact of managed care plans on health center finances.
Author(s): Elizabeth Dutta, Marsha Regenstein, Feygele Jacobs
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Geiger Gibson Program in Community Health
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Presents data on health center Medicare patient characteristics, service utilization, and revenue between 2019-2023. Compares sociodemographic and health characteristics of health center patients with those of the general Medicare population. Discusses the impact of managed care plans on health center finances.
Author(s): Elizabeth Dutta, Marsha Regenstein, Feygele Jacobs
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Geiger Gibson Program in Community Health
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