Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare business and finance
The 340B Drug Discount Program: Litigation Topics and Trends
Provides an overview of the 340B Drug Discount Program. Discusses litigation surrounding the 340B program, including lawsuits against 340B-covered entities over their use of contract pharmacies to distribute 340B drugs to patients and lawsuits against states that have enacted laws to protect contract pharmacies and covered entities inside their state. Describes courts' interpretation of the 340B statute. Offers considerations for the 119th Congress in light of the litigation and describes several legislative changes that Congress could make to the program if it chose to do so.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Provides an overview of the 340B Drug Discount Program. Discusses litigation surrounding the 340B program, including lawsuits against 340B-covered entities over their use of contract pharmacies to distribute 340B drugs to patients and lawsuits against states that have enacted laws to protect contract pharmacies and covered entities inside their state. Describes courts' interpretation of the 340B statute. Offers considerations for the 119th Congress in light of the litigation and describes several legislative changes that Congress could make to the program if it chose to do so.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Growth in the 340B Drug Pricing Program
Explores trends in drug purchases through the 340B program between 2010-2021. Discusses drugs purchased through the Prime Vendor Program, factors contributing to growth in the 340B program, and effects of the 340B program on the federal budget. Includes information on the growth of 340B Program participation by hospitals in Medicaid expansion and non-expansion states by Critical Access Hospital designation.
Additional links: Data Underlying Figures
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Budget Office
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Explores trends in drug purchases through the 340B program between 2010-2021. Discusses drugs purchased through the Prime Vendor Program, factors contributing to growth in the 340B program, and effects of the 340B program on the federal budget. Includes information on the growth of 340B Program participation by hospitals in Medicaid expansion and non-expansion states by Critical Access Hospital designation.
Additional links: Data Underlying Figures
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Budget Office
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September 2025 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) September 2024 meeting. Covers Medicare payment operations and improving payment accuracy, a discussion with the Comptroller General of the United States regarding the Government Accountability Office's work related to improper payments in the Medicare program and opportunities to improve program sustainability, Medicare's overall financial situation, access to hospice and services under the Medicare hospice benefit for beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease or cancer, and the relationship between changes in Medicare Advantage enrollment and hospital finances.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) September 2024 meeting. Covers Medicare payment operations and improving payment accuracy, a discussion with the Comptroller General of the United States regarding the Government Accountability Office's work related to improper payments in the Medicare program and opportunities to improve program sustainability, Medicare's overall financial situation, access to hospice and services under the Medicare hospice benefit for beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease or cancer, and the relationship between changes in Medicare Advantage enrollment and hospital finances.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Comparison of Care in Hospital Outpatient Departments and Independent Physician Offices: Updated Findings for 2019-2024
Examines differences in Medicare payments for services at an independent physician's office (IPO) or a hospital outpatient department (HOPD). Utilizes 2019-2024 data to analyze characteristics of Medicare patients seen in HOPDs and IPOs, including rural versus urban location.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Examines differences in Medicare payments for services at an independent physician's office (IPO) or a hospital outpatient department (HOPD). Utilizes 2019-2024 data to analyze characteristics of Medicare patients seen in HOPDs and IPOs, including rural versus urban location.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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An Evaluation of State Flex Program Initiatives to Support Critical Access Hospital-Based Rural Health Clinics
Describes the 16 State Flex Program (SFP) Critical Access Hospital (CAH)-based Rural Health Clinic (RHC) initiatives for the 2023-2024 funding year. Explores the various strategies SFPs have employed to assist CAH-based RHCs by highlighting common activities, challenges, and successes observed across their programs. Summarizes interviews with seven SFPs identifying common themes and notable variations in how they engage with CAH-based RHCs.
Author(s): Bridget Harr, Rebecca Stearns, John Gale
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Describes the 16 State Flex Program (SFP) Critical Access Hospital (CAH)-based Rural Health Clinic (RHC) initiatives for the 2023-2024 funding year. Explores the various strategies SFPs have employed to assist CAH-based RHCs by highlighting common activities, challenges, and successes observed across their programs. Summarizes interviews with seven SFPs identifying common themes and notable variations in how they engage with CAH-based RHCs.
Author(s): Bridget Harr, Rebecca Stearns, John Gale
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Comparing Utilization of Home Health Care Between Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage Beneficiaries by Rural-Urban Status
Policy report describing differences in utilization of home health care between beneficiaries enrolled in Traditional Medicare (TM) and Medicare Advantage (MA), and by rural or urban status. Examines differences in use of home health overall, provision of specific services, including physical and occupational therapy, and receipt of care from home health agencies by enrollment in TM and MA. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban, large rural, small rural, and isolated rural areas.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Policy report describing differences in utilization of home health care between beneficiaries enrolled in Traditional Medicare (TM) and Medicare Advantage (MA), and by rural or urban status. Examines differences in use of home health overall, provision of specific services, including physical and occupational therapy, and receipt of care from home health agencies by enrollment in TM and MA. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban, large rural, small rural, and isolated rural areas.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Forces Driving Change in Rural North Carolina
Examines major forces driving change in rural North Carolina communities, which influence people, communities, and businesses. Includes sections on rural healthcare inequities, social determinants of health, and the long-term impact of COVID-19 on rural people. Features a county-level map showing health outcome rankings as of 2022, and statistics on the number of healthcare professionals per 10,000 people, with breakdowns by urban, suburban, and rural areas.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: NC Rural Center
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Examines major forces driving change in rural North Carolina communities, which influence people, communities, and businesses. Includes sections on rural healthcare inequities, social determinants of health, and the long-term impact of COVID-19 on rural people. Features a county-level map showing health outcome rankings as of 2022, and statistics on the number of healthcare professionals per 10,000 people, with breakdowns by urban, suburban, and rural areas.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: NC Rural Center
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Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies (RMOMS) Program
Describes a pilot grant program designed to improve maternal and neonatal health in rural communities by collecting data and supporting the development of financially sustainable and coordinated network models. Aims to make maternal and obstetrics care more accessible through increased use of telehealth and specialty care. Fact sheet provides information on the activities of 3 rural networks funded through the RMOMS program.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, Maternal and Child Health Bureau
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Describes a pilot grant program designed to improve maternal and neonatal health in rural communities by collecting data and supporting the development of financially sustainable and coordinated network models. Aims to make maternal and obstetrics care more accessible through increased use of telehealth and specialty care. Fact sheet provides information on the activities of 3 rural networks funded through the RMOMS program.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, Maternal and Child Health Bureau
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Current Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) Measures
Chart outlining the required and optional MBQIP measures. Measures are broken down into two categories, core and additional, and then into five domains: global measures, patient safety, patient engagement, care coordination, and emergency department. MBQIP is a Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) quality improvement grant program for Critical Access Hospitals.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Quality Improvement Technical Assistance (RQITA) Resource Center
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Chart outlining the required and optional MBQIP measures. Measures are broken down into two categories, core and additional, and then into five domains: global measures, patient safety, patient engagement, care coordination, and emergency department. MBQIP is a Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) quality improvement grant program for Critical Access Hospitals.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Quality Improvement Technical Assistance (RQITA) Resource Center
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Rural Health Clinic: 2026 National Patient Safety Goals
Identifies National Patient Safety Goals for the Joint Commission's Rural Health Clinic Accreditation Program. Covers patient identification, medication safety, infection prevention, and more. Effective January 1, 2026.
Additional links: Simplified Version
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Joint Commission
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Identifies National Patient Safety Goals for the Joint Commission's Rural Health Clinic Accreditation Program. Covers patient identification, medication safety, infection prevention, and more. Effective January 1, 2026.
Additional links: Simplified Version
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Joint Commission
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