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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare business and finance

Challenges of Rural Cancer Care in the United States
Highlights the impact of rurality affecting the care of rural cancer patients and healthcare providers treating cancer patients. Discussion includes the availability of cancer specialists, limited transportation services, lower socioeconomic status, health insurance coverage, less access to clinical trials, and the shortage of palliative and end-of-life staff and services.
Author(s): Mary Charlton, Jennifer Schlichting, Catherine Chioreso, et al.
Citation: Oncology (Williston Park), 29(9), 633-640
Date: 09/2015
Type: Document
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Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2014
Provides statistics on health insurance coverage in 2014 and also focuses on changes between 2013 and 2014. Table 5 lists statistics for metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. Based on data from the 2015 Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement.
Author(s): Jessica C. Smith, Carla Medalia
Date: 09/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Performance Measurement for Rural Low-Volume Providers: Final Report
Identifies challenges to measuring healthcare performance among low-volume rural providers, and presents recommendations to meet these challenges. Primary focus is on finding appropriate quality measures for use within Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) pay-for-performance programs and encouraging rural participation in CMS quality improvement initiatives.
Date: 09/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Quality Forum
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An Interview with Darrold Bertsch
A healthcare administrator who serves as CEO of both a Critical Access Hospital and a Federally Qualified Health Center in rural North Dakota discusses how the two facilities work together to meet their region's healthcare needs.
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 09/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Hawaii Oral Health: Key Findings
Reports on access to oral health care in Hawaii and describes the state's oral health status. Includes county-level breakdowns of data and discusses key findings, such as the impact of Medicaid on oral health access.
Date: 08/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Hawaii State Department of Health
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Simulation and Analysis of an Alternative Medicare Home Health Payment System Not Based on Number of Therapy Visits
Outlines a possible approach to redesigning the Medicare home health payment system and describes the likely impacts of such a change. Includes statistics with breakdowns by number of therapy and non-therapy visits, payment-to-cost ratios, medical procedure or chronic illness, and type of health facility.
Author(s): Doug Wissoker, Bowen Garrett
Date: 08/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Urban Institute
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Competition Among Medicare's Private Health Plans: Does It Really Exist?
Measures rates of competition among private Medicare Advantage (MA) plans across the country and across rural/urban geographies.
Author(s): Brian Biles, Giselle Casillas, Stuart Guterman
Date: 08/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Rural Health Care Disparities Created by Medicare Regulations
Transcript of a July 28, 2015, U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee, Subcommittee on Health hearing concerning rural healthcare disparities created by Medicare regulations. Features testimony from the Arizona Center for Rural Health and leaders from two Critical Access Hospitals and one rural hospital. Covers physician shortages; graduate medical education; the impact of regulatory changes such as the 96-hour rule, the two-midnight rule, and physician supervision requirements; and more.
Additional links: Carrie Saia, Holton Community Hospital - Testimony, Daniel Derksen, Arizona Center for Rural Health - Testimony, Shannon Sorensen, Brown County Hospital - Testimony, Tim Joslin, Community Regional Medical Centers - Testimony
Date: 07/2015
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: House Ways and Means Committee, Subcommittee on Health
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Community Health Centers and Telehealth: A Cost Analysis Report & Recommendations
Summarizes the findings from a study undertaken by 3 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and 2 Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) in California to understand the costs and revenue sources for telehealth services. Includes a series of policy recommendations and suggestions for advancing the use of telehealth programs among community health centers.
Date: 07/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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The Economic Impact of Recent Hospital Closures on Rural Communities
Estimates the direct and secondary economic impacts of hospital closures on rural communities, focusing on labor (wages, salaries, benefits) and employment (jobs) income. Uses data collected from 16 hospitals representing 13 states that have closed since 2010, of which 9 were designated as Critical Access Hospitals.
Author(s): Fred C Eilrich, Gerald A. Doeksen, Cheryl F. St. Clair
Date: 07/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Rural Health Works
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