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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare business and finance

Rural Provider Perceptions of the ACA: Case Studies in Four States
Summarizes findings from a survey of 28 rural providers and leaders of provider associations in four states, two that chose to expand Medicaid and two that did not. Explores providers' experiences and opinions of the impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Author(s): Brystana Kaufman, Pam Silberman, Mark Holmes
Date: 02/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Do Current Medicare Rural Hospital Payment Systems Align with Cost Determinants?
Discusses various payment models that may affect the financial performance of rural hospitals and the variables (geographic, community, market, and hospital) that affect rural hospital costs.
Author(s): Kristin Moss, G. Mark Holmes, George H. Pink,
Date: 02/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Use and Performance Variations in U.S. Rural Emergency Departments: Implications for Improving Care Quality and Reducing Costs
Illustrates the utilization and performance of emergency departments (EDs) across the urban/rural spectrum for non-emergency health conditions. Identifies and discusses the potential risk factors that may impact ED use for non-emergent healthcare.
Author(s): Yvonne Jonk, Marilyn G. Klug, Gary Hart
Date: 02/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Reform Policy Research Center
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Financially Fragile Rural Hospitals: Mergers and Closures
Highlights a national trend of financial stress on rural hospitals that have led to facility and service closures and mergers in recent years. Discusses the causes of the financial stress, including the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, the lack of Medicaid expansion in some states, and operational challenges in transitioning to value-based care.
Author(s): Mark Holmes
Citation: North Carolina Medical Journal, 76(1), 37-40
Date: 01/2015
Type: Document
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CPC Practice Spotlights
A collection of short features on primary care practices that participated in the CMS Comprehensive Primary Care (CPC) initiative, a multi-payer initiative that offered population-based care management fees and shared savings opportunities to participating practices. Includes examples of practices serving rural areas.
Date: 01/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Rural Health Care: Redefining Access
Discusses collaboration, recruitment and retention, providing specialty services and quality of care as methods to strengthen the health of North Carolina's rural communities.
Author(s): Chris Collins
Citation: North Carolina Medical Journal, 76(1), 20-23
Date: 01/2015
Type: Document
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International Classification of Disease: CMS's Efforts to Prepare for the New Version of the Disease and Procedure Codes
Review of the efforts undertaken by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to prepare for the transition to the 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) codes. Evaluates the materials developed and activities undertaken by CMS to help providers' transition and describes concerns of stakeholder organizations, including rural-specific considerations.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 01/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Health Insurance Marketplace 2015 Open Enrollment Period: January Enrollment Report
Provides data on the 2015 Open Enrollment period, describing the number of Americans who enrolled in the individual, federally-sponsored health insurance Marketplace. Appendix Table A1 shows plan selection by gender, age, race, and rural status.
Date: 01/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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2014: Rural Medicare Advantage Enrollment Update
Examines variation in the percentage of rural Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans by state. Also provides Medicare Advantage enrollment by type of plan.
Author(s): Leah Kemper, Abigail Barker, Timothy McBride, Keith Mueller
Date: 01/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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The Need to Reform Medicare's Payments to Skilled Nursing Facilities Is as Strong as Ever
Compares payments made to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and costs over time to see if changes made by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to the payment system have improved payment accuracy. Table 3 and Table 4 compare healthcare facility characteristics, including rural location.
Author(s): Carol Carter, Bowen Garrett, Doug Wissoker
Date: 01/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, Urban Institute
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