Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare business and finance
Disability and Independence in Rural America: White Paper
Provides an overview of disability and independence in rural America. Describes disability prevalence in rural areas and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) programs for people with disabilities. Outlines key considerations for rural disability services, including access, Medicaid and Medicare coverage, workforce, and telehealth and technology. Highlights themes that emerged during the September 2023 National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Service (NACRHHS) meeting regarding areas for disability and independence policy improvement. Appendix A summarizes NACRHHS subcommittee site visits of two organizations serving rural Colorado residents.
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Provides an overview of disability and independence in rural America. Describes disability prevalence in rural areas and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) programs for people with disabilities. Outlines key considerations for rural disability services, including access, Medicaid and Medicare coverage, workforce, and telehealth and technology. Highlights themes that emerged during the September 2023 National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Service (NACRHHS) meeting regarding areas for disability and independence policy improvement. Appendix A summarizes NACRHHS subcommittee site visits of two organizations serving rural Colorado residents.
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Variation in Dentist Participation Between Dental Medicaid Managed Care Organizations
Examines the variation in Medicaid managed care organization (MCO) participation among private practice dentists in Iowa. Describes factors associated with Medicaid MCO participation, including dentists' personal and practice characteristics, including practice type, rural or urban location, and dental Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designation.
Author(s): Pamela C. Nwachukwu, Peter C. Damiano, Steven Levy, et al.
Citation: Journal of Public Health Dentistry,
Date: 07/2024
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Examines the variation in Medicaid managed care organization (MCO) participation among private practice dentists in Iowa. Describes factors associated with Medicaid MCO participation, including dentists' personal and practice characteristics, including practice type, rural or urban location, and dental Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designation.
Author(s): Pamela C. Nwachukwu, Peter C. Damiano, Steven Levy, et al.
Citation: Journal of Public Health Dentistry,
Date: 07/2024
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Fewer Hospitalized Medicare Beneficiaries Are Receiving Recommended Home Health Care
Describes trends in Medicare patients' receipt of recommended home health services following a hospitalization between 2016 and 2022. Presents data on home health referral completion rates by sex, race, dual eligibility status, rural/urban location, and social deprivation index groups. Discusses factors that could influence home health utilization trends and considerations for policymakers.
Author(s): Marie Steele-Adjognon, Clarence Kelley, Lane Koenig
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Commonwealth Fund, KNG Health Consulting, LLC
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Describes trends in Medicare patients' receipt of recommended home health services following a hospitalization between 2016 and 2022. Presents data on home health referral completion rates by sex, race, dual eligibility status, rural/urban location, and social deprivation index groups. Discusses factors that could influence home health utilization trends and considerations for policymakers.
Author(s): Marie Steele-Adjognon, Clarence Kelley, Lane Koenig
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Commonwealth Fund, KNG Health Consulting, LLC
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Rural Community Health Worker Programs: Proving Value and Finding Sustainability
Features four rural healthcare organizations describing the impact of their community health worker (CHW) programs and strategies for sustaining them. Discusses CHW roles, activities, reimbursement options, and more.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Features four rural healthcare organizations describing the impact of their community health worker (CHW) programs and strategies for sustaining them. Discusses CHW roles, activities, reimbursement options, and more.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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The Low-Volume Hospital Adjustment Before and During COVID-19
Describes characteristics of rural low-volume hospitals (LVHs) between April 2018 and March 2022. Compares the characteristics and profitability of rural LVHs with other rural prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Presents data on LVH profitability margins with and without the LVH payment adjustment.
Author(s): Emmaline Keesee, Susie Gurzenda, Kristie Thompson, George Pink
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Describes characteristics of rural low-volume hospitals (LVHs) between April 2018 and March 2022. Compares the characteristics and profitability of rural LVHs with other rural prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Presents data on LVH profitability margins with and without the LVH payment adjustment.
Author(s): Emmaline Keesee, Susie Gurzenda, Kristie Thompson, George Pink
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Medicare Advantage Enrollees Account for a Rising Share of Inpatient Hospital Days
Describes the growth of Medicare Advantage (MA) as a share of hospital inpatient days between 2015 and 2022. Presents data from hospital cost reports submitted to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) regarding the share of inpatient days attributable to MA compared to traditional Medicare, the percentage of hospitals with more inpatient days from Medicare Advantage than traditional Medicare, and the variation across hospitals within counties. Compares trends in the share of inpatient days for MA enrollees across rural, micropolitan, and metropolitan hospitals.
Author(s): Jamie Godwin, Jeannie Fuglesten Biniek, Zachary Levinson, Tricia Neuman
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Describes the growth of Medicare Advantage (MA) as a share of hospital inpatient days between 2015 and 2022. Presents data from hospital cost reports submitted to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) regarding the share of inpatient days attributable to MA compared to traditional Medicare, the percentage of hospitals with more inpatient days from Medicare Advantage than traditional Medicare, and the variation across hospitals within counties. Compares trends in the share of inpatient days for MA enrollees across rural, micropolitan, and metropolitan hospitals.
Author(s): Jamie Godwin, Jeannie Fuglesten Biniek, Zachary Levinson, Tricia Neuman
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Why Primary Care Practitioners Aren't Joining Value-Based Payment Models: Reasons and Potential Solutions
Explores reasons why primary care providers do not participate in value-based payment models. Presents findings from focus group and key informant interviews with primary care providers and primary care member organizations. Covers financial, workforce, and administrative burden-related challenges, and outlines potential solutions. Includes a discussion of financial challenges small and rural independent practices face in participating in value-based payment models.
Author(s): Ann S. O'Malley, Rumin Sarwar, Cindy Alvarez, Eugene C. Rich
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Explores reasons why primary care providers do not participate in value-based payment models. Presents findings from focus group and key informant interviews with primary care providers and primary care member organizations. Covers financial, workforce, and administrative burden-related challenges, and outlines potential solutions. Includes a discussion of financial challenges small and rural independent practices face in participating in value-based payment models.
Author(s): Ann S. O'Malley, Rumin Sarwar, Cindy Alvarez, Eugene C. Rich
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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MedPAC Data Book: Health Care Spending and the Medicare Program, 2024
Provides an overview of Medicare spending and highlights data on Medicare beneficiary demographics, dual-eligible beneficiaries, quality of care provided through the Medicare program, and other payer liability. Examines settings of care, including rural-specific provider sites, as they relate to spending, access to care, and profit margins. Compares rural and urban beneficiaries and providers throughout. Chart 6-2 addresses rural hospital closures.
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Provides an overview of Medicare spending and highlights data on Medicare beneficiary demographics, dual-eligible beneficiaries, quality of care provided through the Medicare program, and other payer liability. Examines settings of care, including rural-specific provider sites, as they relate to spending, access to care, and profit margins. Compares rural and urban beneficiaries and providers throughout. Chart 6-2 addresses rural hospital closures.
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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How a Rural Health System Continues to Provide Essential Obstetric Services
Podcast episode describing how Kittitas Valley Healthcare in rural Washington State worked to continue to provide obstetric services at its Critical Access Hospital (CAH) amid the departure of its full-time obstetric providers. Discusses the involvement of the governing board and recruitment and retention efforts.
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Podcast episode describing how Kittitas Valley Healthcare in rural Washington State worked to continue to provide obstetric services at its Critical Access Hospital (CAH) amid the departure of its full-time obstetric providers. Discusses the involvement of the governing board and recruitment and retention efforts.
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Positioning Telehealth Policy to Ensure High-Quality, Cost-Effective Care
Presents policy recommendations and suggestions to guide policymakers when considering the future of telehealth. Analyzes peer-reviewed research; government reports; and findings from interviews with payers, providers, provider associations, federal agencies, consumer advocates, technology leaders, policy experts, and other stakeholders. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Author(s): Maya Sandalow, Julia Harris, Mikayla Curtis, Marilyn Werber Serafini
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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Presents policy recommendations and suggestions to guide policymakers when considering the future of telehealth. Analyzes peer-reviewed research; government reports; and findings from interviews with payers, providers, provider associations, federal agencies, consumer advocates, technology leaders, policy experts, and other stakeholders. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Author(s): Maya Sandalow, Julia Harris, Mikayla Curtis, Marilyn Werber Serafini
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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