Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare business and finance
March 2026 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) March 2026 meeting. Covers research and proposals related to the Medicare ground ambulance data collection system, access to hospice and certain complex palliative services for beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease and beneficiaries with cancer, provider participation in Medicare Advantage (MA) networks, MA encounter data in risk adjustment, the complexity of Medicare enrollment decisions for beneficiaries, and Medicare Part B premium payment basics. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Additional links: Mandated Report: Assessment of the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) March 2026 meeting. Covers research and proposals related to the Medicare ground ambulance data collection system, access to hospice and certain complex palliative services for beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease and beneficiaries with cancer, provider participation in Medicare Advantage (MA) networks, MA encounter data in risk adjustment, the complexity of Medicare enrollment decisions for beneficiaries, and Medicare Part B premium payment basics. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Additional links: Mandated Report: Assessment of the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Value-Based Payments Are Catching On, but Rural and Small Practices Lag
Describes the current rates of primary care physician (PCP) participation in value-based payment. Includes data on the percent of primary care physicians in rural and small practices that reported receiving revenue from value-based payment in 2025. Discusses barriers and potential solutions to increasing PCP participation in value-based payment.
Author(s): Celli Horstman, Corrine Lewis
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Describes the current rates of primary care physician (PCP) participation in value-based payment. Includes data on the percent of primary care physicians in rural and small practices that reported receiving revenue from value-based payment in 2025. Discusses barriers and potential solutions to increasing PCP participation in value-based payment.
Author(s): Celli Horstman, Corrine Lewis
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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From Closure to Comeback: A Rural ICU Is Reborn
A podcast episode examining how rural hospitals can utilize technology and partnerships to provide local healthcare access to residents. Provides a discussion between CEOs of hospitals focusing on the reopening of an intensive care unit (ICU) at a Critical Access Hospital (CAH).
Author(s): Tom Haederle, Marc Boom, Mark Boucot
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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A podcast episode examining how rural hospitals can utilize technology and partnerships to provide local healthcare access to residents. Provides a discussion between CEOs of hospitals focusing on the reopening of an intensive care unit (ICU) at a Critical Access Hospital (CAH).
Author(s): Tom Haederle, Marc Boom, Mark Boucot
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Changes in the Availability of Inpatient Psychiatric Beds Across Rural and Urban Areas, 2012-2021
Policy brief describing numbers of Critical Access Hospitals and rural Prospective Payment System (PPS) hospitals providing inpatient psychiatric care, and comparing these to urban PPS hospitals. Also examines psychiatric unit closure rates and the effect on access to behavioral health services in rural areas.
Author(s): John Gale, Zachariah T. Croll, Jamar Croom, Yvonne Jonk
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Policy brief describing numbers of Critical Access Hospitals and rural Prospective Payment System (PPS) hospitals providing inpatient psychiatric care, and comparing these to urban PPS hospitals. Also examines psychiatric unit closure rates and the effect on access to behavioral health services in rural areas.
Author(s): John Gale, Zachariah T. Croll, Jamar Croom, Yvonne Jonk
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Medicare Learning Network: Hospital Price Transparency
Contains information on federal hospital price transparency regulations and compliance, what patients need to know, and a list of helpful websites.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Contains information on federal hospital price transparency regulations and compliance, what patients need to know, and a list of helpful websites.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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One or Two Health Systems Controlled the Entire Market for Inpatient Hospital Care in Nearly Half of Metropolitan Areas in 2024
Examines the competitiveness of hospital markets in 2024 by analyzing RAND Hospital Data and American Hospital Association (AHA) survey data. Presents data on the share of metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) controlled by a small number of health systems, the level of market concentration in MSAs, and the share of hospitals affiliated with health systems over time. Compares the share of hospitals affiliated with health systems in rural and non-rural areas.
Author(s): Jamie Godwin, Zachary Levinson, Tricia Neuman
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Examines the competitiveness of hospital markets in 2024 by analyzing RAND Hospital Data and American Hospital Association (AHA) survey data. Presents data on the share of metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) controlled by a small number of health systems, the level of market concentration in MSAs, and the share of hospitals affiliated with health systems over time. Compares the share of hospitals affiliated with health systems in rural and non-rural areas.
Author(s): Jamie Godwin, Zachary Levinson, Tricia Neuman
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Wyoming Medicaid Annual Report SFY 2025
Comprehensive report of Wyoming's Medicaid program, including information and data for the types of services provided, enrollment, cost of services, and service utilization by Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Wyoming Department of Health
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Comprehensive report of Wyoming's Medicaid program, including information and data for the types of services provided, enrollment, cost of services, and service utilization by Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Wyoming Department of Health
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Analysis of 340B Program Impact on Rural Hospitals
Examines the impact of the 340B program on rural hospitals and their patients. Provides data on rural versus urban payers and patient demographics, utilization of 340B drugs under Medicare Part B, financial metrics, and more.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Avalere Health, The National Grange
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Examines the impact of the 340B program on rural hospitals and their patients. Provides data on rural versus urban payers and patient demographics, utilization of 340B drugs under Medicare Part B, financial metrics, and more.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Avalere Health, The National Grange
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Consensus-Based Entity 2025 Annual Report to Congress and the Secretary of Health and Human Services
Summarizes the work of Battelle's Partnership for Quality Measurement (PQM) to measure healthcare quality in 2025. Includes references to rural and low-volume settings throughout.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Partnership for Quality Measurement
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Summarizes the work of Battelle's Partnership for Quality Measurement (PQM) to measure healthcare quality in 2025. Includes references to rural and low-volume settings throughout.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Partnership for Quality Measurement
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Insurance Coverage and Perceived Access to Care Among Rural Adults: A CrossâSectional Study Using Andersen's Behavioral Model
Examines the relationship between insurance coverage and perceived healthcare access among adults living in rural Connecticut. Utilizes 2012-2013 Connecticut Health Care Survey data to explore respondent sociodemographics, health status, missed or delayed care, and more. Discusses how insurance availability and other factors impact perceived access to healthcare for patients.
Author(s): Christian Ketel, Lisa C. Lindley
Citation: Public Health Nursing, 43(3), 585-594
Date: 02/2026
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Examines the relationship between insurance coverage and perceived healthcare access among adults living in rural Connecticut. Utilizes 2012-2013 Connecticut Health Care Survey data to explore respondent sociodemographics, health status, missed or delayed care, and more. Discusses how insurance availability and other factors impact perceived access to healthcare for patients.
Author(s): Christian Ketel, Lisa C. Lindley
Citation: Public Health Nursing, 43(3), 585-594
Date: 02/2026
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