Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare business and finance
Report to Congress on Medicaid and CHIP, March 2025
Reports on three aspects of Medicaid of interest to Congress: 1) improving the usability and transparency of the managed care external quality review process, 2) improvements on timely access to home- and community-based services (HCBS), and 3) ways to streamline Medicaid Section 1915 authorities for home-and community-based services and reduce the administrative burden.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Reports on three aspects of Medicaid of interest to Congress: 1) improving the usability and transparency of the managed care external quality review process, 2) improvements on timely access to home- and community-based services (HCBS), and 3) ways to streamline Medicaid Section 1915 authorities for home-and community-based services and reduce the administrative burden.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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March 2025 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) March 2025 meeting. Covers research and proposals related to reforming physician fee schedule updates and improving the accuracy of relative payment rates, reducing beneficiary cost-sharing for outpatient services at Critical Access Hospitals, Medicare insurance agents, Medigap, payment for ground ambulance services, home healthcare use among Medicare Advantage enrollees, and institutional special needs plans. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Additional links: Mandated Report: Payment for Ground Ambulance Services, Reducing Beneficiary Cost-Sharing for Outpatient Services at Critical Access Hospitals
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) March 2025 meeting. Covers research and proposals related to reforming physician fee schedule updates and improving the accuracy of relative payment rates, reducing beneficiary cost-sharing for outpatient services at Critical Access Hospitals, Medicare insurance agents, Medigap, payment for ground ambulance services, home healthcare use among Medicare Advantage enrollees, and institutional special needs plans. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Additional links: Mandated Report: Payment for Ground Ambulance Services, Reducing Beneficiary Cost-Sharing for Outpatient Services at Critical Access Hospitals
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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5 Key Facts About Medicaid and Hospitals
Provides an overview of the impact of Medicaid spending for hospitals. Discusses potential challenges facing rural hospitals if policy changes to reduce Medicaid spending are implemented. Includes data on the percentage of births financed by Medicaid overall and by urban and rural status.
Author(s): Scott Hulver, Zachary Levinson, Alice Burns, et al.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Provides an overview of the impact of Medicaid spending for hospitals. Discusses potential challenges facing rural hospitals if policy changes to reduce Medicaid spending are implemented. Includes data on the percentage of births financed by Medicaid overall and by urban and rural status.
Author(s): Scott Hulver, Zachary Levinson, Alice Burns, et al.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS): 2024 Opt-in and Voluntary Reporting Election Process Guide
Discusses the eligibility of clinicians, groups, and Alternative Payment Model (APM) participants that exceed some low-volume threshold criteria to opt-in to the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and the APM Performance Pathway (APP) for the 2024 performance period. Compares opting in and voluntarily reporting MIPS data and provides an overview of the election process.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Discusses the eligibility of clinicians, groups, and Alternative Payment Model (APM) participants that exceed some low-volume threshold criteria to opt-in to the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and the APM Performance Pathway (APP) for the 2024 performance period. Compares opting in and voluntarily reporting MIPS data and provides an overview of the election process.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Rural Hospital Experiences in the Colorado Hospital Transformation Program
Provides an overview of the Colorado Hospital Transformation Program (CO HTP), a 5-year program that ties Medicaid supplemental payments to hospitals' ability to meet performance targets through September 2026. Describes the experiences of three Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and explores how CO HTP impacts rural hospitals. Covers planning and community engagement, quality of care, and healthcare costs.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Provides an overview of the Colorado Hospital Transformation Program (CO HTP), a 5-year program that ties Medicaid supplemental payments to hospitals' ability to meet performance targets through September 2026. Describes the experiences of three Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and explores how CO HTP impacts rural hospitals. Covers planning and community engagement, quality of care, and healthcare costs.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Medicare Benefit Policy Manual: Chapter 13 - Rural Health Clinic (RHC) and Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Services
Current regulations, as of March 2025, regarding Medicare payment policies for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs).
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Current regulations, as of March 2025, regarding Medicare payment policies for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs).
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Consensus-Based Entity 2024 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 2024. Includes discussions on exploring the unique challenges experienced in rural and low-volume settings and prioritizing effective measures for rural communities.
Date: 02/2025
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 2024. Includes discussions on exploring the unique challenges experienced in rural and low-volume settings and prioritizing effective measures for rural communities.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Partnership for Quality Measurement
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Rural Hospital Stabilization Program Introduction
A recorded webinar that provides an overview on the Rural Hospital Stabilization Program. Focuses on the program's purpose and services as well as participation eligibility and the application/selection process. Transcript available below description.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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A recorded webinar that provides an overview on the Rural Hospital Stabilization Program. Focuses on the program's purpose and services as well as participation eligibility and the application/selection process. Transcript available below description.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Cost Burden of Cancer Screening in Kansas by Region and Rural/Urban Designation
Analyzes the cost burden of self-pay cancer screenings in Kansas by rural and urban location and geographic region of the state, with data on colonoscopies, chest computed tomography (CT) scans, and mammograms. Discusses rural-urban disparities in price of services and pricing transparency.
Author(s): Kale Mills, Nicole Freund
Citation: Kansas Journal of Medicine, 18(1):10–13
Date: 02/2025
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Analyzes the cost burden of self-pay cancer screenings in Kansas by rural and urban location and geographic region of the state, with data on colonoscopies, chest computed tomography (CT) scans, and mammograms. Discusses rural-urban disparities in price of services and pricing transparency.
Author(s): Kale Mills, Nicole Freund
Citation: Kansas Journal of Medicine, 18(1):10–13
Date: 02/2025
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What's Going on in Greater Minnesota? – The Decline in Nursing Bed Capacity
A recorded webinar that discusses the research report, The Declining Capacity of Nursing Facility Care in Rural Minnesota. Focuses on shrinking availability of nursing home beds, workforce shortages, and closure of long-term care facilities.
Author(s): Kelly Asche
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Policy and Development
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A recorded webinar that discusses the research report, The Declining Capacity of Nursing Facility Care in Rural Minnesota. Focuses on shrinking availability of nursing home beds, workforce shortages, and closure of long-term care facilities.
Author(s): Kelly Asche
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Policy and Development
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