Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare business and finance
MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility PPS for FY 2026
Comments on an April 30, 2025, Federal Register proposed rule addressing updates to the prospective payment system for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) for fiscal year 2026. Includes comments on the potential impact of replacing payment weights on small and rural IRFs.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Comments on an April 30, 2025, Federal Register proposed rule addressing updates to the prospective payment system for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) for fiscal year 2026. Includes comments on the potential impact of replacing payment weights on small and rural IRFs.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Organizational Factors Associated with Using Telehealth Services: Perspectives from Leaders of Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers
Research and policy brief examining organizational factors influencing telehealth use in Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Summarizes interviews with RHC and FQHC key informants to discuss perceptions of telehealth, implementation challenges, operational challenges, and opportunities for innovation. Provides suggestions for policy and reimbursement approaches to improve telehealth provision and access.
Author(s): Constance van Eeghen, John A. Gale, Erika Ziller, Yvonne Jonk
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Remote Care & Telehealth Research Center
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Research and policy brief examining organizational factors influencing telehealth use in Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Summarizes interviews with RHC and FQHC key informants to discuss perceptions of telehealth, implementation challenges, operational challenges, and opportunities for innovation. Provides suggestions for policy and reimbursement approaches to improve telehealth provision and access.
Author(s): Constance van Eeghen, John A. Gale, Erika Ziller, Yvonne Jonk
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Remote Care & Telehealth Research Center
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Preventing Medical Debt among Rural Residents: Example Programs from Hospitals in Minnesota and Montana
Highlights the ways some rural hospitals are working to reduce medical debt for their patients. Presents a number of strategies from hospitals in Minnesota and Montana that aim to reduce patient medical debts through financial assistance programs and cost-cutting measures. Features case-studies reviewing the structure of each hospital's debt reduction efforts.
Author(s): Katie Rydberg, Sushma Shankar, Mariana Tuttle, Carrie Henning-Smith
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Highlights the ways some rural hospitals are working to reduce medical debt for their patients. Presents a number of strategies from hospitals in Minnesota and Montana that aim to reduce patient medical debts through financial assistance programs and cost-cutting measures. Features case-studies reviewing the structure of each hospital's debt reduction efforts.
Author(s): Katie Rydberg, Sushma Shankar, Mariana Tuttle, Carrie Henning-Smith
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Quality Payment Program (QPP) 2023: Participation and Payment Results At-a-Glance
Provides an overview of the results of the Quality Payment Program (QPP) for the 2023 performance year. Highlights the percentages of small and rural providers receiving negative, neutral, and positive payment adjustments for 2025.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of the results of the Quality Payment Program (QPP) for the 2023 performance year. Highlights the percentages of small and rural providers receiving negative, neutral, and positive payment adjustments for 2025.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Associations Between Rural Hospital Closures and Acute and Post-Acute Care Access and Outcomes
Examines the impact of rural hospital closures on hospital and post-acute care (PAC) use and outcomes. Analyzes 32 rural hospital closures and county-level impacts on travel distances, lengths of stay at hospitals, hospital charges, PAC episodes, fall injuries and related mortality and hospitalizations, and population-level hospitalization and death rates. Includes descriptive statistics of 2014-2018 rural hospital closure status.
Author(s): Geoffrey J. Hoffman, Jinkyung Ha, Zhaohui Fan, Jun Li
Citation: Health Services Research, 60(3), e14426
Date: 06/2025
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Examines the impact of rural hospital closures on hospital and post-acute care (PAC) use and outcomes. Analyzes 32 rural hospital closures and county-level impacts on travel distances, lengths of stay at hospitals, hospital charges, PAC episodes, fall injuries and related mortality and hospitalizations, and population-level hospitalization and death rates. Includes descriptive statistics of 2014-2018 rural hospital closure status.
Author(s): Geoffrey J. Hoffman, Jinkyung Ha, Zhaohui Fan, Jun Li
Citation: Health Services Research, 60(3), e14426
Date: 06/2025
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Iowa Community Health Centers and Value-Based Care
Describes how Iowa Primary Care Association (Iowa PCA) and two sister organizations, IowaHealth+ and INConcertCare, pursued value-based care opportunities before joining the Medicare Shared Savings Program. Discusses the network's Medicaid value-based care contract; a partnership with Main Street Health to expand value-based contracting and provide more comprehensive, integrated primary care to patients with Medicare Advantage; data analytics; strategic planning and roadmaps; and next steps.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Describes how Iowa Primary Care Association (Iowa PCA) and two sister organizations, IowaHealth+ and INConcertCare, pursued value-based care opportunities before joining the Medicare Shared Savings Program. Discusses the network's Medicaid value-based care contract; a partnership with Main Street Health to expand value-based contracting and provide more comprehensive, integrated primary care to patients with Medicare Advantage; data analytics; strategic planning and roadmaps; and next steps.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Health Care Vacancies and Turnover in Kansas
Provides data and trends of the Kansas healthcare workforce, including information on vacancies and turnover, data on nursing supply, hospital financial trends, projected job openings, and primary care physician Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) by county.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Kansas Hospital Association
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Provides data and trends of the Kansas healthcare workforce, including information on vacancies and turnover, data on nursing supply, hospital financial trends, projected job openings, and primary care physician Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) by county.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Kansas Hospital Association
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Medicare Claims Processing Manual: Chapter 9 - Rural Health Clinics/Federally Qualified Health Centers
Describes the differences between Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Identifies the rules and regulations for processing Medicare claims.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Describes the differences between Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Identifies the rules and regulations for processing Medicare claims.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Medicare Care Management Billing Strategies
Webinar recording featuring speakers from Eide Bailly and the NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis discussing new 2025 Medicare care management billing codes and how they can be used to support care coordination to improve care quality for Medicare beneficiaries
Additional links: Audio Recording, Webinar Slides
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Webinar recording featuring speakers from Eide Bailly and the NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis discussing new 2025 Medicare care management billing codes and how they can be used to support care coordination to improve care quality for Medicare beneficiaries
Additional links: Audio Recording, Webinar Slides
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Annual Insurance Update 2025: Health Insurance in Kansas
Reports on health insurance coverage across Kansas and nationwide, including 2009-2023 trends in coverage. Presents 2022 county-level data on uninsured rates by age group and urban/rural classification, as well as Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enrollment by county.
Author(s): Angela S. Wu, Kaci Cink, Viktoria Sterkhova, et al.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Kansas Health Institute
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Reports on health insurance coverage across Kansas and nationwide, including 2009-2023 trends in coverage. Presents 2022 county-level data on uninsured rates by age group and urban/rural classification, as well as Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enrollment by county.
Author(s): Angela S. Wu, Kaci Cink, Viktoria Sterkhova, et al.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Kansas Health Institute
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