Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare business and finance
April 2025 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) April 2025 meeting. Covers physician fee schedule updates and improving the accuracy of relative payment rates; structural differences between the stand-alone prescription drug plan (PDP) and Medicare Advantage–Prescription Drug plan (MA–PD) markets; the utilization and delivery of Medicare Advantage supplemental benefits; the effect of Medicare Advantage on rural hospitals; paying for software technologies in Medicare; access to hospice and certain services under the hospice benefit for beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease and beneficiaries with cancer; and regulations, star ratings, and fee-for-service Medicare policies aimed at improving nursing home quality.
Additional links: Exploring the Effect of Medicare Advantage on Rural Hospitals
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) April 2025 meeting. Covers physician fee schedule updates and improving the accuracy of relative payment rates; structural differences between the stand-alone prescription drug plan (PDP) and Medicare Advantage–Prescription Drug plan (MA–PD) markets; the utilization and delivery of Medicare Advantage supplemental benefits; the effect of Medicare Advantage on rural hospitals; paying for software technologies in Medicare; access to hospice and certain services under the hospice benefit for beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease and beneficiaries with cancer; and regulations, star ratings, and fee-for-service Medicare policies aimed at improving nursing home quality.
Additional links: Exploring the Effect of Medicare Advantage on Rural Hospitals
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Are HHC Scores a Reliable Health Status Indicator Across Rural and Urban Areas?
Examines differences in Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Hierarchical Condition Category (HCC) risk scores between rural and urban Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) beneficiaries and analyzes which factors drive observed differences. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban, large rural, small rural, and isolated rural areas for 4 chronic conditions in 2019-2020.
Author(s): Craig D. Holden, Alana Knudson, Marilyn Klug, Samantha Augenbraun, Shena Popat
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: ETSU/NORC Rural Health Research Center
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Examines differences in Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Hierarchical Condition Category (HCC) risk scores between rural and urban Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) beneficiaries and analyzes which factors drive observed differences. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban, large rural, small rural, and isolated rural areas for 4 chronic conditions in 2019-2020.
Author(s): Craig D. Holden, Alana Knudson, Marilyn Klug, Samantha Augenbraun, Shena Popat
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: ETSU/NORC Rural Health Research Center
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Plains and Southeast Areas Received Largest Share of Federal Community Facilities Program's Rural Hospital Funding, 2000 to 2020
Map comparing the amount of Community Facilities Program's rural hospital funding with rural hospital closures between 2000 and 2020 in the 8 Bureau of Economic Analysis geographic regions.
Author(s): Anil Rupasingha
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Map comparing the amount of Community Facilities Program's rural hospital funding with rural hospital closures between 2000 and 2020 in the 8 Bureau of Economic Analysis geographic regions.
Author(s): Anil Rupasingha
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Small Practice After-Action Review: 2023 Performance Year Final Score
Tool for small practices interested in examining their 2023 Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) final score to identify opportunities to improve performance in 2025.
Additional links: Video: Small Practice Action Planning Tool for MIPS
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Tool for small practices interested in examining their 2023 Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) final score to identify opportunities to improve performance in 2025.
Additional links: Video: Small Practice Action Planning Tool for MIPS
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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The Relationship Between Food and Housing Insecurity and Healthcare Use among Virginia Medicaid Expansion Members: Considering the Neighborhood Context
Examines how rurality and residential segregation impact food and housing insecurity in Medicaid expansion members in Virginia. Analyzes 14,735 individuals in 2019 for food and housing security, with demographic breakdowns by sex, race/ethnicity, age, health status, healthcare usage, income, and urban, suburban, or rural location.
Author(s): Hannah Shadowen, Sarah J. Marks, Olufemi Obembe, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research, 60(S2)
Date: 04/2025
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Examines how rurality and residential segregation impact food and housing insecurity in Medicaid expansion members in Virginia. Analyzes 14,735 individuals in 2019 for food and housing security, with demographic breakdowns by sex, race/ethnicity, age, health status, healthcare usage, income, and urban, suburban, or rural location.
Author(s): Hannah Shadowen, Sarah J. Marks, Olufemi Obembe, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research, 60(S2)
Date: 04/2025
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The Impacts of New York's Balance Billing Regulation on Ground Ambulance Pricing
Examines the impact of surprise out-of-network (OON) billing regulations on New York emergency ground ambulances. Analyzes 2012-2019 commercial claims data and discusses the impacts of billing regulations on costs of care, with considerations related to transports from rural, super-rural, and urban locations.
Author(s): Wendy Y. Xu, Christopher Garmon, Sheldon M. Retchin, Yiting Li
Citation: Health Services Research, 60(2)
Date: 04/2025
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Examines the impact of surprise out-of-network (OON) billing regulations on New York emergency ground ambulances. Analyzes 2012-2019 commercial claims data and discusses the impacts of billing regulations on costs of care, with considerations related to transports from rural, super-rural, and urban locations.
Author(s): Wendy Y. Xu, Christopher Garmon, Sheldon M. Retchin, Yiting Li
Citation: Health Services Research, 60(2)
Date: 04/2025
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Advancing Value-Based Payment Policies Relevant to Rural Areas – Continued Challenges and New Opportunities
Discusses lessons from the recent public health emergency, rising health care costs, improved quality measurement, and innovative technologies on the transition from volume-based payment to value-based payment. Outlines potential policy opportunities for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center model design and CMS program inclusion to expand rural-appropriate opportunities to participate in the transition to value-based care. Builds on the 2020 publication How to Design Value‐based Care Models for Rural Participant Success: A Summit Findings Report.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Discusses lessons from the recent public health emergency, rising health care costs, improved quality measurement, and innovative technologies on the transition from volume-based payment to value-based payment. Outlines potential policy opportunities for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center model design and CMS program inclusion to expand rural-appropriate opportunities to participate in the transition to value-based care. Builds on the 2020 publication How to Design Value‐based Care Models for Rural Participant Success: A Summit Findings Report.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Missouri Rural Health Clinic Provider Manual
Provider manual identifying the conditions of participation providing services in Missouri state-funded healthcare programs, including MO HealthNet, Missouri's Medicaid program. Addresses enrollment, eligibility, claim filing, and billing requirements for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) in Missouri. Includes information on covered telehealth services.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Missouri Department of Social Services
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Provider manual identifying the conditions of participation providing services in Missouri state-funded healthcare programs, including MO HealthNet, Missouri's Medicaid program. Addresses enrollment, eligibility, claim filing, and billing requirements for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) in Missouri. Includes information on covered telehealth services.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Missouri Department of Social Services
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Exercising Self-Governance Through an Indian Managed Care Entity: The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Tribal Option
Profiles the Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority (CIHA), a health system serving the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI). Discusses the design and impact of their Medicaid managed care entity.
Author(s): Anne Smithey, Rob Houston
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Profiles the Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority (CIHA), a health system serving the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI). Discusses the design and impact of their Medicaid managed care entity.
Author(s): Anne Smithey, Rob Houston
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Exploring Strategies for Small Local & Tribal Health Departments to Succeed in Accreditation
A recorded webinar that discusses challenges small and tribal health departments face when preparing for the accreditation process. Provides guidance and strategies to help accelerate and achieve accreditation. Transcript available below description.
Additional links: Slides
Author(s): Peg Allen, Matthew Fifolt, Amy Belflower Thomas, Jennifer Clarke-Lofters
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Public Health Accreditation Board
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A recorded webinar that discusses challenges small and tribal health departments face when preparing for the accreditation process. Provides guidance and strategies to help accelerate and achieve accreditation. Transcript available below description.
Additional links: Slides
Author(s): Peg Allen, Matthew Fifolt, Amy Belflower Thomas, Jennifer Clarke-Lofters
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Public Health Accreditation Board
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