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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare business and finance

Targeted Provider Relief Funds Allocated to Hospitals Had Some Differences with Respect to the Ethnicity and Race of Populations Served
Examines how early Provider Relief Fund Targeted Distributions (Targeted PRF) in 2020 correlated with the racial, ethnic, and economic characteristics of the communities providers serve. Analyzes the Targeted PRF allocations to hospitals and explores if there are statistically significant correlations between PRF per person and the racial, ethnic, and economic composition of the census tracts. Covers four Targeted PRF allocations to COVID-19 High Impact Area Hospitals, Safety Net Hospitals, Rural Hospitals, and Indian Health Service and Tribal Hospitals. Identifies and describes trends in the allotment to rural hospitals.
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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The Other Side of Rural Health Care
Podcast episode with Terry Scoggin, CEO of Titus Regional Medical Center in northeast Texas, discussing how the hospital uses innovative data to understand and meet the needs of its community.
Date: 07/2023
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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The Interplay of Financial Toxicity, Health Care Team Communication, and Psychosocial Well-being among Rural Cancer Patients and Survivors
Examines the relationship among financial toxicity, healthcare team communication, and psychosocial health among rural oncology patients. Analyzes 273 patients who participated in the Cancer Support Community's Cancer Experience Registry between 2017-2023 by demographic information, depression, anxiety, social functioning, and healthcare team communication variables and their correlation with financial toxicity.
Author(s): Melissa F. Miller, Julie S. Olson, Kara Doughtie, Alexandra K. Zaleta, Kimberly P. Rogers
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 40(1), 128-137
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
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Addressing the Opioid Crisis: A Look at the Evolving Landscape of Federal OUD Treatment Policies
Provides an overview of five federal policies that impacted the provision of opioid use disorder (OUD) treatments during the COVID-19 pandemic. Covers regulations related to buprenorphine medication, methadone dispensing programs, overdose prevention and reversal methods, and leveraging Medicaid for pre- and post-release from prison OUD treatment services. Discusses how state laws may limit federal efforts.
Author(s): Heather Saunders, Nirmita Panchal
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Early Financial Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on U.S. Hospitals
Examines how hospital profitability changed during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Explores the association between COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations and county-level variables to operating margins (OMs) and total margins (TMs). Presents data by hospital characteristics, including size and Critical Access Hospital status, and compares findings from urban and rural hospitals.
Author(s): Kate Li, Mona Al-Amin, Michael D. Rosko
Citation: Journal of Healthcare Management, 68(4), 268-283
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
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Care Access and Utilization among Medicare Beneficiaries Living with Parkinson's Disease
Analyzes healthcare utilization by 685,116 Medicare patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) in 2019. Data is broken down by a variety of demographics and rurality. Discusses health disparities, mental health, and distribution of neurologists between rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Caroline Pearson, Alex Hartzman, Dianne Munevar, et al.
Citation: npj Parkinson's Disease, 9, 108
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
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Evaluation of the Impact of the No Surprises Act on Health Care Market Outcomes: Baseline Trends and Framework for Analysis - First Annual Report
Provides an overview of the No Surprises Act, which aims to protect participants, beneficiaries, and enrollees in group health plans and group and individual health insurance coverage from surprise medical bills. Details key trends in factors that will be important to evaluate the effects of the No Surprises Act, including the implementation and impacts of state surprise billing laws already in effect; trends in market consolidation and concentration; the impact of market consolidation and concentration on prices, quality, and spending; and trends in out-of-network billing. Describes a conceptual framework for considering the healthcare market effects of the No Surprises Act. Figure 4-3 shows rates of out-of-network billing prevalence by urban and rural patient residence.
Additional links: Cover Memo
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Rural Health on Life Support - Episode Three: Medicaid Unwinding
Podcast episode discussing the role of Medicaid in providing health insurance in rural areas. Covers the potential impact of Medicaid cuts on rural areas, the impact of Medicaid expansion on pediatric and maternal outcomes, and Medicaid unwinding after the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Date: 07/2023
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: Impact! Communications, Inc.
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2021 Quality Payment Program Experience Report
Reports on the clinician experience for those participating in the Quality Payment Program in 2021. Presents data on Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) eligibility and participation rates for clinicians in small practices and rural areas, as well as their mean payment adjustment scores.
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Delta Region Community Health Systems Development (DRCHSD) Program: Revenue Cycle Management Best Practices Guide
Offers rural hospital executives and management teams best practice concepts in revenue cycle management by assisting them in identifying performance improvement within their hospitals and departments. Provides State Offices of Rural Health (SORH) directors and Flex Program coordinators a better understanding of the revenue cycle best practices to help them design educational training programs to support rural hospital administrators with performance improvement.
Additional links: Check List
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: BKD CPAs & Advisors, National Rural Health Resource Center
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