Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare quality
Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare payments under the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and other Medicare Part B issues for calendar year 2025. Summarizes provisions related to telehealth services; advanced primary care management services; behavioral health services; opioid treatment programs; dental and oral health services; Rural Health Clinic (RHC) and Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) care coordination services, telecommunication services, intensive outpatient program (IOP) services, and payment for vaccine costs; and more.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare payments under the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and other Medicare Part B issues for calendar year 2025. Summarizes provisions related to telehealth services; advanced primary care management services; behavioral health services; opioid treatment programs; dental and oral health services; Rural Health Clinic (RHC) and Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) care coordination services, telecommunication services, intensive outpatient program (IOP) services, and payment for vaccine costs; and more.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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CY 2025 Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment System Final Rule (CMS 1809-FC)
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare payments for hospital outpatient and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) services for calendar year 2025. Summarizes provisions regarding changes to Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) and partial hospital program rate setting; incorporating an add-on payment to the Medicare outpatient hospital all-inclusive rate (AIR) for certain high-cost drugs for people with Medicare who receive care at Indian Health Service (IHS) or tribal hospitals; updates to the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR), Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR), and Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Programs; a new Conditions of Participation (CoPs) for hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) for obstetrical services; Medicaid and CHIP continuous eligibility; Medicaid clinic services "four walls" exceptions; and more.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare payments for hospital outpatient and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) services for calendar year 2025. Summarizes provisions regarding changes to Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) and partial hospital program rate setting; incorporating an add-on payment to the Medicare outpatient hospital all-inclusive rate (AIR) for certain high-cost drugs for people with Medicare who receive care at Indian Health Service (IHS) or tribal hospitals; updates to the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR), Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR), and Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Programs; a new Conditions of Participation (CoPs) for hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) for obstetrical services; Medicaid and CHIP continuous eligibility; Medicaid clinic services "four walls" exceptions; and more.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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2024 Rural-Urban Disparities in Health Care in Medicare
Examines rural/urban differences in the quality of healthcare received by Medicare beneficiaries in 2023, with breakdowns by race and ethnicity. Describes trends in quality of care for rural and urban residents between 2017 and 2023.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RAND Corporation
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Examines rural/urban differences in the quality of healthcare received by Medicare beneficiaries in 2023, with breakdowns by race and ethnicity. Describes trends in quality of care for rural and urban residents between 2017 and 2023.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RAND Corporation
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Rural Value-Based Care – The Payer Perspective
Summarizes discussions on rural value-based care (VBC) contracting during a July 2024 summit of leaders from national and regional healthcare payer organizations. Describes challenges facing payer organizations that serve rural beneficiaries, including engaging rural healthcare organizations in VBC; solutions to rural-specific challenges; and recommendations for rural healthcare organizations.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Summarizes discussions on rural value-based care (VBC) contracting during a July 2024 summit of leaders from national and regional healthcare payer organizations. Describes challenges facing payer organizations that serve rural beneficiaries, including engaging rural healthcare organizations in VBC; solutions to rural-specific challenges; and recommendations for rural healthcare organizations.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Transitional Palliative Care for Family Caregivers: Outcomes From a Randomized Controlled Trial
Examines the influence of mentoring from a palliative care nurse on family caregivers in rural and medically underserved areas of three states. Analyzes adult caregivers from 2018-2022 after their care recipient who utilized inpatient palliative care was discharged from the hospital. Compares a control group who received only monthly phone calls with an intervention group who received teaching, guidance, and counseling. Discusses importance of both caregiver support and patient wellness.
Author(s): Joan M. Griffin, Jay N. Mandrekar, Catherine E. Vanderboom, et al.
Citation: Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 68(5), 456-466
Date: 11/2024
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Examines the influence of mentoring from a palliative care nurse on family caregivers in rural and medically underserved areas of three states. Analyzes adult caregivers from 2018-2022 after their care recipient who utilized inpatient palliative care was discharged from the hospital. Compares a control group who received only monthly phone calls with an intervention group who received teaching, guidance, and counseling. Discusses importance of both caregiver support and patient wellness.
Author(s): Joan M. Griffin, Jay N. Mandrekar, Catherine E. Vanderboom, et al.
Citation: Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 68(5), 456-466
Date: 11/2024
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Emergency Medical Services (EMS): A Look at Disparities in Funding and Outcomes
Details disparities related to rurality, income, sex, and race in emergency medical services (EMS) funding, staffing, and patient outcomes. Provides a case study of local EMS agencies in 11 California counties, highlighting challenges rural agencies face related to funding and quality of care.
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Details disparities related to rurality, income, sex, and race in emergency medical services (EMS) funding, staffing, and patient outcomes. Provides a case study of local EMS agencies in 11 California counties, highlighting challenges rural agencies face related to funding and quality of care.
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Quality Measurement in Rural Health Clinics: Policy Brief and Recommendations to the Secretary
Provides an overview of the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) program, RHC participation in value-based programs and models, and quality reporting challenges. Describes opportunities for growth in RHC quality reporting. Offers two policy recommendations to support RHC participation in value-based care.
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Provides an overview of the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) program, RHC participation in value-based programs and models, and quality reporting challenges. Describes opportunities for growth in RHC quality reporting. Offers two policy recommendations to support RHC participation in value-based care.
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Telehealth: 2025 National Patient Safety Goals
Identifies National Patient Safety Goals for the Joint Commission's Telehealth Accreditation Program. Covers patient and resident identification, caregiver communication, medication safety, suicide prevention, healthcare equity, and more. Effective January 1, 2025.
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: Joint Commission
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Identifies National Patient Safety Goals for the Joint Commission's Telehealth Accreditation Program. Covers patient and resident identification, caregiver communication, medication safety, suicide prevention, healthcare equity, and more. Effective January 1, 2025.
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: Joint Commission
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Rural Health Clinic: 2025 National Patient Safety Goals
Identifies National Patient Safety Goals for the Joint Commission's Rural Health Clinic Accreditation Program. Covers patient identification, medication safety, infection prevention, and more. Effective January 1, 2025.
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: Joint Commission
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Identifies National Patient Safety Goals for the Joint Commission's Rural Health Clinic Accreditation Program. Covers patient identification, medication safety, infection prevention, and more. Effective January 1, 2025.
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: Joint Commission
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Critical Access Hospital: 2025 National Patient Safety Goals
Identifies National Patient Safety Goals for the Joint Commission's Critical Access Hospital Accreditation Program. Covers patient identification, caregiver communication, medication safety, infection prevention, suicide prevention, healthcare equity, and more. Effective January 1, 2025.
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: Joint Commission
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Identifies National Patient Safety Goals for the Joint Commission's Critical Access Hospital Accreditation Program. Covers patient identification, caregiver communication, medication safety, infection prevention, suicide prevention, healthcare equity, and more. Effective January 1, 2025.
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: Joint Commission
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