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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Legislation and regulations

Leveraging Health Care Reform to Accelerate Nurse Practitioner Full Practice Authority
Presents a descriptive study of legislation from 1994 to 2016 impacting the scope of practice for nurse practitioners (NPs). Discusses how supporting full practice authority (FPA) where physician involvement is not required can lessen the concern over the lack of primary care providers by allowing NPs to offer comprehensive healthcare services to rural and vulnerable patients. Identifies barriers and limitations to FPA.
Author(s): Heather M. Brom, Pamela J. Salsberry, Margaret Clark Graham
Citation: Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 30(3), 120-130
Date: 03/2018
Type: Document
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Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-123): CHIP, Public Health, Home Visiting, and Medicaid Provisions in Division E
Highlights a report on the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018. Details appropriations for Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, public health, and other provisions in Division E. Provides some discussion of the effect of these appropriations on rural communities.
Date: 03/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Distance and Networks: A Regional Analysis of Health Insurance Marketplaces
Examines whether Rating Area design and network adequacy standards have contributed to the level of success of Health Insurance Marketplaces (HIMs) in rural areas in terms of enrollment and affordability. Uses 2015-2016 data from 15 Midwestern states, on participation, premiums, and enrollment success.
Author(s): Abigail R. Barker, Alena R. Wheeler, Leah M. Kemper, Timothy D. McBride, Keith J. Mueller
Date: 01/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
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Distribution of Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments to Rural and Critical Access Hospitals
Provides information concerning the potential effects of Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payment on rural hospitals in 47 states. Features statistics on hospital Medicaid DSH payments by state and census region, with breakdowns for urban, rural, and Critical Access Hospitals.
Author(s): Erin M. Mobley, Fred Ullrich, Keith J. Mueller
Date: 11/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Telehealth Services Proposed for Medicare Part B Reimbursements, 2018: Fact Sheet
Identifies the five conditions that a telehealth service must meet in order to be covered by Medicare Part B, provides an overview of how telehealth services get added to Medicare's reimbursable list, and outlines proposed services that may be added for calendar year 2018.
Date: 11/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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The Opioid Epidemic and Federal Efforts to Address It: Frequently Asked Questions
Provides an overview of America's opioid problem, including information on abuse and supply, and discusses federal agencies and programs that address opioid abuse. Also discusses recent federal legislation and state-level policies that seek to combat the opioid problem.
Date: 10/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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National Disability Policy: A Progress Report
Reports on the state of disability policy in key areas, examining the intersection between disability and poverty. Focuses on education, employment, financial assistance and incentives, healthcare, long-term services and supports, transportation, and housing, as factors enhancing economic independence among people with disabilities. Includes sections on barriers related to finding transportation and appropriate housing in rural areas.
Date: 10/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Council on Disability
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Medicare Inappropriately Paid Acute-Care Hospitals for Outpatient Services They Provided to Beneficiaries Who Were Inpatients of Other Facilities
Results of an audit to determine whether Medicare made payments appropriately to acute-care hospitals for outpatient services provided to other facilities' inpatients, from January 2013 through August 2016. Includes recommendations from the Office of Inspector General, and CMS's responses.
Author(s): Daniel R. Levinson
Date: 09/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Telehealth Private Payer Laws: Impact and Issues
Analyzes the body of state-level telehealth reimbursement policies, which has grown rapidly in both size and scope since 2010. Seeks to understand how these policies impact telehealth utilization, and the effect private payer laws have on selected commercial payers. Includes information on payment parity laws, modalities, site restrictions, Medicaid policies, and more.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 08/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center, Milbank Memorial Fund
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Regulating Network Adequacy for Rural Populations: Perspectives of Five States
Policy brief describing how California, Kentucky, Montana, Texas, and Wisconsin define insurance network adequacy and how much consideration is given to rural issues in regulating their networks. Features statistics including these states' rural population, rural percent of total population, rural area in square miles, number of marketplace networks, and percent that are narrow networks.
Author(s): Michelle Casey, Carrie Henning-Smith, Jean Abraham, Ira Moscovice
Date: 08/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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