Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Medicare
Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS): 2025 Performance Year/2027 MIPS Payment Year - Payment Adjustment User Guide
Provides information on Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) payment adjustments for calendar year 2027. Describes how 2025 MIPS scores relate to 2027 payment adjustments and how payment adjustments are applied. Offers answers to frequently asked questions.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Provides information on Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) payment adjustments for calendar year 2027. Describes how 2025 MIPS scores relate to 2027 payment adjustments and how payment adjustments are applied. Offers answers to frequently asked questions.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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January 2027 Annual Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) Monthly Facility Payment Amount
Presents the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) monthly facility payment amount for Calendar Year 2027.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Presents the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) monthly facility payment amount for Calendar Year 2027.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Rural Value-Based Care and Payment: From Payment Fundamentals to Rural Design
Slides presented to Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) staff during a two-day seminar in October 2026. Provides an overview of Medicare payment systems and mechanisms for rural healthcare providers. Explores the difference between fee-for-service and value-based payment systems and the applicability of value-based care and payment (VBC/P) models to rural providers. Discusses factors that influence whether a rural VBC/P approach is likely to succeed.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Slides presented to Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) staff during a two-day seminar in October 2026. Provides an overview of Medicare payment systems and mechanisms for rural healthcare providers. Explores the difference between fee-for-service and value-based payment systems and the applicability of value-based care and payment (VBC/P) models to rural providers. Discusses factors that influence whether a rural VBC/P approach is likely to succeed.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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October 2026 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) October 2026 meeting. Covers an analysis of physician participation in Medicare Advantage provider networks, issues affecting the payment accuracy of the physician fee schedule and the clinical laboratory fee schedule, clinician quality initiatives in fee-for-service Medicare, Medicare's late-enrollment penalties, and MedPAC's work plan regarding the skilled nursing facility and home health prospective payment systems.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) October 2026 meeting. Covers an analysis of physician participation in Medicare Advantage provider networks, issues affecting the payment accuracy of the physician fee schedule and the clinical laboratory fee schedule, clinician quality initiatives in fee-for-service Medicare, Medicare's late-enrollment penalties, and MedPAC's work plan regarding the skilled nursing facility and home health prospective payment systems.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Medicare Advantage Plan Availability Varies Widely by County for 2027
Describes the availability of Medicare Advantage prescription drug (MA-PD) plans in 2027. Presents data on MA-PD plan availability by county in 2026 and 2027, as well as the number of counties 10 MA insurers have entered and exited between 2026 and 2027.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Describes the availability of Medicare Advantage prescription drug (MA-PD) plans in 2027. Presents data on MA-PD plan availability by county in 2026 and 2027, as well as the number of counties 10 MA insurers have entered and exited between 2026 and 2027.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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2025 Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Performance Feedback FAQs for Small Practices
Provides answers to frequently asked questions about the 2025 Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) performance feedback for small practices. Includes information on how to access and navigate performance feedback, as well as performance category reweighting and redistribution.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Provides answers to frequently asked questions about the 2025 Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) performance feedback for small practices. Includes information on how to access and navigate performance feedback, as well as performance category reweighting and redistribution.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Risk Adjustment in the Medicare Advantage Population Using Encounter Data
Examines the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hierarchical Condition Category (HCC) risk model by comparing 2016-2022 Traditional Medicare (TM) claims and Medicare Advantage (MA) encounter data. Analyzes differences in the TM-based model and MA-based model and discusses risk-adjusted MA payment, MA payment policy, and enrollment incentives for various populations, including rural.
Author(s): Caroline S. Carlin, Roger Feldman, Jeah Jung
Citation: Health Services Research, 61(5), e70165
Date: 10/2026
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Examines the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hierarchical Condition Category (HCC) risk model by comparing 2016-2022 Traditional Medicare (TM) claims and Medicare Advantage (MA) encounter data. Analyzes differences in the TM-based model and MA-based model and discusses risk-adjusted MA payment, MA payment policy, and enrollment incentives for various populations, including rural.
Author(s): Caroline S. Carlin, Roger Feldman, Jeah Jung
Citation: Health Services Research, 61(5), e70165
Date: 10/2026
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Telehealth FAQ
Provides information on Medicare telehealth regulations and payment policy for calendar year 2026. Includes information on audio-only services, behavioral health services, direct supervision, and more.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Provides information on Medicare telehealth regulations and payment policy for calendar year 2026. Includes information on audio-only services, behavioral health services, direct supervision, and more.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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MedPAC Payment Basics
Series of briefs providing an of Medicare payment systems. Covers payments systems including Accountable Care Organizations (ACO), Critical Access Hospitals (CAH), Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics, hospital acute inpatient services, and more.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Series of briefs providing an of Medicare payment systems. Covers payments systems including Accountable Care Organizations (ACO), Critical Access Hospitals (CAH), Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics, hospital acute inpatient services, and more.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Medicare Payment Basics: Federally Qualified Health Center and Rural Health Clinic Payment Systems
Presents an overview of Medicare payments for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Details how the all-inclusive rate (AIR) is calculated for RHCs and how the national statutory payment limit applies to provider-based RHCs enrolled in Medicare before December 31, 2020, and whether they part of a hospital with fewer than 50 beds. Includes information on special payment rules for certain services provided by FQHCs and RHCs.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Presents an overview of Medicare payments for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Details how the all-inclusive rate (AIR) is calculated for RHCs and how the national statutory payment limit applies to provider-based RHCs enrolled in Medicare before December 31, 2020, and whether they part of a hospital with fewer than 50 beds. Includes information on special payment rules for certain services provided by FQHCs and RHCs.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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