Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Medicare
Calendar Year (CY) 2015 Rural Health Clinic (RHC) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) Updates: Payment Rate Increases for RHCs and FQHCs Billing Under the All-Inclusive Rate System (AIR), and Urban and Rural Designations for FQHCs Billing Under the AIR
Provides updates for RHCs and FQHCs that are submitting claims to Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) for services to Medicare beneficiaries.
Date: 12/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides updates for RHCs and FQHCs that are submitting claims to Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) for services to Medicare beneficiaries.
Date: 12/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Calculation of Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings With and Without Inclusion of the Peer Grouping Step
Examines potential implications of including a peer grouping step in the calculation of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Overall Star Ratings. Uses January 2023 Medicare Care Compare data on 3,076 hospitals that received a star rating to calculate the peer groups based on the number of quality measure groups for which hospitals had 3 or more reported measures. Presents data on the characteristics of each peer group, the distribution of star ratings whether the peer grouping step was used or not used, and the number of hospitals with a higher, lower, or identical star rating when the peer grouping step was applied. Compares data by hospital characteristics, including safety-net status, Critical Access Hospital status, rural or urban location, and more.
Author(s): Cameron J. Gettel, Kyle Bagshaw, Li Qin, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 7(5), e2411933
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
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Examines potential implications of including a peer grouping step in the calculation of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Overall Star Ratings. Uses January 2023 Medicare Care Compare data on 3,076 hospitals that received a star rating to calculate the peer groups based on the number of quality measure groups for which hospitals had 3 or more reported measures. Presents data on the characteristics of each peer group, the distribution of star ratings whether the peer grouping step was used or not used, and the number of hospitals with a higher, lower, or identical star rating when the peer grouping step was applied. Compares data by hospital characteristics, including safety-net status, Critical Access Hospital status, rural or urban location, and more.
Author(s): Cameron J. Gettel, Kyle Bagshaw, Li Qin, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 7(5), e2411933
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
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Converting to Rural Emergency Hospitals
Podcast episode featuring a discussion with Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) Chief Executive Officers in New Mexico and Oklahoma regarding the conversion to REH status. Discusses the conversion process of each REH; how they built trust and buy-in from patients and communities, including state and federal policymakers; and financial considerations of conversion.
Date: 05/2024
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Podcast episode featuring a discussion with Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) Chief Executive Officers in New Mexico and Oklahoma regarding the conversion to REH status. Discusses the conversion process of each REH; how they built trust and buy-in from patients and communities, including state and federal policymakers; and financial considerations of conversion.
Date: 05/2024
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Social Determinants of Health and Delivery of Rehabilitation to Older Adults During ICU Hospitalization
Analyzes likelihood of receiving physical therapy or occupational therapy during ICU hospitalization among older adults. Utilizes 2011-2018 National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) data of 1,618 hospitalizations. Highlights social determinants of health associated with disparities in rehabilitation service delivery, including rural status, dual eligibility for Medicare and Medicaid, and limited English proficiency.
Author(s): Snigdha Jain, Terrence E. Murphy, Jason R. Falvey, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 7(5), e2410713
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
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Analyzes likelihood of receiving physical therapy or occupational therapy during ICU hospitalization among older adults. Utilizes 2011-2018 National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) data of 1,618 hospitalizations. Highlights social determinants of health associated with disparities in rehabilitation service delivery, including rural status, dual eligibility for Medicare and Medicaid, and limited English proficiency.
Author(s): Snigdha Jain, Terrence E. Murphy, Jason R. Falvey, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 7(5), e2410713
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
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Trends and Disparities in Pandemic Telehealth Use among People with Disabilities
Examines the use of telehealth services by Medicare beneficiaries with disabilities by analyzing data from the Medicare Telehealth Trends Dashboard; the 2021 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) and MCBS Winter 2021 Supplement; and the Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey data from July 21, 2021, to August 8, 2022. Presents data on patterns of telehealth utilization by Medicare beneficiaries with disabilities by type of Medicare eligibility and number and type of disabilities, modes of telehealth used by the number and type of disabilities, and the availability of different modes of telehealth and access to video-enabled services. Exhibit 8 compares telehealth utilization trends among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries between 2019 and 2021 by Medicare eligibility and rural and urban status.
Author(s): Madjid Karimi, Lok Wong Samson, Sara J. Couture, et al.
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Examines the use of telehealth services by Medicare beneficiaries with disabilities by analyzing data from the Medicare Telehealth Trends Dashboard; the 2021 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) and MCBS Winter 2021 Supplement; and the Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey data from July 21, 2021, to August 8, 2022. Presents data on patterns of telehealth utilization by Medicare beneficiaries with disabilities by type of Medicare eligibility and number and type of disabilities, modes of telehealth used by the number and type of disabilities, and the availability of different modes of telehealth and access to video-enabled services. Exhibit 8 compares telehealth utilization trends among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries between 2019 and 2021 by Medicare eligibility and rural and urban status.
Author(s): Madjid Karimi, Lok Wong Samson, Sara J. Couture, et al.
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS): 2024 MIPS Promoting Interoperability Performance Category Hardship Exception Application Guide
Provides guidance on how clinicians can apply for a MIPS hardship exception. Highlights guidance for having your MIPS Promoting Interoperability performance category reweighted to 0% in cases of insufficient internet connectivity, decertified electronic health record technology, or other circumstances out of the clinicians control.
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides guidance on how clinicians can apply for a MIPS hardship exception. Highlights guidance for having your MIPS Promoting Interoperability performance category reweighted to 0% in cases of insufficient internet connectivity, decertified electronic health record technology, or other circumstances out of the clinicians control.
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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New Medicare Behavioral Health Providers: Incorporating MHCs and MFTs Into Your RHC
Recording of a May 9, 2024, webinar discussing Medicare coverage of marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and mental health counselors (MHCs) effective January 1, 2024, and the implications for Rural Health Clinics. Describes skills and attributes of MFTs and MHCs and provides an overview of common mental health concerns for older adults. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Recording of a May 9, 2024, webinar discussing Medicare coverage of marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and mental health counselors (MHCs) effective January 1, 2024, and the implications for Rural Health Clinics. Describes skills and attributes of MFTs and MHCs and provides an overview of common mental health concerns for older adults. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Markup of H.R. 8261, H.R. 7931, H.R. 8245, H.R. 8244, H.R. 8235, and H.R. 8246
Recording of a May 8, 2024, House Ways and Means Committee markup of six bills regarding rural health. Legislation covers the extension of telehealth flexibilities, location requirements for Critical Access Hospitals in mountainous areas, the rural nursing home and physician workforce, and Rural Emergency Hospital eligibility.
Date: 05/2024
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: House Ways and Means Committee
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Recording of a May 8, 2024, House Ways and Means Committee markup of six bills regarding rural health. Legislation covers the extension of telehealth flexibilities, location requirements for Critical Access Hospitals in mountainous areas, the rural nursing home and physician workforce, and Rural Emergency Hospital eligibility.
Date: 05/2024
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: House Ways and Means Committee
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Quality Payment Program (QPP) 2022: Participation and Payment Results At-a-Glance
Provides an overview of the results of the Quality Payment Program (QPP) for the 2022 performance year. Highlights the percentage of small and rural providers receiving negative, neutral, and positive payment adjustments for 2024.
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of the results of the Quality Payment Program (QPP) for the 2022 performance year. Highlights the percentage of small and rural providers receiving negative, neutral, and positive payment adjustments for 2024.
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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2022 Quality Payment Program Experience Report
Reports on the clinician experience for those participating in the Quality Payment Program in 2022. Presents data on Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) eligibility and participation rates for clinicians in small practices and rural areas, mean and median final scores for 2022 and 2024 payment adjustments, and payment adjustment trends from 2019 through 2022.
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Reports on the clinician experience for those participating in the Quality Payment Program in 2022. Presents data on Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) eligibility and participation rates for clinicians in small practices and rural areas, mean and median final scores for 2022 and 2024 payment adjustments, and payment adjustment trends from 2019 through 2022.
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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