Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Medicare

National Rural Health Policy: Recommendations from the First Eight Years of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health
Summarizes activities and accomplishments of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health from 1988-1996. Includes chapters on health workforce, Medicare payment policy, special needs of rural populations, and issues impacting rural health which the committee may address in the future.
Date: 01/1997
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Medical Assistance Facilities: A Demonstration Program to Provide Access to Health Care in Frontier Communities
Describes the Health Care Financing Administration's Medical Assistance Facility (MAF) demonstration program, which aimed to preserve healthcare access in frontier areas of Montana by converting full-service hospitals into low-intensity, short-stay healthcare service centers. Examines the impact of the program on access to inpatient care.
Date: 07/1993
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Medicare Enrollment for Providers & Suppliers
Provides information and resources for physicians, healthcare practitioners, suppliers, and institutional organizations that want to enroll as a Medicare provider or supplier. Includes information on enrollment events, moratoria, and more.
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Quality, Safety & Oversight - Policy & Memos to State and CMS Locations
Lists new or revised guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to State Survey Agencies, CMS locations, and the provider and supplier communities.
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Vermont All-Payer ACO Model
Provides information on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center's Vermont All-Payer Accountable Care Organization (ACO) Model, which offered ACOs in Vermont the opportunity to participate in an initiative involving the most significant payers in the state - Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial healthcare payers. Concluded December 31, 2025.
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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CJR-X (Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Expanded) Model
Provides information on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center's CJR-X (Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Expanded) Model, a mandatory nationwide episode-based payment model that aims to improve patient care and care coordination for Original Medicare patients undergoing hip, knee, and ankle replacements.
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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REH Testimonial Interviews
Video series highlighting rural hospitals that successfully transitioned to Rural Emergency Hospital status and assistance that was provided by the REH Technical Assistance Center during the transition.
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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Historically Excepted Tribal FQHCs (Formerly Known As Grandfathered Tribal FQHCs)
Provides links to resources for historically excepted tribal Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and tribal organizations interested in pursing a historically excepted tribal certification. Includes links to payment rate updates, payment codes, and more.
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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2026 Primary Care Scorecard Data Dashboard
Interactive dashboard providing national- and state-level data on primary care indicators. Indicators cover financing, access to care, training of the healthcare workforce, and federal investment in primary care research. Includes data on primary care spending as a share of Medicare fee-for-service in rural areas, the number of primary care providers per capita, and the percentage of all residents and primary care residents trained in rural or medically underserved areas.
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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LEAD (Long-Term Enhanced ACO Design) Model
Provides information on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center's LEAD (Long-term Enhanced ACO Design) Model, an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) model set to launch at the end of 2026. It will promote coordinated care for high-needs patients, such as those eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid, and those who are homebound or home limited, and includes improved benchmarking for new ACOs and smaller, independent or rural-based practices.
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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