Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Medicare
Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS): 2024 Eligibility and Participation Quick Start Guide
Provides an overview of the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) eligibility criteria. Addresses calculation of the low-volume threshold exclusion at the individual and group levels, opt-in and voluntary reporting options, and the impact of special status designations such as rural and small practices.
Date: 01/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) eligibility criteria. Addresses calculation of the low-volume threshold exclusion at the individual and group levels, opt-in and voluntary reporting options, and the impact of special status designations such as rural and small practices.
Date: 01/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Medicare COVID-19 Hospitalization Trends Report
Reports cases and hospitalization data for Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with COVID-19 between January 1, 2020, and June 30, 2023. Includes data on beneficiary demographics, case and hospitalization trends, and discharge status among beneficiaries hospitalized for COVID-19. Compares COVID-19 case and hospitalization rates by rural and urban status.
Date: 01/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Reports cases and hospitalization data for Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with COVID-19 between January 1, 2020, and June 30, 2023. Includes data on beneficiary demographics, case and hospitalization trends, and discharge status among beneficiaries hospitalized for COVID-19. Compares COVID-19 case and hospitalization rates by rural and urban status.
Date: 01/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Research Institute for Home Care Chartbook 2024
Provides an overview of home health, including patient demographics and clinical profiles, organizational trends, the economic contribution of home health agencies, and patient outcomes. Includes charts and graphs throughout, as well as state-by-state data. Slide 11 highlights the rural-urban distribution of home health users.
Date: 2024
Sponsoring organizations: KNG Health Consulting, National Alliance for Care at Home, Research Institute for Home Care
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Provides an overview of home health, including patient demographics and clinical profiles, organizational trends, the economic contribution of home health agencies, and patient outcomes. Includes charts and graphs throughout, as well as state-by-state data. Slide 11 highlights the rural-urban distribution of home health users.
Date: 2024
Sponsoring organizations: KNG Health Consulting, National Alliance for Care at Home, Research Institute for Home Care
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Generating a Profile of the Near Dual Population
Chart pack from a project examining policy approaches to supporting Near Duals, who are adults aged 65+ experiencing financial precarity and not currently dually enrolled in Medicare and full-benefit Medicaid, utilizing Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) and Medicare administrative claims data. Analyzes characteristics of Near Dual population, including data on Near Duals' likelihood of living in rural and medically underserved areas.
Additional links: Project Overview: Defining and Examining the Near Duals
Date: 2024
Sponsoring organization: NORC at the University of Chicago
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Chart pack from a project examining policy approaches to supporting Near Duals, who are adults aged 65+ experiencing financial precarity and not currently dually enrolled in Medicare and full-benefit Medicaid, utilizing Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) and Medicare administrative claims data. Analyzes characteristics of Near Dual population, including data on Near Duals' likelihood of living in rural and medically underserved areas.
Additional links: Project Overview: Defining and Examining the Near Duals
Date: 2024
Sponsoring organization: NORC at the University of Chicago
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Enhancing Access and Impact of the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program Using Telehealth: A Narrative Review
Evaluates the viability of telehealth delivery of the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) via a literature review of telehealth-based disease prevention program research. Discusses clinical effectiveness, feasibility and acceptability, and policies affecting MDPP implementation. Highlights rural-relevant research findings and discusses access benefits of remote delivery.
Author(s): Natalie D. Ritchie, Melanie T. Turk
Citation: mHealth, 10, 10
Date: 12/2023
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Evaluates the viability of telehealth delivery of the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) via a literature review of telehealth-based disease prevention program research. Discusses clinical effectiveness, feasibility and acceptability, and policies affecting MDPP implementation. Highlights rural-relevant research findings and discusses access benefits of remote delivery.
Author(s): Natalie D. Ritchie, Melanie T. Turk
Citation: mHealth, 10, 10
Date: 12/2023
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Medicare Advantage Growth and Its Impact on Rural Health Care
Policy position paper regarding the impact of the increase of Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollment in rural areas on healthcare access, delivery, and financial viability. Offers policy recommendations to support rural MA beneficiaries, healthcare providers, and hospitals at a local level, as well as rural healthcare provision within the MA framework.
Author(s): Carrie Shaver, Kevin Lambing, Lisa Rantz
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Policy position paper regarding the impact of the increase of Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollment in rural areas on healthcare access, delivery, and financial viability. Offers policy recommendations to support rural MA beneficiaries, healthcare providers, and hospitals at a local level, as well as rural healthcare provision within the MA framework.
Author(s): Carrie Shaver, Kevin Lambing, Lisa Rantz
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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December 2023 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) December 2023 meeting. Covers payment adequacy and updates for physician and other health professional services, hospital inpatient and outpatient services, hospice services, outpatient dialysis services, ambulatory surgical center services, skilled nursing facilities, skilled nursing facility services, home health services, and inpatient rehabilitation facility services. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) December 2023 meeting. Covers payment adequacy and updates for physician and other health professional services, hospital inpatient and outpatient services, hospice services, outpatient dialysis services, ambulatory surgical center services, skilled nursing facilities, skilled nursing facility services, home health services, and inpatient rehabilitation facility services. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Alternative Payment Models in the Quality Payment Program as of December 2023
A set of three tables that list brief information about Alternative Payment Models (APMs) that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) operates or has announced, as of December 2023. Identifies Advanced APMs, Merit Based Incentive Program (MIPs) APMs, and Other Payer Advanced APMs, which include Medicaid Other Payer Advanced APMs, Medicare Health Plan Payment Arrangements, and commercial payment arrangements.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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A set of three tables that list brief information about Alternative Payment Models (APMs) that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) operates or has announced, as of December 2023. Identifies Advanced APMs, Merit Based Incentive Program (MIPs) APMs, and Other Payer Advanced APMs, which include Medicaid Other Payer Advanced APMs, Medicare Health Plan Payment Arrangements, and commercial payment arrangements.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Independent Evaluation of Comprehensive Primary Care Plus (CPC+): Final Annual Report
Reports on the Comprehensive Primary Care Plus (CPC+) model, a CMS primary care payment and delivery reform effort that ran from 2017-2021. Outlines key findings from the model, including CPC+ supports to practices, care delivery changes made by practices, impacts on outcomes for Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries, and implications for primary care models. Describes the experiences of payers, practices, health IT vendors, and patients. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Appendices to the Final Report, Volume 1, Appendices to the Final Report, Volume 2, Findings at a Glance
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Mathematica
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Reports on the Comprehensive Primary Care Plus (CPC+) model, a CMS primary care payment and delivery reform effort that ran from 2017-2021. Outlines key findings from the model, including CPC+ supports to practices, care delivery changes made by practices, impacts on outcomes for Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries, and implications for primary care models. Describes the experiences of payers, practices, health IT vendors, and patients. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Appendices to the Final Report, Volume 1, Appendices to the Final Report, Volume 2, Findings at a Glance
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Mathematica
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Disparities in Health Measures By Race and Ethnicity Among Beneficiaries in Medicare Advantage: A Review of the Literature
Summarizes the results of a review of 20 studies published between January 2018 and April 2023 to examine racial and ethnic disparities in quality of care and beneficiary experience among Medicare Advantage (MA) plan enrollees. Discusses gaps in data and in the literature that contribute to challenges in understanding racial and ethnic disparities in MA quality and beneficiary experience. Includes information on nine studies that explored 25 measures of quality of care received by American Indian and Alaska Native enrollees and two studies that examined disparities among MA enrollees in rural areas by race and ethnicity.
Author(s): Nancy Ochieng, Jeannie Fuglesten Biniek, Juliette Cubanski, Tricia Neuman
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Summarizes the results of a review of 20 studies published between January 2018 and April 2023 to examine racial and ethnic disparities in quality of care and beneficiary experience among Medicare Advantage (MA) plan enrollees. Discusses gaps in data and in the literature that contribute to challenges in understanding racial and ethnic disparities in MA quality and beneficiary experience. Includes information on nine studies that explored 25 measures of quality of care received by American Indian and Alaska Native enrollees and two studies that examined disparities among MA enrollees in rural areas by race and ethnicity.
Author(s): Nancy Ochieng, Jeannie Fuglesten Biniek, Juliette Cubanski, Tricia Neuman
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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