Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Medicare
Evaluation of the Vermont All-Payer Accountable Care Organization Model: Third Evaluation Report
Evaluates the first four and a half performance years of the Vermont All-Payer Accountable Care Organization Model (VTAPM), which aims to assess whether scaling an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) across all payers in the state can reduce program expenditures while preserving or improving care quality. Discusses the implementation of the model, provider engagement, efforts to address population health goals; characteristics of participating hospitals, practitioners, and beneficiaries; and the model's impacts on Medicare spending, utilization, and quality of care. Describes trends in substance use disorder diagnosis and treatment for Medicaid members. Outlines challenges and lessons learned, as well as areas for future research.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance, Technical Appendices
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, NORC at the University of Chicago
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Evaluates the first four and a half performance years of the Vermont All-Payer Accountable Care Organization Model (VTAPM), which aims to assess whether scaling an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) across all payers in the state can reduce program expenditures while preserving or improving care quality. Discusses the implementation of the model, provider engagement, efforts to address population health goals; characteristics of participating hospitals, practitioners, and beneficiaries; and the model's impacts on Medicare spending, utilization, and quality of care. Describes trends in substance use disorder diagnosis and treatment for Medicaid members. Outlines challenges and lessons learned, as well as areas for future research.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance, Technical Appendices
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, NORC at the University of Chicago
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Care Access and Utilization among Medicare Beneficiaries Living with Parkinson's Disease
Analyzes healthcare utilization by 685,116 Medicare patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) in 2019. Data is broken down by a variety of demographics and rurality. Discusses health disparities, mental health, and distribution of neurologists between rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Caroline Pearson, Alex Hartzman, Dianne Munevar, et al.
Citation: npj Parkinson's Disease, 9, 108
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
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Analyzes healthcare utilization by 685,116 Medicare patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) in 2019. Data is broken down by a variety of demographics and rurality. Discusses health disparities, mental health, and distribution of neurologists between rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Caroline Pearson, Alex Hartzman, Dianne Munevar, et al.
Citation: npj Parkinson's Disease, 9, 108
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
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2021 Quality Payment Program Experience Report
Reports on the clinician experience for those participating in the Quality Payment Program in 2021. Presents data on Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) eligibility and participation rates for clinicians in small practices and rural areas, as well as their mean payment adjustment scores.
Date: 07/2023
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 2021. Presents data on Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) eligibility and participation rates for clinicians in small practices and rural areas, as well as their mean payment adjustment scores.
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Billing for Telehealth Encounters: An Introductory Guide on Fee-for-Service
Presents an overview of how to bill fee-for-service Medicare and Medicaid for telehealth encounters. Includes information on originating and distant sites, virtual healthcare, and coding telehealth services. Lists types of practice sites, including Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), and implications for billing telehealth services. Provides contact information for Regional Telehealth Research Centers (RTRC).
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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Presents an overview of how to bill fee-for-service Medicare and Medicaid for telehealth encounters. Includes information on originating and distant sites, virtual healthcare, and coding telehealth services. Lists types of practice sites, including Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), and implications for billing telehealth services. Provides contact information for Regional Telehealth Research Centers (RTRC).
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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Nursing Home Staffing Study: Comprehensive Report
Examines the level and type of staffing needed to promote acceptable nursing home quality and safety. Explores the potential implications and feasibility of increased staffing and costs to nursing homes. Presents four options for minimum staffing requirements and their cost, quality, and safety impacts. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Additional links: Literature Review Results Table, State Minimum Staffing Requirement
Date: 06/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Abt Associates, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Examines the level and type of staffing needed to promote acceptable nursing home quality and safety. Explores the potential implications and feasibility of increased staffing and costs to nursing homes. Presents four options for minimum staffing requirements and their cost, quality, and safety impacts. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Additional links: Literature Review Results Table, State Minimum Staffing Requirement
Date: 06/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Abt Associates, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Impact of Higher Payments for Rural Home Health Episodes on Rehospitalizations
Examines the impact of home health rural add-on payments on beneficiary outcomes, specifically on rehospitalizations. Uses Medicare data from 2007 to 2014 to compare rehospitalizations between rural and urban post-acute home health episodes before and after the implementation of the add-on payments in 2010. Discusses the implications of the findings on home health payment policy.
Author(s): Lacey Loomer, Momotazur Rahman, Tracy M. Mroz, Pedro L. Gozalo, Vincent Mor
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 39(3), 604-610
Date: 06/2023
Type: Document
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Examines the impact of home health rural add-on payments on beneficiary outcomes, specifically on rehospitalizations. Uses Medicare data from 2007 to 2014 to compare rehospitalizations between rural and urban post-acute home health episodes before and after the implementation of the add-on payments in 2010. Discusses the implications of the findings on home health payment policy.
Author(s): Lacey Loomer, Momotazur Rahman, Tracy M. Mroz, Pedro L. Gozalo, Vincent Mor
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 39(3), 604-610
Date: 06/2023
Type: Document
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A Rural Accountable Care Organization's Journey
Profiles South East Rural Physicians Alliance Accountable Care Organization (SERPA‐ACO), a physician‐led ACO consisting of 16 Nebraska clinics - 13 of which are rural. Describes various value-based payment models SERPA-ACO clinics participated in and activities the clinics use to succeed in these models. Includes recommendations for primary care clinics considering joining an ACO.
Date: 06/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Profiles South East Rural Physicians Alliance Accountable Care Organization (SERPA‐ACO), a physician‐led ACO consisting of 16 Nebraska clinics - 13 of which are rural. Describes various value-based payment models SERPA-ACO clinics participated in and activities the clinics use to succeed in these models. Includes recommendations for primary care clinics considering joining an ACO.
Date: 06/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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A Path Forward: The Rural Healthcare System of the Future
Presentation slides that discuss federal and state healthcare policies, implementation of new models of care, and plans to transform patient modalities of care. Includes U.S. county-level map on the Medicare Shared Savings Program Accountable Care Organizations (ACO) assigned beneficiary population as well as county-level data on ACO attributed lives in Illinois and residents enrolled in Medicare advantage.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller
Date: 06/2023
Type: Presentation Slides
Sponsoring organizations: Iowa Department of Health Management and Policy, Rural Policy Research Institute
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Presentation slides that discuss federal and state healthcare policies, implementation of new models of care, and plans to transform patient modalities of care. Includes U.S. county-level map on the Medicare Shared Savings Program Accountable Care Organizations (ACO) assigned beneficiary population as well as county-level data on ACO attributed lives in Illinois and residents enrolled in Medicare advantage.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller
Date: 06/2023
Type: Presentation Slides
Sponsoring organizations: Iowa Department of Health Management and Policy, Rural Policy Research Institute
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Health Care-Related Expiring Provisions of the 118th Congress, First Session
Outlines the healthcare-related funding and governmental authorities that will expire during the first session of the 118th Congress, calendar year 2023, if not extended through congressional action. Highlights similar provisions that expired during the 117th Congress (2021-2022). Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 06/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Outlines the healthcare-related funding and governmental authorities that will expire during the first session of the 118th Congress, calendar year 2023, if not extended through congressional action. Highlights similar provisions that expired during the 117th Congress (2021-2022). Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 06/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Rural Health on Life Support - The State of America's Rural Health Systems
Podcast episode discussing the rural health landscape and how policies affect rural healthcare systems and service delivery. Covers rural hospital closures, payment policy, workforce concerns, emergency medical services (EMS), the Rural Emergency Hospital designation, and more.
Date: 06/2023
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: Impact! Communications, Inc.
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Podcast episode discussing the rural health landscape and how policies affect rural healthcare systems and service delivery. Covers rural hospital closures, payment policy, workforce concerns, emergency medical services (EMS), the Rural Emergency Hospital designation, and more.
Date: 06/2023
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: Impact! Communications, Inc.
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