Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Medicare
MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on the Hospital Inpatient PPS for FY 2024
Comments on a May 1, 2023, Federal Register proposed rule revising the hospital inpatient and long-term care hospital (LTCH) prospective payment systems (PPS). Offers comments on future hospital safety-net policies, including a potential safety-net adjustment for Medicare inpatient hospital payments; a potential health equity adjustment bonus to the hospital value-based purchasing program; recent case law on rural reclassification and estimated implications; and supplemental uncompensated care payments to Puerto Rico.
Date: 06/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Comments on a May 1, 2023, Federal Register proposed rule revising the hospital inpatient and long-term care hospital (LTCH) prospective payment systems (PPS). Offers comments on future hospital safety-net policies, including a potential safety-net adjustment for Medicare inpatient hospital payments; a potential health equity adjustment bonus to the hospital value-based purchasing program; recent case law on rural reclassification and estimated implications; and supplemental uncompensated care payments to Puerto Rico.
Date: 06/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Medicare Accountable Care Organizations: Presence in Rural America
Presentation slides from a June 6, 2023, webinar for the Rural Northern Border Healthcare Support Technical Assistance Center. Provides an overview of the Medicare Shared Savings Program, including the composition of program participants in 2023, the spread of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) in rural counties, and the federal and state policy landscape. Details changes to the Shared Savings Program for 2024.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller
Date: 06/2023
Type: Presentation Slides
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
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Presentation slides from a June 6, 2023, webinar for the Rural Northern Border Healthcare Support Technical Assistance Center. Provides an overview of the Medicare Shared Savings Program, including the composition of program participants in 2023, the spread of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) in rural counties, and the federal and state policy landscape. Details changes to the Shared Savings Program for 2024.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller
Date: 06/2023
Type: Presentation Slides
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
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MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on the Payment System for Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities for FY 2024
Comment on an April 4, 2023, Federal Register proposed rule revising the Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Prospective Payment System (IPF PPS) for fiscal year 2024. Includes a discussion of rural IPF PPS payment adjustments.
Date: 06/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Comment on an April 4, 2023, Federal Register proposed rule revising the Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Prospective Payment System (IPF PPS) for fiscal year 2024. Includes a discussion of rural IPF PPS payment adjustments.
Date: 06/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Training the Primary Care Workforce to Deliver Team-Based Care in Underserved Areas: The Teaching Health Center Program
Provides an overview of the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) program. Describes the THCGME program's outcomes in training primary care medical and dental providers, the practice settings of THCGME family medicine graduates, and services provided by program graduates. Profiles four THCGME programs, including three programs that serve tribal or rural areas. Discusses challenges facing Teaching Health Centers, proposed solutions, and key takeaways and recommendations for policymakers.
Author(s): Emily Hawes, Jacob Rains, Candice Chen, Erin Fraher
Date: 06/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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Provides an overview of the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) program. Describes the THCGME program's outcomes in training primary care medical and dental providers, the practice settings of THCGME family medicine graduates, and services provided by program graduates. Profiles four THCGME programs, including three programs that serve tribal or rural areas. Discusses challenges facing Teaching Health Centers, proposed solutions, and key takeaways and recommendations for policymakers.
Author(s): Emily Hawes, Jacob Rains, Candice Chen, Erin Fraher
Date: 06/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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Rural Disparities in the Quality of Clinical Care Are Notable and Larger for Males
Explores the differences in healthcare quality among male and female Medicare Advantage beneficiaries in rural and urban areas. Breaks down data by gender, treatment received, treatment outcomes, and rural versus urban location, among other measures.
Author(s): Sarah MacCarthy, Marc N. Elliott, Steven C. Martino, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 39(3), 636-642
Date: 06/2023
Type: Document
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Explores the differences in healthcare quality among male and female Medicare Advantage beneficiaries in rural and urban areas. Breaks down data by gender, treatment received, treatment outcomes, and rural versus urban location, among other measures.
Author(s): Sarah MacCarthy, Marc N. Elliott, Steven C. Martino, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 39(3), 636-642
Date: 06/2023
Type: Document
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Medicare Claims Processing Manual: Chapter 9 - Rural Health Clinics/Federally Qualified Health Centers
Describes the differences between Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Identifies the rules and regulations for processing Medicare claims.
Date: 06/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Describes the differences between Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Identifies the rules and regulations for processing Medicare claims.
Date: 06/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Rural Track Programs: A Guide to the Updated Medicare Requirements
An overview of the requirements to participate in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Rural Track Program (RTP), which is a partnership between an urban hospital - the primary clinical site - and rural site(s) for medical residency training. Describes how the RTP program differs from the earlier rural training track (RTT) program.
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Association of American Medical Colleges
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An overview of the requirements to participate in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Rural Track Program (RTP), which is a partnership between an urban hospital - the primary clinical site - and rural site(s) for medical residency training. Describes how the RTP program differs from the earlier rural training track (RTT) program.
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Association of American Medical Colleges
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Interoperability among Hospitals Treating Populations That Have Been Marginalized
Examines how hospitals that serve more marginalized patients engage with interoperability. Compares the percentage of hospitals supporting interoperable exchange and participating in national networks by hospital characteristics, including Critical Access Hospital (CAH) designation and rural-urban status.
Author(s): Jordan Everson, Vaishali Patel, Andrew W. Bazemore, Robert L. Phillips
Citation: Health Services Research, 58(4), 853-864
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
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Examines how hospitals that serve more marginalized patients engage with interoperability. Compares the percentage of hospitals supporting interoperable exchange and participating in national networks by hospital characteristics, including Critical Access Hospital (CAH) designation and rural-urban status.
Author(s): Jordan Everson, Vaishali Patel, Andrew W. Bazemore, Robert L. Phillips
Citation: Health Services Research, 58(4), 853-864
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
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Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs): CMS Flexibilities to Fight COVID-19
Outlines specific regulatory waivers and Medicare flexibilities for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Includes information on payments for telehealth services, COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and more. Identifies whether each waiver or flexibility was terminated, ended at the conclusion of the public health emergency, was extended, or became permanent.
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Outlines specific regulatory waivers and Medicare flexibilities for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Includes information on payments for telehealth services, COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and more. Identifies whether each waiver or flexibility was terminated, ended at the conclusion of the public health emergency, was extended, or became permanent.
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Achieving Behavioral Health Care Integration in Rural America
Provides an overview of behavioral health and primary care integration and how integration may be different in rural areas than in urban and suburban areas. Examines the barriers to integration in rural areas and opportunities for policies that can improve access to care. Offers policy recommendations to better coordinate and integrate primary care and behavioral health services for high-risk groups and expand the ability of primary care providers to handle the lower-acuity behavioral health needs of patients through enhanced payments, training, and improved access to behavioral health providers for consultation and referral. Builds on the March 2021 report, Tackling America's Mental Health and Addiction Crisis Through Primary Care Integration.
Author(s): Kendall Strong, Michele Gilbert, Julia Harris, et al.
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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Provides an overview of behavioral health and primary care integration and how integration may be different in rural areas than in urban and suburban areas. Examines the barriers to integration in rural areas and opportunities for policies that can improve access to care. Offers policy recommendations to better coordinate and integrate primary care and behavioral health services for high-risk groups and expand the ability of primary care providers to handle the lower-acuity behavioral health needs of patients through enhanced payments, training, and improved access to behavioral health providers for consultation and referral. Builds on the March 2021 report, Tackling America's Mental Health and Addiction Crisis Through Primary Care Integration.
Author(s): Kendall Strong, Michele Gilbert, Julia Harris, et al.
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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