Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Medicare
Accountable Health Communities (AHC) Model Evaluation: Third Evaluation Report
Provides an overview of the Accountable Health Communities (ACH) Model, which tests whether identifying and addressing core health-related social needs (HRSNs) of community-dwelling beneficiaries improves health outcomes, reduces healthcare costs, and reduces unnecessary healthcare utilization. Explores which bridge organization and community characteristics were associated with better implementation outcomes, and the beneficiary-level characteristics were associated with a greater probability of accepting navigation, having at least one HRSN resolved, or having all HRSNs resolved. Examines the extent to which bridge organizations met model requirements. Includes information on the availability and quality of community resources to address HRSNs in rural communities.
Additional links: Appendices, Findings at a Glance
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, RTI International
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Provides an overview of the Accountable Health Communities (ACH) Model, which tests whether identifying and addressing core health-related social needs (HRSNs) of community-dwelling beneficiaries improves health outcomes, reduces healthcare costs, and reduces unnecessary healthcare utilization. Explores which bridge organization and community characteristics were associated with better implementation outcomes, and the beneficiary-level characteristics were associated with a greater probability of accepting navigation, having at least one HRSN resolved, or having all HRSNs resolved. Examines the extent to which bridge organizations met model requirements. Includes information on the availability and quality of community resources to address HRSNs in rural communities.
Additional links: Appendices, Findings at a Glance
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, RTI International
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Final CY 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule: Fact Sheet
Fact sheet covering Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) telehealth policy changes for 2025 as outlined in the final calendar year (CY) 2025 Physician Fee Schedule. Covers audio-only telehealth; eligible services that can be delivered by telehealth; frequency limitations for inpatient visits, nursing facilities, and critical care consults; direct supervision through the use of live video; payment to Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs); opioid treatment programs; and more.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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Fact sheet covering Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) telehealth policy changes for 2025 as outlined in the final calendar year (CY) 2025 Physician Fee Schedule. Covers audio-only telehealth; eligible services that can be delivered by telehealth; frequency limitations for inpatient visits, nursing facilities, and critical care consults; direct supervision through the use of live video; payment to Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs); opioid treatment programs; and more.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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Impacts of Telehealth on Rural Health Care Access
Policy brief highlighting the significance and effectiveness of telehealth. Includes analysis of current telehealth policies for Medicaid, Medicare, and private payers, and examines COVID-19 impacts on telehealth. Offers policy recommendations to enhance adoption and efficacy of telehealth services, particularly in rural areas.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Policy brief highlighting the significance and effectiveness of telehealth. Includes analysis of current telehealth policies for Medicaid, Medicare, and private payers, and examines COVID-19 impacts on telehealth. Offers policy recommendations to enhance adoption and efficacy of telehealth services, particularly in rural areas.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Growing the Rural Physician Workforce: Decades of Federal Funding Impacts Rural Graduate Medical Education
A historical review of graduate medical education funding and its relationship to the supply of rural physicians. Highlights recent federal funding and policies aimed at addressing the geographic maldistribution of physicians.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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A historical review of graduate medical education funding and its relationship to the supply of rural physicians. Highlights recent federal funding and policies aimed at addressing the geographic maldistribution of physicians.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Preserving Rural Health Care: The Impact of Site-Neutral Payments
Policy brief describing the role off-campus hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs) play in providing essential healthcare services in rural communities. Discusses the potential impacts of site-neutral payment policies on the financial stability of rural Medicare-Dependent Hospital (MDH) and Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) off-campus HOPDs and access to care in rural areas. Offers policy recommendations to address the impacts of site-neutral payments on rural hospitals.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Policy brief describing the role off-campus hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs) play in providing essential healthcare services in rural communities. Discusses the potential impacts of site-neutral payment policies on the financial stability of rural Medicare-Dependent Hospital (MDH) and Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) off-campus HOPDs and access to care in rural areas. Offers policy recommendations to address the impacts of site-neutral payments on rural hospitals.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Medicare Claims Processing Manual Chapter 4 - Part B Hospital (Including Inpatient Hospital Part B and OPPS)
Outlines rules and regulations for processing Medicare Part B hospital claims. Covers special rules for Critical Access Hospital outpatient billing, hospital-based Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) billing for non-RHC/FQHC services, and payment adjustments for Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs).
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Outlines rules and regulations for processing Medicare Part B hospital claims. Covers special rules for Critical Access Hospital outpatient billing, hospital-based Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) billing for non-RHC/FQHC services, and payment adjustments for Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs).
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Medicare Learning Network: Rural Emergency Hospitals
Details the regulatory requirements for providers to become a Rural Emergency Hospital (REH). Provides information on REH billing for Medicare services, Medicare payments for REH services, the additional monthly facility payment, and REH quality reporting requirements.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Details the regulatory requirements for providers to become a Rural Emergency Hospital (REH). Provides information on REH billing for Medicare services, Medicare payments for REH services, the additional monthly facility payment, and REH quality reporting requirements.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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October 2024 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) October 2024 meeting. Covers an analysis of Medicare beneficiaries in nursing homes, findings from MedPAC's annual beneficiary and provider focus groups, supplemental benefits in Medicare Advantage, a work plan for a mandated final report on the impact of recent changes to the home health prospective payment system, and initial estimates of home health care use among Medicare Advantage enrollees. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Medicare Beneficiaries in Nursing Homes - Presentation Slides
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) October 2024 meeting. Covers an analysis of Medicare beneficiaries in nursing homes, findings from MedPAC's annual beneficiary and provider focus groups, supplemental benefits in Medicare Advantage, a work plan for a mandated final report on the impact of recent changes to the home health prospective payment system, and initial estimates of home health care use among Medicare Advantage enrollees. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Medicare Beneficiaries in Nursing Homes - Presentation Slides
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Quality Measurement in Rural Health Clinics: Policy Brief and Recommendations to the Secretary
Provides an overview of the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) program, RHC participation in value-based programs and models, and quality reporting challenges. Describes opportunities for growth in RHC quality reporting. Offers two policy recommendations to support RHC participation in value-based care.
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Provides an overview of the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) program, RHC participation in value-based programs and models, and quality reporting challenges. Describes opportunities for growth in RHC quality reporting. Offers two policy recommendations to support RHC participation in value-based care.
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Hospital Price Transparency: What Hospitals Need to Know – Part 2
Webinar recording presents part two of a discussion on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) hospital price transparency requirements that went into effect on July 1, 2024. Features a presentation and discussion from a CMS representative.
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Webinar recording presents part two of a discussion on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) hospital price transparency requirements that went into effect on July 1, 2024. Features a presentation and discussion from a CMS representative.
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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