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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Medicare

Rural and Urban Provider Market Share of Inpatient Post-Acute Care Services Provided to Rural Medicare Beneficiaries
Findings brief examining rural patients' access to rehabilitation and skilled nursing care, using claims data from January 2013 through March 2014. Features statistics including numbers of patient days and discharges and average length of stay, with breakdowns by type and location of facility and type of care.
Author(s): Alex R. Schulte, Denise A. Kirk, Randy K. Randolph, George H. Pink
Date: 04/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Combating the Opioid Crisis: Improving the Ability of Medicare and Medicaid to Provide Care for Patients
Presents the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on the role of Medicare and Medicaid in combating the opioid crisis. Features testimony from representatives of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Boston Medical Center, the Centene Corporation, Centerstone America, Geisinger Health System, and Magellan Healthcare.
Additional links: Mr. David Guth Testimony, Mr. Toby Douglas Testimony
Date: 04/2018
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: House Committee on Energy and Commerce
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Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-123): CHIP, Public Health, Home Visiting, and Medicaid Provisions in Division E
Highlights a report on the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018. Details appropriations for Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, public health, and other provisions in Division E. Provides some discussion of the effect of these appropriations on rural communities.
Date: 03/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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CMS Innovation Center: Model Implementation and Center Performance
Examines the activities of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Innovation Center. Discusses the Center's goals of identifying, testing, and improving payment and delivery models, while cutting healthcare costs and sharing best practices. Includes models tested in rural areas.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 03/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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State Innovation Models (SIM) Initiative Evaluation: Model Test Year Four Annual Report
Fourth annual report on Round 1 of the CMS State Innovation Models (SIM) Initiative, which tests the ability of the governments in six states - Arkansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, and Vermont - to move providers to value-based payment models (VPMs). Describes the experiences of providers, health systems, consumers, payers, and state officials during the final full implementation year for most Round 1 states. Presents interim impacts on healthcare utilization, cost, and quality for individuals reached by SIM-supported VPMs during the SIM Initiative period. Includes information specific to rural areas.
Date: 03/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-123): Brief Summary of Division E--The Advancing Chronic Care, Extenders, and Social Services (ACCESS) Act
Brief summary of ACCESS Act provisions, and names of experts knowledgeable about each point. Topics include Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), public health, child and family services, foster care, social impact partnerships, child support enforcement, and prison data reporting. Features provisions specific to institutions and services in rural areas, including hospitals, home health, and ambulance services.
Date: 03/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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MedPAC Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy, 2018
Annual review of Medicare payment policies, with recommendations to Congress. Includes discussion on Medicare payment policies directly affecting rural providers and beneficiaries. Addresses Medicare Part D, Medicare Advantage, telehealth, payment incentive programs, and payment adequacy for healthcare facilities and services.
Additional links: Chapter 14 Online-Only Appendixes: The Medicare Prescription Drug Program (Part D): Status Report (March 2018 Report, Revised June 25, 2018), Chapter 16 Online-Only Appendixes: Mandated Report: Telehealth Services and the Medicare Program (March 2018 report), Errata Sheet: Table 9-7, Page 255 (March 2018 Report, Revised May 30, 2018)
Date: 03/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Medicare Accountable Care Organization Growth in Rural America, 2014-2016
Data report comparing accountable care organization (ACO) growth in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan counties. Features statistics including numbers of ACOs with attributed beneficiaries, beneficiaries attributed to an ACO per county, growth in percentage of fee-for-service beneficiaries, and growth in percentage of beneficiaries attributed to ACOs, with breakdowns by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan counties.
Author(s): A. Clinton MacKinney, Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 03/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Residential Settings and Healthcare Use of the Rural "Oldest-Old" Medicare Population
Results of a study using Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey data to profile rural and urban Medicare beneficiaries ages 85+ in terms of their demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, residential settings, health and functional status, and healthcare use. Features statistics on these topics with breakdowns by rural and urban location.
Author(s): Nathan Paluso, Zachariah Croll, Deborah Thayer, Jean A. Talbot, Andrew F. Coburn
Date: 03/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Body Mass Index and Rural Status on Self-Reported Health in Older Adults: 2002-2012 Medicare Expenditure Panel Survey
Presents a study comparing self-reported mental and physical health of older adults with rural status and obesity status. Pulls data from the Medicare Expenditure Panel Survey and breaks it down by age, race, and marital status, among other factors.
Author(s): John A. Batsis, Karen L. Whiteman, Matthew C. Lohman, Emily A. Scherer, Stephen J. Bartels
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 34(Suppl1), s56-s64
Date: 02/2018
Type: Document
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