Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Medicare
MedPAC Comment on CMS's Interim Final Rule on Durable Medical Equipment Fee Schedule Adjustments
Describes Medicare's method of setting payment rates for durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies, and explains the reinstitution of 50/50 blended payment rates for rural and non-contiguous areas from June 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018.
Author(s): Francis J. Crosson
Date: 07/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Describes Medicare's method of setting payment rates for durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies, and explains the reinstitution of 50/50 blended payment rates for rural and non-contiguous areas from June 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018.
Author(s): Francis J. Crosson
Date: 07/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Small and Rural Practices' Experiences in Previous Programs and Expected Performance in the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System
Examines how small and rural physician practices fared in legacy Medicare programs and reviews the projected effect of Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). Discusses Medicare legacy program challenges small and rural physician practices experience including technology, financial and staff resources, and legacy program requirements. Covers efforts to assist small and rural physician practices participate in MIPS. Includes 2014 and 2015 data on Medicare legacy payment incentive programs by rural and urban status.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 07/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Examines how small and rural physician practices fared in legacy Medicare programs and reviews the projected effect of Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). Discusses Medicare legacy program challenges small and rural physician practices experience including technology, financial and staff resources, and legacy program requirements. Covers efforts to assist small and rural physician practices participate in MIPS. Includes 2014 and 2015 data on Medicare legacy payment incentive programs by rural and urban status.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 07/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Estimate of Federal Payment Reductions to Hospitals Following the ACA 2010-2028: Estimates and Methodology
Examines cumulative federal payment reductions to hospitals for 2010-2028. Addresses the impact of sequestration, changes in Medicare payments for bad debt including to Critical Access Hospitals, federal Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) allotments, and other legislation affecting hospital reimbursement.
Author(s): Allen Dobson, Joan DaVanzo, Randy Haught, Phap-Hoa Luu
Date: 06/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: American Hospital Association, Dobson DaVanzo & Associates, Federation of American Hospitals
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Examines cumulative federal payment reductions to hospitals for 2010-2028. Addresses the impact of sequestration, changes in Medicare payments for bad debt including to Critical Access Hospitals, federal Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) allotments, and other legislation affecting hospital reimbursement.
Author(s): Allen Dobson, Joan DaVanzo, Randy Haught, Phap-Hoa Luu
Date: 06/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: American Hospital Association, Dobson DaVanzo & Associates, Federation of American Hospitals
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Evaluation of the Round Two Health Care Innovation Awards (HCIA R2): Third Annual Report
Summarizes the third year evaluation results of 38 Health Care Innovation Awards Round Two projects, one awardee of the original 39 having left the program in September 2016. Focuses on implementation effectiveness, developing payment models, planning for sustainability, and some preliminary work related to evaluating program impacts. Provides findings for the individual awardees, which include projects that serve rural areas.
Date: 06/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Mathematica Policy Research
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Summarizes the third year evaluation results of 38 Health Care Innovation Awards Round Two projects, one awardee of the original 39 having left the program in September 2016. Focuses on implementation effectiveness, developing payment models, planning for sustainability, and some preliminary work related to evaluating program impacts. Provides findings for the individual awardees, which include projects that serve rural areas.
Date: 06/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Mathematica Policy Research
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MedPAC Report to the Congress: Medicare and the Health Care Delivery System, June 2018
Evaluates Medicare payment issues and offers recommendations to the U.S. Congress. Includes a chapter on ensuring appropriate access to and use of hospital emergency department (ED) services that provides extensive information on rural access to ED services and identifies examples of rural off-campus emergency departments. Other sections of the report addressing rural concerns focus on post-acute care, quality and value payment programs, and medical device payment policies. Also includes a report on the effects of the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program.
Additional links: Fact Sheet
Date: 06/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Evaluates Medicare payment issues and offers recommendations to the U.S. Congress. Includes a chapter on ensuring appropriate access to and use of hospital emergency department (ED) services that provides extensive information on rural access to ED services and identifies examples of rural off-campus emergency departments. Other sections of the report addressing rural concerns focus on post-acute care, quality and value payment programs, and medical device payment policies. Also includes a report on the effects of the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program.
Additional links: Fact Sheet
Date: 06/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Geographic Variation in Uncompensated Care Between Rural and Urban Hospitals
Findings brief describing how uncompensated hospital care varies across regions of the country, using data from the 2014-2016 Medicare Cost Report Worksheet S-10. Features statistics including breakdowns by Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), other rural hospitals, and urban hospitals.
Author(s): Krystal G. Garcia, Kristie Thompson, Hilda A. Howard, George H. Pink
Date: 06/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Findings brief describing how uncompensated hospital care varies across regions of the country, using data from the 2014-2016 Medicare Cost Report Worksheet S-10. Features statistics including breakdowns by Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), other rural hospitals, and urban hospitals.
Author(s): Krystal G. Garcia, Kristie Thompson, Hilda A. Howard, George H. Pink
Date: 06/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Rural Hospital Transitional Care Program Reduces Medicare Spending
Evaluates the impact of a weekly transitional care intervention, conducted by phone for recently discharged patients, on service use and spending among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries at a community-based hospital in rural Worcester County, Maryland.
Author(s): Keith Kranker, Linda M. Barterian, Rumin Sarwar, et al.
Citation: American Journal of Managed Care, 24(5), 256-260
Date: 05/2018
Type: Document
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Evaluates the impact of a weekly transitional care intervention, conducted by phone for recently discharged patients, on service use and spending among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries at a community-based hospital in rural Worcester County, Maryland.
Author(s): Keith Kranker, Linda M. Barterian, Rumin Sarwar, et al.
Citation: American Journal of Managed Care, 24(5), 256-260
Date: 05/2018
Type: Document
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Insurance and Access to Care in Urban and Rural Areas, 2014-2015
Statistical brief using data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component to examine the percentages of people uninsured, those without a usual source of care, and those reporting unmet needs for medical or dental care and prescription drugs. Features statistics including selected characteristics of the study population, with breakdowns by 3 population levels of metropolitan areas and 4 categories of non-metro counties.
Author(s): James B. Kirby, Pradip Muhuri
Date: 05/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Statistical brief using data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component to examine the percentages of people uninsured, those without a usual source of care, and those reporting unmet needs for medical or dental care and prescription drugs. Features statistics including selected characteristics of the study population, with breakdowns by 3 population levels of metropolitan areas and 4 categories of non-metro counties.
Author(s): James B. Kirby, Pradip Muhuri
Date: 05/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services: Medicare Program; Durable Medical Equipment Fee Schedule Adjustments to Resume the Transitional 50/50 Blended Rates to Provide Relief in Rural Areas and Non-Contiguous Areas
Summarizes the Government Accountability Office's (GAO) review of the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) rule on the Medicare Program durable medical equipment (DME) fee schedule adjustments to resume the transitional 50/50 blended rates providing relief in rural areas and non-contiguous areas.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Summarizes the Government Accountability Office's (GAO) review of the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) rule on the Medicare Program durable medical equipment (DME) fee schedule adjustments to resume the transitional 50/50 blended rates providing relief in rural areas and non-contiguous areas.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Toward Hospital Global Budgeting: State Considerations
Overview of hospital global budgeting, using case studies from Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Vermont. Explores ways in which global budgets can offer some financial stability for rural hospitals.
Author(s): Robert Murray
Date: 05/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: State Health & Value Strategies
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Overview of hospital global budgeting, using case studies from Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Vermont. Explores ways in which global budgets can offer some financial stability for rural hospitals.
Author(s): Robert Murray
Date: 05/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: State Health & Value Strategies
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