Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Medicare
MedPAC Report to the Congress: Regional Variation in Medicare Part A, Part B, and Part D Spending and Service Use
Compares Medicare spending and service use based on geographic location, including across metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. Seeks to identify factors that influence regional variation and determine if higher service use and/or spending results in higher quality care and outcomes. Utilizes updated data to build on findings that were published in the January 2011 Report to the Congress: Regional Variation in Medicare Service Use. Data is adjusted to account for differences in payment rates to certain providers, such as Critical Access Hospitals.
Date: 09/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Compares Medicare spending and service use based on geographic location, including across metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. Seeks to identify factors that influence regional variation and determine if higher service use and/or spending results in higher quality care and outcomes. Utilizes updated data to build on findings that were published in the January 2011 Report to the Congress: Regional Variation in Medicare Service Use. Data is adjusted to account for differences in payment rates to certain providers, such as Critical Access Hospitals.
Date: 09/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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State Innovation Models (SIM) Initiative Evaluation: Model Test Year Three Annual Report
Third annual report detailing the findings of CMS's State Innovation Models (SIM) Initiative, which tests the ability of the governments in six states - Arkansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, and Vermont - to accelerate health system transformation in the areas of delivery systems, payment models, information technology, workforce development, and more. Focuses on sharing cross-state progress and findings, state-specific findings and lessons learned, and lessons for policymakers. Additional emphasis is placed on monitoring healthcare experience, utilization, and expenditures in participating SIM states.
Date: 09/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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Third annual report detailing the findings of CMS's State Innovation Models (SIM) Initiative, which tests the ability of the governments in six states - Arkansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, and Vermont - to accelerate health system transformation in the areas of delivery systems, payment models, information technology, workforce development, and more. Focuses on sharing cross-state progress and findings, state-specific findings and lessons learned, and lessons for policymakers. Additional emphasis is placed on monitoring healthcare experience, utilization, and expenditures in participating SIM states.
Date: 09/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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Rural-Urban Variations in Medicare Live Discharge Patterns from Hospice, 2012-2013
Details a study on the instances of live discharges from the Medicare hospice program from 2012-2013. Compares rural and urban discharge rates, as well as for-profit and nonprofit business models.
Author(s): Rachel Dolin, Denise Kirk, Mark Holmes
Date: 09/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Details a study on the instances of live discharges from the Medicare hospice program from 2012-2013. Compares rural and urban discharge rates, as well as for-profit and nonprofit business models.
Author(s): Rachel Dolin, Denise Kirk, Mark Holmes
Date: 09/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Promoting Integrated and Coordinated Care that Addresses Social Risk for the Dual Eligible Beneficiary Population, 2017
Describes the Measure Applications Partnership's (MAP) recent recommendations and guidance on the use of performance measures to assess and improve healthcare for dually eligible individuals/beneficiaries. Examines current measure gaps, updates to address these gaps, and measures that can help address social risk factors and health disparities. Includes a discussion on categorizing rural location as a social risk factor.
Date: 08/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Quality Forum
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Describes the Measure Applications Partnership's (MAP) recent recommendations and guidance on the use of performance measures to assess and improve healthcare for dually eligible individuals/beneficiaries. Examines current measure gaps, updates to address these gaps, and measures that can help address social risk factors and health disparities. Includes a discussion on categorizing rural location as a social risk factor.
Date: 08/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Quality Forum
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State Innovation Models (SIM) Round 2: Model Design Final Report
Shares results from a federal evaluation of the Round 2 State Innovation Models (SIM) Initiative awards, which focused on reforming payment and delivery systems, health information exchanges, workforce development, and sustainability. Provides a summary and review of each awardees' final State Health System Innovations Plan (SHSIP). Includes several suggestions and recommendations for improving rural healthcare delivery, payment, and access.
Author(s): Donald Nichols, Kathleen Farrell, Marisa Morrison, et al.
Date: 08/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Shares results from a federal evaluation of the Round 2 State Innovation Models (SIM) Initiative awards, which focused on reforming payment and delivery systems, health information exchanges, workforce development, and sustainability. Provides a summary and review of each awardees' final State Health System Innovations Plan (SHSIP). Includes several suggestions and recommendations for improving rural healthcare delivery, payment, and access.
Author(s): Donald Nichols, Kathleen Farrell, Marisa Morrison, et al.
Date: 08/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Medicare Advantage Enrollment Update 2017
Reports on the percentage of rural Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) and other prepaid enrollment plans by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan location, and variability by state.
Author(s): Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 08/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Reports on the percentage of rural Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) and other prepaid enrollment plans by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan location, and variability by state.
Author(s): Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 08/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Home is Where the Heart Is: Insights on the Coordination and Delivery of Home Health Services in Rural America
Identifies facilitators and barriers to providing home health services in rural areas, discusses how rural home health services are currently provided, and offers thoughts about the provision of home health services in the future. Addresses electronic health records, reimbursement issues, workforce challenges, value-based payment, and more.
Author(s): Alana Knudson, Britta Anderson, Kellie Schueler, Emily Arsen
Date: 08/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Reform Policy Research Center
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Identifies facilitators and barriers to providing home health services in rural areas, discusses how rural home health services are currently provided, and offers thoughts about the provision of home health services in the future. Addresses electronic health records, reimbursement issues, workforce challenges, value-based payment, and more.
Author(s): Alana Knudson, Britta Anderson, Kellie Schueler, Emily Arsen
Date: 08/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Reform Policy Research Center
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Differences in Medicare Service Use in the Last Six Months of Life among Rural and Urban Dual-Eligible Beneficiaries
Reports on a study of healthcare utilization by Medicare beneficiaries in the last six months of life in both urban and rural areas. Compares beneficiaries with dual eligibility with those who are eligible for Medicare only. Looks specifically at inpatient care, outpatient care, and home health, as well as other types of healthcare services.
Author(s): Elizabeth Crouch, Kevin J. Bennett, Janice C. Probst
Date: 08/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
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Reports on a study of healthcare utilization by Medicare beneficiaries in the last six months of life in both urban and rural areas. Compares beneficiaries with dual eligibility with those who are eligible for Medicare only. Looks specifically at inpatient care, outpatient care, and home health, as well as other types of healthcare services.
Author(s): Elizabeth Crouch, Kevin J. Bennett, Janice C. Probst
Date: 08/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
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Evaluation of the Round Two Health Care Innovation Awards (HCIA R2): Second Annual Report
Summarizes the second year evaluation results of the 39 Health Care Innovation Awards Round Two projects. Describes implementation experiences during the second program year and examines pre-enrollment characteristics of participants. Focuses on program enrollment, implementation of service delivery models, development and implementation of payment models, and sustainability plans. Provides findings for the individual grantees, which include projects that serve rural areas.
Date: 08/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Mathematica Policy Research
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Summarizes the second year evaluation results of the 39 Health Care Innovation Awards Round Two projects. Describes implementation experiences during the second program year and examines pre-enrollment characteristics of participants. Focuses on program enrollment, implementation of service delivery models, development and implementation of payment models, and sustainability plans. Provides findings for the individual grantees, which include projects that serve rural areas.
Date: 08/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Mathematica Policy Research
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Medicare Fee-For-Service Beneficiaries with Disabilities, by End Stage Renal Disease Status, 2014
Data highlight describing the characteristics of disabled Medicare beneficiaries by end stage renal disease (ESRD) status. Uses data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) Chronic Conditions Data Warehouse (CCW) and includes a breakdown of metropolitan, micropolitan, or rural residence of disabled Medicare beneficiaries with ESRD.
Author(s): Elsa Haile, Sonya Bowen, Kenneth Lindenfelser, Chris Haffer
Date: 07/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Data highlight describing the characteristics of disabled Medicare beneficiaries by end stage renal disease (ESRD) status. Uses data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) Chronic Conditions Data Warehouse (CCW) and includes a breakdown of metropolitan, micropolitan, or rural residence of disabled Medicare beneficiaries with ESRD.
Author(s): Elsa Haile, Sonya Bowen, Kenneth Lindenfelser, Chris Haffer
Date: 07/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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