Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Pharmacy and prescription drugs
Characteristics of Adults Age 18 and Older Who Took Prescription Medication for Depression: United States, 2023
Provides 2023 data on the characteristics of adults who took prescription medication for depression. Includes a breakdown by region and urbanization level, including nonmetropolitan, medium and small metropolitan, large fringe metropolitan, or large central metropolitan area.
Author(s): Nazik Elgaddal, Julie D. Weeks, Laryssa Mykyta
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Provides 2023 data on the characteristics of adults who took prescription medication for depression. Includes a breakdown by region and urbanization level, including nonmetropolitan, medium and small metropolitan, large fringe metropolitan, or large central metropolitan area.
Author(s): Nazik Elgaddal, Julie D. Weeks, Laryssa Mykyta
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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April 2025 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) April 2025 meeting. Covers physician fee schedule updates and improving the accuracy of relative payment rates; structural differences between the stand-alone prescription drug plan (PDP) and Medicare Advantage–Prescription Drug plan (MA–PD) markets; the utilization and delivery of Medicare Advantage supplemental benefits; the effect of Medicare Advantage on rural hospitals; paying for software technologies in Medicare; access to hospice and certain services under the hospice benefit for beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease and beneficiaries with cancer; and regulations, star ratings, and fee-for-service Medicare policies aimed at improving nursing home quality.
Additional links: Exploring the Effect of Medicare Advantage on Rural Hospitals
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) April 2025 meeting. Covers physician fee schedule updates and improving the accuracy of relative payment rates; structural differences between the stand-alone prescription drug plan (PDP) and Medicare Advantage–Prescription Drug plan (MA–PD) markets; the utilization and delivery of Medicare Advantage supplemental benefits; the effect of Medicare Advantage on rural hospitals; paying for software technologies in Medicare; access to hospice and certain services under the hospice benefit for beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease and beneficiaries with cancer; and regulations, star ratings, and fee-for-service Medicare policies aimed at improving nursing home quality.
Additional links: Exploring the Effect of Medicare Advantage on Rural Hospitals
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Screening and Referral Programs for Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease: Can Community Pharmacists Bridge the Care Gap?
Examines the community-based valued-driven care initiative (CVCI) in community pharmacies to evaluate its effectiveness related to screening and referral (S&R) to treat cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes mellitus (DM). Analyzes patient demographics and success rates of CVD and DM S&R in 6 community pharmacies, with both rural and urban locations represented.
Author(s): Melanie Livet, Amber Watson, Shweta Pathak, et al.
Citation: Exploratory Research in Clinical and Social Pharmacy, 17, 100539
Date: 03/2025
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Examines the community-based valued-driven care initiative (CVCI) in community pharmacies to evaluate its effectiveness related to screening and referral (S&R) to treat cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes mellitus (DM). Analyzes patient demographics and success rates of CVD and DM S&R in 6 community pharmacies, with both rural and urban locations represented.
Author(s): Melanie Livet, Amber Watson, Shweta Pathak, et al.
Citation: Exploratory Research in Clinical and Social Pharmacy, 17, 100539
Date: 03/2025
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Opioid Use Among Rural Medicare Beneficiaries
Examines trends in prescription opioid use among Medicare beneficiaries in rural areas, utilizing 2010-2017 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) data. Provides data on receipt of opioid prescriptions among community-dwelling and facility-dwelling beneficiaries, associations between prescribing and chronic overlapping pain conditions (COPCs), and prescriptions exceeding CDC guidelines. Includes rural-urban comparisons.
Author(s): Yvonne Jonk, Heidi O'Connor, Karen Pearson, et al.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Examines trends in prescription opioid use among Medicare beneficiaries in rural areas, utilizing 2010-2017 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) data. Provides data on receipt of opioid prescriptions among community-dwelling and facility-dwelling beneficiaries, associations between prescribing and chronic overlapping pain conditions (COPCs), and prescriptions exceeding CDC guidelines. Includes rural-urban comparisons.
Author(s): Yvonne Jonk, Heidi O'Connor, Karen Pearson, et al.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Community Opioid Overdose Reversal Medications (OORMs) Planning Toolkit
Provides planning and strategy resources for organizations and communities to expand access to naloxone and other opioid overdose reversal medications (OORMs). Includes templates, implementation strategies and program examples, and more. Discusses rural considerations and programs throughout, including the Rural EMS Training Program and Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP).
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Provides planning and strategy resources for organizations and communities to expand access to naloxone and other opioid overdose reversal medications (OORMs). Includes templates, implementation strategies and program examples, and more. Discusses rural considerations and programs throughout, including the Rural EMS Training Program and Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP).
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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January 2025 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) January 2025 meeting. Covers payment adequacy and updates for physician and other health professional services, hospital inpatient and outpatient services, skilled nursing facility services, home health agency services, inpatient rehabilitation facility services, outpatient dialysis services, and hospice services. Discusses status reports on Medicare Part D, ambulatory surgical centers, and the Medicare Advantage program, as well as policy options for modifying the cost-sharing liability for beneficiaries who receive care at Critical Access Hospitals. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Additional links: Reducing Beneficiary Cost-sharing for Outpatient Services at Critical Access Hospitals
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) January 2025 meeting. Covers payment adequacy and updates for physician and other health professional services, hospital inpatient and outpatient services, skilled nursing facility services, home health agency services, inpatient rehabilitation facility services, outpatient dialysis services, and hospice services. Discusses status reports on Medicare Part D, ambulatory surgical centers, and the Medicare Advantage program, as well as policy options for modifying the cost-sharing liability for beneficiaries who receive care at Critical Access Hospitals. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Additional links: Reducing Beneficiary Cost-sharing for Outpatient Services at Critical Access Hospitals
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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A Rural-Urban Analysis of Buprenorphine Therapy During and After Pregnancy Among the Commercially Insured
Explores the use of evidence-based buprenorphine treatment and adherence during the peri-pregnancy period among commercially insured individuals by rurality. Analyzes data on 1,331,040 people between 15 and 44 years-old with diagnosis codes for pregnancy and labor/delivery from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2019.
Author(s): KariLynn Dowling-McClay, Bill Brooks, Daniel Krauss, et al.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: ETSU/NORC Rural Health Research Center
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Explores the use of evidence-based buprenorphine treatment and adherence during the peri-pregnancy period among commercially insured individuals by rurality. Analyzes data on 1,331,040 people between 15 and 44 years-old with diagnosis codes for pregnancy and labor/delivery from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2019.
Author(s): KariLynn Dowling-McClay, Bill Brooks, Daniel Krauss, et al.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: ETSU/NORC Rural Health Research Center
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Projecting the Impact of the $2,000 Part D Out-Of-Pocket Cap for Medicare Part D Enrollees with High Prescription Drug Spending
Examines the impact of the Medicare Part D $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket prescription drugs. Provides projected savings according to low-income subsidy (LIS) status, state, and demographic characteristics, including urban, rural-micropolitan, rural-other, or unclassified geographic location.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Examines the impact of the Medicare Part D $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket prescription drugs. Provides projected savings according to low-income subsidy (LIS) status, state, and demographic characteristics, including urban, rural-micropolitan, rural-other, or unclassified geographic location.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Combating Antimicrobial Resistance During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Perceived Risks and Protective Practices
Explores the range of factors that impacted efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Presents findings from an analysis of published scholarly sources and lessons learned from urban and rural healthcare professionals involved in antimicrobial stewardship. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Author(s): Casey Sullivan, Cody R. Fisher, Laurin Grabowsky, et al.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Eastern Research Group, Inc., HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Explores the range of factors that impacted efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Presents findings from an analysis of published scholarly sources and lessons learned from urban and rural healthcare professionals involved in antimicrobial stewardship. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Author(s): Casey Sullivan, Cody R. Fisher, Laurin Grabowsky, et al.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Eastern Research Group, Inc., HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Estimating the Effects of the Medicare $2 Drug List on Part D Enrollees
Discusses the Medicare $2 Drug List (M2DL) Model, which would allow Medicare Part D enrollees to purchase monthly drugs for $2 or less. Provides projected financial impact of the model, such as out of pocket (OOP) costs for individual drugs as well as OOP changes for enrollees, with breakdowns by demographic variables, including urban, rural-micropolitan, rural-other, or unclassified location.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Discusses the Medicare $2 Drug List (M2DL) Model, which would allow Medicare Part D enrollees to purchase monthly drugs for $2 or less. Provides projected financial impact of the model, such as out of pocket (OOP) costs for individual drugs as well as OOP changes for enrollees, with breakdowns by demographic variables, including urban, rural-micropolitan, rural-other, or unclassified location.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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