Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
How Do Changes in Medicare Reimbursement for Mental Health Services Impact Access for Rural Older Adults?
Examines how policies allowing marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and mental health counselors (MHCs) to independently bill Medicare have impacted mental healthcare access among Medicare beneficiaries living in rural areas. Utilizes interview data from 14 leaders representing rural health systems and mental health organizations regarding their perceptions on mental healthcare access, Medicare reimbursement policy, and the inclusion of MFTs and MHCs as mental health providers for Medicare recipients.
Author(s): Natalia V. Oster, C. Holly A. Andrilla, Davis G. Patterson, Signe Burchim, Janessa M. Graves
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70162
Date: 05/2026
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Examines how policies allowing marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and mental health counselors (MHCs) to independently bill Medicare have impacted mental healthcare access among Medicare beneficiaries living in rural areas. Utilizes interview data from 14 leaders representing rural health systems and mental health organizations regarding their perceptions on mental healthcare access, Medicare reimbursement policy, and the inclusion of MFTs and MHCs as mental health providers for Medicare recipients.
Author(s): Natalia V. Oster, C. Holly A. Andrilla, Davis G. Patterson, Signe Burchim, Janessa M. Graves
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70162
Date: 05/2026
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Tennessee's Community Health Worker Strategy Is Succeeding. Which State Will Be Next?
Discusses the role community health workers (CHWs) can play in improving healthcare outcomes and addressing unmet needs in both rural and urban communities. Details Tennessee's state-funded implementation of a evidence-based CHW infrastructure, and highlights the outcomes over the first two years of the program. Explores how this approach could be implemented in other states.
Author(s): Victor Wu, Brea Burke, Nikayla Boyd, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Forefront
Date: 05/2026
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Discusses the role community health workers (CHWs) can play in improving healthcare outcomes and addressing unmet needs in both rural and urban communities. Details Tennessee's state-funded implementation of a evidence-based CHW infrastructure, and highlights the outcomes over the first two years of the program. Explores how this approach could be implemented in other states.
Author(s): Victor Wu, Brea Burke, Nikayla Boyd, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Forefront
Date: 05/2026
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Governors' Policy Actions in Rural Health Workforce
Describes policy actions taken by governors to advance healthcare career pathways, education and training, and recruitment and retention, as well as policies related to licensure and scope of practice. Includes examples from state Rural Health Transformation Program project narratives.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Governors Association
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Describes policy actions taken by governors to advance healthcare career pathways, education and training, and recruitment and retention, as well as policies related to licensure and scope of practice. Includes examples from state Rural Health Transformation Program project narratives.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Governors Association
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A Look at New or Expanded Medicaid and Public Health Partnerships from 2025: Findings from A Survey of State Medicaid Programs
Identifies themes from a survey of state Medicaid directors regarding new or expanded public health initiatives that were implemented in fiscal year (FY) 2025 or planned for FY 2026. Summarizes initiatives related to maternal and child health, child and youth mental health, opioid use disorder (OUD), lead screening, infectious disease, and workforce. Describes rural-related initiatives and examples throughout.
Author(s): Alisha Rao, Anna Mudumala, Elizabeth Hinton, Cory Caldwell
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Identifies themes from a survey of state Medicaid directors regarding new or expanded public health initiatives that were implemented in fiscal year (FY) 2025 or planned for FY 2026. Summarizes initiatives related to maternal and child health, child and youth mental health, opioid use disorder (OUD), lead screening, infectious disease, and workforce. Describes rural-related initiatives and examples throughout.
Author(s): Alisha Rao, Anna Mudumala, Elizabeth Hinton, Cory Caldwell
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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State-Level Medicaid Expansion and Hospital, Federally Qualified Health Center, and Rural Health Clinic Availability
Explores the association between state Medicaid expansion and the availability of hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) in states that expanded Medicaid between 2014-2016. Examines the presence of hospitals, FQHCs, and RHCs in urban and rural counties between 2010-2019.
Author(s): Elliott Paintsil, Sebastian Linde
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70159
Date: 05/2026
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Explores the association between state Medicaid expansion and the availability of hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) in states that expanded Medicaid between 2014-2016. Examines the presence of hospitals, FQHCs, and RHCs in urban and rural counties between 2010-2019.
Author(s): Elliott Paintsil, Sebastian Linde
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70159
Date: 05/2026
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Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS): 2026 MIPS Promoting Interoperability Performance Category Hardship Exception Application Guide
Provides guidance on how clinicians can apply for a MIPS hardship exception. Highlights guidance for having your MIPS Promoting Interoperability performance category reweighted to 0% in cases of insufficient internet connectivity, decertified electronic health record technology, or other circumstances out of the clinicians' control.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Provides guidance on how clinicians can apply for a MIPS hardship exception. Highlights guidance for having your MIPS Promoting Interoperability performance category reweighted to 0% in cases of insufficient internet connectivity, decertified electronic health record technology, or other circumstances out of the clinicians' control.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Amplifying Impact: Advocacy Strategies for Rural, Non-Congregate Programs
A recorded webinar that focuses on creating effective collaborations among community stakeholders to promote successful rural non-congregate (RNC) summer meal programs. Discusses policy, advocacy efforts, and building community support for RNC programs.
Additional links: Slide Deck
Author(s): Heather Senecal, Petra Colindres, Aaron Goldstein
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
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A recorded webinar that focuses on creating effective collaborations among community stakeholders to promote successful rural non-congregate (RNC) summer meal programs. Discusses policy, advocacy efforts, and building community support for RNC programs.
Additional links: Slide Deck
Author(s): Heather Senecal, Petra Colindres, Aaron Goldstein
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
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Whole Health, Whole Communities — Dialogues to Reduce Rural Health Disparities
Summarizes discussions from the 2025 Whole Health, Whole Communities: Dialogues to Reduce Rural Health Disparities symposium on the short, intermediate, and long-term policy, financing, workforce, and data infrastructure reforms needed to implement Whole Health principles across rural health systems.
Author(s): Jyoti Savla, Taryn Pelletier, Karen A. Roberto, et al.
Citation: NEJM Catalyst Innovations in Care Delivery, 7(s2)
Date: 04/2026
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Summarizes discussions from the 2025 Whole Health, Whole Communities: Dialogues to Reduce Rural Health Disparities symposium on the short, intermediate, and long-term policy, financing, workforce, and data infrastructure reforms needed to implement Whole Health principles across rural health systems.
Author(s): Jyoti Savla, Taryn Pelletier, Karen A. Roberto, et al.
Citation: NEJM Catalyst Innovations in Care Delivery, 7(s2)
Date: 04/2026
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MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility for FY 2027
Comments on an April 6, 2026, Federal Register proposed rule addressing updates to the prospective payment system for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) for fiscal year 2026. Includes comments on the potential creation of an IRF-specific wage index and refinements to the IRF payment system, such as changes to IRF patient clinical classification. Includes rural considerations throughout.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Comments on an April 6, 2026, Federal Register proposed rule addressing updates to the prospective payment system for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) for fiscal year 2026. Includes comments on the potential creation of an IRF-specific wage index and refinements to the IRF payment system, such as changes to IRF patient clinical classification. Includes rural considerations throughout.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Medicare Payment for Rural or Geographically Isolated Hospitals, 2026
Displays data on Medicare payment adjustments for Sole Community Hospitals, Medicare-Dependent Hospitals, Low-Volume Hospitals, and Critical Access Hospitals. Includes information on the number of qualifying hospitals by state and eligibility criteria.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Displays data on Medicare payment adjustments for Sole Community Hospitals, Medicare-Dependent Hospitals, Low-Volume Hospitals, and Critical Access Hospitals. Includes information on the number of qualifying hospitals by state and eligibility criteria.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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