Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
Overview of Rural Child Health
Policy position paper presenting an overview rural child health and factors influencing health disparities in rural children. Highlights disparities in mortality, physical health, preventive health, and oral health. Includes policy recommendations to address these disparities.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Matthew Workman, Kim Mohan
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
view details
Policy position paper presenting an overview rural child health and factors influencing health disparities in rural children. Highlights disparities in mortality, physical health, preventive health, and oral health. Includes policy recommendations to address these disparities.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Matthew Workman, Kim Mohan
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
view details
Implementation of Flex EMS Supplemental Funding Projects: Year One Activities
Provides an overview of the first-year implementation efforts of the eight Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Supplemental funding grant recipients. Describes each grant project, the impact of COVID-19 and other challenges on project implementation, and factors that facilitated implementation. Includes recommendations for grantees.
Author(s): Karen Pearson, John Gale, Sara Kahn-Troster
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
view details
Provides an overview of the first-year implementation efforts of the eight Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Supplemental funding grant recipients. Describes each grant project, the impact of COVID-19 and other challenges on project implementation, and factors that facilitated implementation. Includes recommendations for grantees.
Author(s): Karen Pearson, John Gale, Sara Kahn-Troster
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
view details
MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment Systems and Quality Reporting Programs for CY 2021
Comments on an August 12, 2020, Federal Register proposed rule revising the Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Medicare Ambulatory Surgical Center (ACS) payment system for calendar year 2021. Includes comments on payment rates for separately payable non–pass-through drugs obtained through the 340B Drug Pricing Program.
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
view details
Comments on an August 12, 2020, Federal Register proposed rule revising the Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Medicare Ambulatory Surgical Center (ACS) payment system for calendar year 2021. Includes comments on payment rates for separately payable non–pass-through drugs obtained through the 340B Drug Pricing Program.
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
view details
MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Revisions to Part B for CY 2021
Comment on an August 17, 2020 Federal Register proposed rule revising the physician fee schedule to improve payment systems for physicians and other Medicare Part B revisions. Includes a discussion of COVID-19-related telehealth expansion.
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
view details
Comment on an August 17, 2020 Federal Register proposed rule revising the physician fee schedule to improve payment systems for physicians and other Medicare Part B revisions. Includes a discussion of COVID-19-related telehealth expansion.
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
view details
Supporting CAHs During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Summary Results of a Survey of State Flex Coordinators
Summarizes key findings from a survey of State Flex Programs regarding the impact of COVID-19 on Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) between May 26 - July 2, 2020. Describes the type of support and assistance requested by CAHs, promising strategies State Flex Programs used to support CAHs, and how State Flex Programs are planning for CAH needs after the pandemic.
Author(s): John Gale, Zachariah Croll, Yvonne Jonk, Sara Kahn-Troster, Karen Pearson
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
view details
Summarizes key findings from a survey of State Flex Programs regarding the impact of COVID-19 on Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) between May 26 - July 2, 2020. Describes the type of support and assistance requested by CAHs, promising strategies State Flex Programs used to support CAHs, and how State Flex Programs are planning for CAH needs after the pandemic.
Author(s): John Gale, Zachariah Croll, Yvonne Jonk, Sara Kahn-Troster, Karen Pearson
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
view details
2020-2025 Federal Health IT Strategic Plan
A guide for federal health information technology (HIT) activities. Identifies current healthcare challenges and opportunities related to HIT. Explains how the federal government intends to use HIT to promote health; enhance care delivery; build a secure, data-driven system; and develop an interoperable HIT infrastructure. Includes discussion of rural needs and opportunities related to HIT.
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organizations: Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
view details
A guide for federal health information technology (HIT) activities. Identifies current healthcare challenges and opportunities related to HIT. Explains how the federal government intends to use HIT to promote health; enhance care delivery; build a secure, data-driven system; and develop an interoperable HIT infrastructure. Includes discussion of rural needs and opportunities related to HIT.
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organizations: Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
view details
Chart Book: The Far-Reaching Benefits of the Affordable Care Act's Medicaid Expansion
Compares states that expanded Medicaid coverage and those that did not expand Medicaid coverage using a variety of measures such as healthcare access and health outcomes. Addresses the impact on rural hospitals for Medicaid revenue, operating margins, and uncompensated care on page 18.
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
view details
Compares states that expanded Medicaid coverage and those that did not expand Medicaid coverage using a variety of measures such as healthcare access and health outcomes. Addresses the impact on rural hospitals for Medicaid revenue, operating margins, and uncompensated care on page 18.
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
view details
Characteristics of US Rural Hospitals by Obstetric Service Availability, 2017
Examines the characteristics of rural hospitals that did not provide obstetric care in 2017. Compares rural hospitals that did and did not have obstetrics services by financial structure, location, and hospital size and emergency department availability and volume. Discusses the public health implications of this analysis.
Author(s): Katy B. Kozhimannil, Julia D. Interrante, Mariana S. Tuttle, Carrie Henning-Smith, Lindsay Admon
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 110(9), 1315-1317
Date: 09/2020
view details
Examines the characteristics of rural hospitals that did not provide obstetric care in 2017. Compares rural hospitals that did and did not have obstetrics services by financial structure, location, and hospital size and emergency department availability and volume. Discusses the public health implications of this analysis.
Author(s): Katy B. Kozhimannil, Julia D. Interrante, Mariana S. Tuttle, Carrie Henning-Smith, Lindsay Admon
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 110(9), 1315-1317
Date: 09/2020
view details
September 2020 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) September 2020 meeting. Covers the coronavirus pandemic and Medicare, the context for Medicare payment policy, a mandated report on the skilled nursing facility value-based purchasing program, a mandated report on the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014's changes to the Medicare clinical laboratory fee schedule, and a Congressional request on private equity and Medicare. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 09/2020
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
view details
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) September 2020 meeting. Covers the coronavirus pandemic and Medicare, the context for Medicare payment policy, a mandated report on the skilled nursing facility value-based purchasing program, a mandated report on the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014's changes to the Medicare clinical laboratory fee schedule, and a Congressional request on private equity and Medicare. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 09/2020
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
view details
RHC Cost Reporting During COVID
Recording of a September 22, 2020, webinar covering cost reporting basics for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), including telehealth reporting, FTE and visit calculations, productivity waiver requests, provider relief fund payments, and cost report filing deadlines. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides, Transcript
Date: 09/2020
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
view details
Recording of a September 22, 2020, webinar covering cost reporting basics for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), including telehealth reporting, FTE and visit calculations, productivity waiver requests, provider relief fund payments, and cost report filing deadlines. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides, Transcript
Date: 09/2020
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
view details