Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
ACA and Medicaid Expansion Associated with Increased Insurance Coverage for Rural Americans with Disabilities
Fact sheet exploring ways in which Affordable Care Act (ACA) policy changes and Medicaid expansion affected people with disabilities, especially those in rural areas. Features statistics including changes in insurance coverage for urban and rural people with and without disabilities from 2006-2017, and differences in coverage in Medicaid expansion or non-expansion states, with breakdowns by urban or rural locations.
Author(s): Research and Training Center on Disability in Rural Communities
Date: 09/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Montana: Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities
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Fact sheet exploring ways in which Affordable Care Act (ACA) policy changes and Medicaid expansion affected people with disabilities, especially those in rural areas. Features statistics including changes in insurance coverage for urban and rural people with and without disabilities from 2006-2017, and differences in coverage in Medicaid expansion or non-expansion states, with breakdowns by urban or rural locations.
Author(s): Research and Training Center on Disability in Rural Communities
Date: 09/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Montana: Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities
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How Will Medicaid Work Requirements Affect Hospitals' Finances?
Examines the potential financial impact of approved or pending Medicaid Section 1115 demonstration waivers that include work requirements on hospitals in 18 states. Includes a section on the potential impact on rural hospitals' operating margins. Updates a March 2019 report of the same title covering 13 states.
Author(s): Randy Haught, Allen Dobson, Joan DaVanzo
Date: 09/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Examines the potential financial impact of approved or pending Medicaid Section 1115 demonstration waivers that include work requirements on hospitals in 18 states. Includes a section on the potential impact on rural hospitals' operating margins. Updates a March 2019 report of the same title covering 13 states.
Author(s): Randy Haught, Allen Dobson, Joan DaVanzo
Date: 09/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Provider Shortages and Limited Availability of Behavioral Health Services in New Mexico's Medicaid Managed Care
Examines the supply and distribution of behavioral health providers and prescribers across New Mexico, with a focus on services available to Medicaid managed care enrollees. Includes data for rural and frontier counties. Discusses rural broadband connectivity challenges that impact the use of telehealth to address access. Offers policy recommendations. Findings are likely to be relevant to behavioral healthcare access in other states' rural and frontier counties.
Date: 09/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Examines the supply and distribution of behavioral health providers and prescribers across New Mexico, with a focus on services available to Medicaid managed care enrollees. Includes data for rural and frontier counties. Discusses rural broadband connectivity challenges that impact the use of telehealth to address access. Offers policy recommendations. Findings are likely to be relevant to behavioral healthcare access in other states' rural and frontier counties.
Date: 09/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Promoting Health Coverage of American Indian and Alaska Native Children
Provides an overview of the health disparities American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) children face. Reports on healthcare coverage trends for AI/AN children from 2008 to 2015, with information on 3 public sources of coverage: the Indian Health Service (IHS), Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Includes recommendations to improve coverage for AI/AN children.
Author(s): Lauren Roygardner, Andy Schneider, Doug Steiger
Date: 09/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Georgetown University Health Policy Institute
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Provides an overview of the health disparities American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) children face. Reports on healthcare coverage trends for AI/AN children from 2008 to 2015, with information on 3 public sources of coverage: the Indian Health Service (IHS), Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Includes recommendations to improve coverage for AI/AN children.
Author(s): Lauren Roygardner, Andy Schneider, Doug Steiger
Date: 09/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Georgetown University Health Policy Institute
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State Strategies to Address Opioid Use Disorder Among Pregnant and Postpartum Women and Infants Prenatally Exposed to Substances, Including Infants with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
Identifies state strategies to improve outcomes for pregnant and postpartum women with opioid use disorder and infants prenatally exposed to substances, including opioids. Discusses strategies focused on access to and coordination of quality services, including approaches such as telemedicine that are useful in rural areas. Also discusses strategies related to provider awareness and training and other topics.
Author(s): Charlan D. Kroelinger, Marion E. Rice, Shanna Cox, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 68(36), 777-783
Date: 09/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Identifies state strategies to improve outcomes for pregnant and postpartum women with opioid use disorder and infants prenatally exposed to substances, including opioids. Discusses strategies focused on access to and coordination of quality services, including approaches such as telemedicine that are useful in rural areas. Also discusses strategies related to provider awareness and training and other topics.
Author(s): Charlan D. Kroelinger, Marion E. Rice, Shanna Cox, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 68(36), 777-783
Date: 09/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Evaluation of the Accountable Care Organization Investment Model: AIM Implementation and Impacts over Two Performance Years
Evaluation examining the first two years of the ACO Investment Model (AIM), which tests the use of prepaid shared savings to encourage new ACOs to form in rural and underserved areas (Test 1) and to encourage current Medicare Shared Savings Program ACOs to transition to arrangements with greater financial risk (Test 2). Reports on AIM ACO composition, including rurality. Appendices include detailed information on each AIM ACO.
Additional links: Appendices, Findings at a Glance
Date: 09/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Abt Associates, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Evaluation examining the first two years of the ACO Investment Model (AIM), which tests the use of prepaid shared savings to encourage new ACOs to form in rural and underserved areas (Test 1) and to encourage current Medicare Shared Savings Program ACOs to transition to arrangements with greater financial risk (Test 2). Reports on AIM ACO composition, including rurality. Appendices include detailed information on each AIM ACO.
Additional links: Appendices, Findings at a Glance
Date: 09/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Abt Associates, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Dismantling Buprenorphine Policy Can Provide More Comprehensive Addiction Treatment
Commentary focused on the impact buprenorphine prescribing policy has on access to opioid addiction treatment. Discusses the lack of providers waivered to prescribe buprenorphine in rural areas. Includes a map showing counties that lack providers who can prescribe medications for opioid use disorder.
Author(s): Alex E. Woodruff, Mary Tomanovich, Leo Beletsky, et al.
Date: 09/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Academy of Medicine
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Commentary focused on the impact buprenorphine prescribing policy has on access to opioid addiction treatment. Discusses the lack of providers waivered to prescribe buprenorphine in rural areas. Includes a map showing counties that lack providers who can prescribe medications for opioid use disorder.
Author(s): Alex E. Woodruff, Mary Tomanovich, Leo Beletsky, et al.
Date: 09/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Academy of Medicine
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Maternal Mortality in the United States
Provides an overview of maternal mortality in the United States. Discusses the increase in maternal mortality rates and factors that contribute to maternal deaths. Includes information specific to rural maternal mortality. Identifies policy solutions, including state maternal mortality review committees, and highlights efforts in California and North Carolina to address maternal mortality.
Author(s): Tara O'Neill Hayes, Carly McNeil
Date: 09/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Action Forum
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Provides an overview of maternal mortality in the United States. Discusses the increase in maternal mortality rates and factors that contribute to maternal deaths. Includes information specific to rural maternal mortality. Identifies policy solutions, including state maternal mortality review committees, and highlights efforts in California and North Carolina to address maternal mortality.
Author(s): Tara O'Neill Hayes, Carly McNeil
Date: 09/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Action Forum
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African American Exposure to Prescribed Fire Smoke in Georgia, USA
Study examining exposure to air pollution from prescribed burning affecting predominantly African American communities in rural Georgia. Discusses conservation-based prescribed burning practices in Georgia and land ownership dynamics, offering a census tract analysis of African American, Hispanic American, and White residence in relation to burn areas. Provides maps indicating spatial distribution of burn permits for conservation lands, government lands, commercial lands, and private landowner lands with approximate percentages of African American population for each census tract.
Author(s): Cassandra Johnson Gaither, Sadia Afrin, Fernando Garcia-Menendez, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(17), 3079
Date: 08/2019
Type: Document
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Study examining exposure to air pollution from prescribed burning affecting predominantly African American communities in rural Georgia. Discusses conservation-based prescribed burning practices in Georgia and land ownership dynamics, offering a census tract analysis of African American, Hispanic American, and White residence in relation to burn areas. Provides maps indicating spatial distribution of burn permits for conservation lands, government lands, commercial lands, and private landowner lands with approximate percentages of African American population for each census tract.
Author(s): Cassandra Johnson Gaither, Sadia Afrin, Fernando Garcia-Menendez, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(17), 3079
Date: 08/2019
Type: Document
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Disparities in Rural Tobacco Use, Smoke-Free Policies, and Tobacco Taxes
Highlights tobacco-related disparities in rural communities such as the prevalence of second-hand smoke, smoke free policies, and taxes on tobacco products. Discusses cigarettes and smokeless tobacco, e-cigarettes, tobacco industry influence, and best practices for rural communities.
Author(s): Kelly Buettner-Schmidt, Donald R. Miller, Brody Maack
Citation: Western Journal of Nursing Research, 41(8), 1184-1202
Date: 08/2019
Type: Document
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Highlights tobacco-related disparities in rural communities such as the prevalence of second-hand smoke, smoke free policies, and taxes on tobacco products. Discusses cigarettes and smokeless tobacco, e-cigarettes, tobacco industry influence, and best practices for rural communities.
Author(s): Kelly Buettner-Schmidt, Donald R. Miller, Brody Maack
Citation: Western Journal of Nursing Research, 41(8), 1184-1202
Date: 08/2019
Type: Document
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