Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
Become a Health Center
Provides information on becoming a Health Center Program awardee or look-alike. Includes details on applying for health center program funding and the benefits of look-alike designation, including Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Bureau of Primary Health Care
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Provides information on becoming a Health Center Program awardee or look-alike. Includes details on applying for health center program funding and the benefits of look-alike designation, including Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Bureau of Primary Health Care
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The 10-20-30 Provision: Defining Persistent Poverty Counties
Defines persistent poverty counties. Discusses how differences in definitions and data can affect which counties are considered persistently poor and includes a map highlighting the impact of different rounding methods. Briefly addresses legislation targeting persistent poverty counties using the "10-20-30 provision," including rural development funding. Table 3 lists persistent poverty counties based on data from the 1993 Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE), Census 2000, and the 2023 SAIPE.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Defines persistent poverty counties. Discusses how differences in definitions and data can affect which counties are considered persistently poor and includes a map highlighting the impact of different rounding methods. Briefly addresses legislation targeting persistent poverty counties using the "10-20-30 provision," including rural development funding. Table 3 lists persistent poverty counties based on data from the 1993 Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE), Census 2000, and the 2023 SAIPE.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Medicare Benefit Policy Manual: Chapter 13 - Rural Health Clinic (RHC) and Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Services
Current regulations, as of March 2025, regarding Medicare payment policies for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs).
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Current regulations, as of March 2025, regarding Medicare payment policies for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs).
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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International Medical Graduates Assistance Program: 2024 Report to the Minnesota Legislature
Examines Minnesota's International Medical Graduates Assistance Program and pathways to integrate immigrant international medical graduates (IMGs) into the healthcare system. Focuses on the role of IMGs in supporting healthcare access in rural areas of Minnesota, IMG workforce education programs and pathways, and establishing policy that allows IMGs to enter residency programs.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Minnesota Department of Health - Office of Rural Health and Primary Care
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Examines Minnesota's International Medical Graduates Assistance Program and pathways to integrate immigrant international medical graduates (IMGs) into the healthcare system. Focuses on the role of IMGs in supporting healthcare access in rural areas of Minnesota, IMG workforce education programs and pathways, and establishing policy that allows IMGs to enter residency programs.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Minnesota Department of Health - Office of Rural Health and Primary Care
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Consensus-Based Entity 2024 Annual Report to Congress and the Secretary of Health and Human Services
Summarizes the work of Battelle's Partnership for Quality Measurement (PQM) to measure healthcare quality in 2024. Includes discussions on exploring the unique challenges experienced in rural and low-volume settings and prioritizing effective measures for rural communities.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Partnership for Quality Measurement
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Summarizes the work of Battelle's Partnership for Quality Measurement (PQM) to measure healthcare quality in 2024. Includes discussions on exploring the unique challenges experienced in rural and low-volume settings and prioritizing effective measures for rural communities.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Partnership for Quality Measurement
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February 2025 MACPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission's (MACPAC) February 2025 meeting. Covers transitions of care for children and youth with special healthcare needs (CYSHCN), hospital non-disproportionate share hospital supplemental payments and directed payment targeting, improving access to medications for opioid use disorder, healthcare access for children in foster care, and more. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Hospital Non-DSH Supplemental Payment and Directed Payment Targeting Analyses
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Transcript from the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission's (MACPAC) February 2025 meeting. Covers transitions of care for children and youth with special healthcare needs (CYSHCN), hospital non-disproportionate share hospital supplemental payments and directed payment targeting, improving access to medications for opioid use disorder, healthcare access for children in foster care, and more. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Hospital Non-DSH Supplemental Payment and Directed Payment Targeting Analyses
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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State Legislatures Moving to Increase Rural Health Care Access
Discusses policy measures and potential impacts on rural healthcare access at the state level related to Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) payment, telehealth, and other financial supports for the rural health workforce.
Author(s): Lana McKinney
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
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Discusses policy measures and potential impacts on rural healthcare access at the state level related to Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) payment, telehealth, and other financial supports for the rural health workforce.
Author(s): Lana McKinney
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
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Cross-State Travel for Cancer Care and Implications for Telehealth Reciprocity
Examines the extent to which Medicare beneficiaries with breast, colon, lung, or pancreatic cancer travel out of state to receive cancer services between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2020. Compares cross-state travel by cancer site, service type, and patient rurality. Describes the potential implications of these findings for telehealth policies and reciprocity.
Author(s): Erika L. Moen, Qianfei Wang, Lingbo Liu, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(2), e2461021
Date: 02/2025
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Examines the extent to which Medicare beneficiaries with breast, colon, lung, or pancreatic cancer travel out of state to receive cancer services between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2020. Compares cross-state travel by cancer site, service type, and patient rurality. Describes the potential implications of these findings for telehealth policies and reciprocity.
Author(s): Erika L. Moen, Qianfei Wang, Lingbo Liu, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(2), e2461021
Date: 02/2025
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2025 Stability of the Rural Health Safety Net: State and National Data Tables
Provides links to national and state data tables showing the financial impact of federal policies such as sequestration and bad debt reimbursement on rural hospital revenues, jobs, and gross domestic product. Presented at the February 2025 National Rural Health Association Policy Institute.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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Provides links to national and state data tables showing the financial impact of federal policies such as sequestration and bad debt reimbursement on rural hospital revenues, jobs, and gross domestic product. Presented at the February 2025 National Rural Health Association Policy Institute.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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Instability Continues to Threaten Rural Health Safety Net: Reduced Reimbursements, Dwindling Access to Care and Deteriorating Population Health Status
Examines factors contributing to the instability of the rural healthcare safety net, including policy-related reimbursement cuts and changes to payer mixes. Presents data on rural hospitals that have stopped offering obstetrics and chemotherapy services. Explores aspects of rural population health and social drivers of health as they relate to rural healthcare delivery challenges.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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Examines factors contributing to the instability of the rural healthcare safety net, including policy-related reimbursement cuts and changes to payer mixes. Presents data on rural hospitals that have stopped offering obstetrics and chemotherapy services. Explores aspects of rural population health and social drivers of health as they relate to rural healthcare delivery challenges.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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