Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
Evaluation of the Initiative to Reduce Avoidable Hospitalizations among Nursing Facility Residents - Payment Reform
Second annual report evaluating a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) Innovation payment model intended to reduce avoidable hospitalizations for long-term care nursing facility residents. Appendices include findings from participating programs in Alabama, Missouri, Indiana, Nevada, Colorado, New York, and Pennsylvania. Addresses challenges for rural participants throughout.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance
Date: 03/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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Second annual report evaluating a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) Innovation payment model intended to reduce avoidable hospitalizations for long-term care nursing facility residents. Appendices include findings from participating programs in Alabama, Missouri, Indiana, Nevada, Colorado, New York, and Pennsylvania. Addresses challenges for rural participants throughout.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance
Date: 03/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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Strengthening Medicaid Long-term Services and Supports in an Evolving Policy Environment: A Toolkit for States
Shares strategies states can use to reform their long-term services and supports (LTSS) framework, focusing on improving LTSS in two key areas: rebalancing LTSS to increase the proportion of LTSS provided in community-based settings and integrating LTSS with physical and behavioral health services through managed care. Uses case studies to provide examples of each strategy, and discusses rural considerations throughout.
Additional links: Brief for Legislators, Summary of Reforms
Author(s): Stephanie Anthony, Arielle Traub, Sarah Lewis, et al.
Date: 03/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Shares strategies states can use to reform their long-term services and supports (LTSS) framework, focusing on improving LTSS in two key areas: rebalancing LTSS to increase the proportion of LTSS provided in community-based settings and integrating LTSS with physical and behavioral health services through managed care. Uses case studies to provide examples of each strategy, and discusses rural considerations throughout.
Additional links: Brief for Legislators, Summary of Reforms
Author(s): Stephanie Anthony, Arielle Traub, Sarah Lewis, et al.
Date: 03/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Air Ambulance: Available Data Show Privately-Insured Patients Are at Financial Risk
Examines air ambulance transports for patients with a focus on balance billing. Describes changes in geographic distribution of air ambulance services, including the location of bases and new bases and additions in rural areas; the extent of out-of-network air ambulance transports and balance billing practices; and how states are limiting balance billing. Relies on data from a variety of sources, including interviews with officials in 6 states: Florida, North Dakota, Montana, New Mexico, Maryland, and Texas.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 03/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Examines air ambulance transports for patients with a focus on balance billing. Describes changes in geographic distribution of air ambulance services, including the location of bases and new bases and additions in rural areas; the extent of out-of-network air ambulance transports and balance billing practices; and how states are limiting balance billing. Relies on data from a variety of sources, including interviews with officials in 6 states: Florida, North Dakota, Montana, New Mexico, Maryland, and Texas.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 03/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Examining the Cost Effectiveness of Teaching Health Centers
Examines areas where the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) program can produce savings, focusing on physician spending for patient encounters during and after residency training and patient Medicaid and Medicare insurance coverage. Identifies the location of THCGME programs and highlights program outcomes, including the percent of graduates who work in rural and underserved areas and practice primary care.
Author(s): Candice Chen, Leighton Ku, Marsha Regenstein, Fitzhugh Mullan
Date: 03/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Geiger Gibson Program in Community Health, George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health Department of Health Policy and Management, RCHN Community Health Foundation
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Examines areas where the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) program can produce savings, focusing on physician spending for patient encounters during and after residency training and patient Medicaid and Medicare insurance coverage. Identifies the location of THCGME programs and highlights program outcomes, including the percent of graduates who work in rural and underserved areas and practice primary care.
Author(s): Candice Chen, Leighton Ku, Marsha Regenstein, Fitzhugh Mullan
Date: 03/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Geiger Gibson Program in Community Health, George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health Department of Health Policy and Management, RCHN Community Health Foundation
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CDC as a Rural Resource: Q&A with Diane Hall
An interview with Diane Hall, Senior Policy Analyst at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Highlights CDC's work in rural health, the role of data collection in program evaluation, and how rural communities can use CDC as a resource.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 03/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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An interview with Diane Hall, Senior Policy Analyst at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Highlights CDC's work in rural health, the role of data collection in program evaluation, and how rural communities can use CDC as a resource.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 03/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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MedPAC Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy: Hospital Inpatient and Outpatient Services: Chapter 3
Examines the adequacy of Medicare payments to hospitals in 2017 and offers recommendations for changes. Includes a discussion of rural hospital closures and provides rural/urban breakdowns for hospital occupancy rates, Medicare inpatient discharges, and Medicare margins.
Date: 03/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Examines the adequacy of Medicare payments to hospitals in 2017 and offers recommendations for changes. Includes a discussion of rural hospital closures and provides rural/urban breakdowns for hospital occupancy rates, Medicare inpatient discharges, and Medicare margins.
Date: 03/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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MedPAC Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy, 2019
Annual review of Medicare payment policies, with recommendations to Congress. Includes discussion on Medicare payment policies directly affecting rural providers and beneficiaries. Addresses opioids, Medicare Part D, Medicare Advantage, Medicare's quality incentive program for hospitals, and payment adequacy for healthcare facilities and services.
Date: 03/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Annual review of Medicare payment policies, with recommendations to Congress. Includes discussion on Medicare payment policies directly affecting rural providers and beneficiaries. Addresses opioids, Medicare Part D, Medicare Advantage, Medicare's quality incentive program for hospitals, and payment adequacy for healthcare facilities and services.
Date: 03/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Report to Congress on Medicaid and CHIP, March 2019
Reports on three aspects of Medicaid: improving the structure of Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payment reductions, oversight of upper payment limits for supplemental payments to hospitals, and Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payments to states. Chapter 3 includes the annual report on DSH payments, which provide support to safety-net hospitals to help offset uncompensated care costs for Medicaid and uninsured patients. Table 3-1 identifies DSH spending for urban and rural hospitals and for Critical Access Hospitals.
Date: 03/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Reports on three aspects of Medicaid: improving the structure of Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payment reductions, oversight of upper payment limits for supplemental payments to hospitals, and Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payments to states. Chapter 3 includes the annual report on DSH payments, which provide support to safety-net hospitals to help offset uncompensated care costs for Medicaid and uninsured patients. Table 3-1 identifies DSH spending for urban and rural hospitals and for Critical Access Hospitals.
Date: 03/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Drilling Down on Dental Coverage and Costs for Medicare Beneficiaries
Examines the oral health of Medicare beneficiaries. Addresses the costs of not obtaining dental care, use of dental services, current sources of dental coverage, and out-of-pocket spending. Includes rural/urban breakdowns.
Date: 03/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Examines the oral health of Medicare beneficiaries. Addresses the costs of not obtaining dental care, use of dental services, current sources of dental coverage, and out-of-pocket spending. Includes rural/urban breakdowns.
Date: 03/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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High Risk: Progress Made but Continued Attention Needed to Address Management Weaknesses at Federal Agencies Serving Indian Tribes
Identifies progress made and areas that still need to be addressed to remove the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) and Indian Health Service (IHS) from the Government Accountability Office's list of high risk federal programs. Addresses leadership commitment, demonstrated progress, action plans, monitoring, and capacity. Appendix III lists open recommendations for IHS.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 03/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Identifies progress made and areas that still need to be addressed to remove the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) and Indian Health Service (IHS) from the Government Accountability Office's list of high risk federal programs. Addresses leadership commitment, demonstrated progress, action plans, monitoring, and capacity. Appendix III lists open recommendations for IHS.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 03/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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