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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy

Research Insights: How Do Ransomware Attacks Impact Rural Hospitals?
Provides an overview of a study regarding the likelihood of ransomware attacks on, and the degree to which such attacks result in operational disruptions at, urban and rural hospitals. Describes how the findings of this study can inform cybersecurity regulations and protocols in rural settings.
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation
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Rural Health Disparities in Hawai'i
Highlights rural health disparities in Hawaii related to overall health perception, physical health, and mental health. Includes discussion of disparities within rural areas for people with disabilities and people with incomes below the poverty line. Offers rural and urban comparisons, sociodemographic characteristics of surveyed individuals, and policy implications for study findings.
Author(s): Daniela Bond-Smith, Steven Bond-Smith, Ruben Juarez
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organizations: The Economic Research Organization at the University of Hawai'i, UH Rural Health Research and Policy Center
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Hawaiʻi Strategic Prevention Framework Partnerships for Success: Community Health Improvement Plan
Presents a plan to improve substance use prevention in Hawaiʻi, outlining goals and guiding decision-making and project administration. Includes discussion of rural and Native Hawaiian populations affected by substance use and treatment disparities.
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organization: State of Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division (ADAD)
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MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on the Payment System for End-Stage Renal Disease for CY 2025
Comments on a July 5, 2024, Federal Register proposed rule related to Medicare payment policies for end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Includes comments addressing modifications to the outlier policy, updates to the low-volume payment adjustment (LVPA), and updates to the wage index methodology.
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on the Home Health Prospective Payment System for CY 2025
Comments on a July 3, 2024, Federal Register proposed rule related to Medicare payment policies for home health agencies. Includes comments regarding permanent and temporary budget-neutrality adjustments, the plan of care development and scope of services home health patients receive, and the proposed adoption of the core-based statistical area (CBSA) delineations for the home health wage index.
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Advancing Health Equity through Primary Care Policy: Priorities and Recommendations for California
Provides policy recommendations to improve access to primary care and improve health equity in California, summarizing perspectives and conclusions from policy, primary care, and health equity experts who participated in the 2023 Summit on Primary Care Policy to Advance Health Equity. Covers topics including engagement with community organizations, workforce development, access to care, data sharing, payment, and accountability. Discusses people who live in rural areas and other underserved populations throughout.
Author(s): Diane Rittenhouse, Rebeckah Muratore, Alexandra Ament, Deliya Wesley, Katie Morrison Lee
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organization: California Health Care Foundation
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The Cross-State Licensure Continuum: Out-of-State Telehealth Provider Policies
Provides an overview of policy alternatives to full in-state licensure for telehealth providers adopted by states. Describes limited licensure exceptions, telehealth license or registration processes, and interstate licensure compacts, as well as limitations to these policies. Includes a chart indicating which, if any, policies and compacts each state has implemented.
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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Governor's Task Force on the Healthcare Workforce Report
Outlines a plan from a governor-appointed task force for growing the Wisconsin healthcare workforce. Highlights the current status of the healthcare workforce, and offers 10 recommendations and 26 action items related to education and training, recruitment and retention, and policy. Discusses rural throughout.
Author(s): Governor's Task Force on the Healthcare Workforce
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organization: Wisconsin Department of Health Services
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Water Policy And Planning in Indiana: A 10-year Update
Reports on water supply, regional planning, and recommendations concerning water policy in Indiana. Includes county-level and regional data on water availability, water withdrawals, water governance, state plan examples, and more.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organization: Indiana Chamber Foundation
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The Implicit and Explicit Exclusion of People with Disabilities in Clinical Trials
Reports on barriers for people with disabilities in participating in clinical research trials and offers recommendations to various federal agencies for removing those barriers. Discusses rural concerns including opportunities for participation due to distance.
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Council on Disability
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