Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
Buprenorphine and the Opioid Crisis: A Primer for Congress
Discusses the use of buprenorphine in Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) of opioid addiction. Report addresses questions for U.S. lawmakers to craft opioid treatment policy. Looks at the effectiveness, demand, and access of buprenorphine.
Date: 12/2018
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Discusses the use of buprenorphine in Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) of opioid addiction. Report addresses questions for U.S. lawmakers to craft opioid treatment policy. Looks at the effectiveness, demand, and access of buprenorphine.
Date: 12/2018
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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The Special Registration for Telemedicine: In Brief
Describes changes to the Controlled Substance Act (CSA) authorizing special registration for telemedicine to increase access to healthcare providers that can prescribe controlled substances using telemedicine, with the goal of helping address the opioid crisis and shortage of mental health providers. Outlines the seven categories for the practice of telemedicine under the authority of the CSA. The Drug Enforcement Administration plans to publish the related proposed rule to finalize the registration process and procedures.
Date: 12/2018
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Describes changes to the Controlled Substance Act (CSA) authorizing special registration for telemedicine to increase access to healthcare providers that can prescribe controlled substances using telemedicine, with the goal of helping address the opioid crisis and shortage of mental health providers. Outlines the seven categories for the practice of telemedicine under the authority of the CSA. The Drug Enforcement Administration plans to publish the related proposed rule to finalize the registration process and procedures.
Date: 12/2018
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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South Carolina State Health Improvement Plan 2018-2023
Describes a plan for public health improvement in South Carolina. Identifies priorities, strategies, and metrics for a variety of topics including child welfare, chronic conditions, and behavioral health. See pages 51-65 for discussion of rural healthcare access and social determinants of health.
Additional links: South Carolina Rural Health Action Plan
Date: 11/2018
Sponsoring organization: Alliance for a Healthier South Carolina (AHSC)
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Describes a plan for public health improvement in South Carolina. Identifies priorities, strategies, and metrics for a variety of topics including child welfare, chronic conditions, and behavioral health. See pages 51-65 for discussion of rural healthcare access and social determinants of health.
Additional links: South Carolina Rural Health Action Plan
Date: 11/2018
Sponsoring organization: Alliance for a Healthier South Carolina (AHSC)
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Practice Rurality of Family Physicians Enrolled in a Practice Transformation Network
An analysis of the enrollment of small and rural practices in the Transforming Clinical Practice Initiative (TCPI), supporting nationwide, collaborative and peer-based learning, to determine if a greater proportion of rural practices are enrolled in Practice Transformation Networks (PTNs) than are found among non-enrolled practices. In addition, the analysis includes the enrollment of family physicians across states and PTNs. Rural Urban Commuting Area (RUCA, version 2.0) codes were used to determine rurality. TCPI enrollment variation within rural practices is discussed.
Author(s): Robert L. Phillips, Elizabeth M. Bishop, Lars E. Peterson, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 31(6), 952-956
Date: 11/2018
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An analysis of the enrollment of small and rural practices in the Transforming Clinical Practice Initiative (TCPI), supporting nationwide, collaborative and peer-based learning, to determine if a greater proportion of rural practices are enrolled in Practice Transformation Networks (PTNs) than are found among non-enrolled practices. In addition, the analysis includes the enrollment of family physicians across states and PTNs. Rural Urban Commuting Area (RUCA, version 2.0) codes were used to determine rurality. TCPI enrollment variation within rural practices is discussed.
Author(s): Robert L. Phillips, Elizabeth M. Bishop, Lars E. Peterson, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 31(6), 952-956
Date: 11/2018
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State Laws and Policies Affecting Broadband Access in Eight Northern Region States
Highlights several state-level broadband policies and their effect on healthcare access in rural communities in Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Compares broadband access in rural areas to state and national averages and breaks down the policies in each state.
Date: 11/2018
Sponsoring organization: The Network for Public Health Law
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Highlights several state-level broadband policies and their effect on healthcare access in rural communities in Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Compares broadband access in rural areas to state and national averages and breaks down the policies in each state.
Date: 11/2018
Sponsoring organization: The Network for Public Health Law
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Working Children: Federal Injury Data and Compliance Strategies Could Be Strengthened
Provides a detailed analysis of children working in agriculture and non-agricultural occupations, with a focus on work-related injuries and fatalities. Provides recommendations for the Department of Labor to help them improve their data collection efforts and to help address the risks for children working in agriculture. Appendix V includes additional detailed information on hired child crop workers and Appendix VI details information for children working on farms.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 11/2018
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Provides a detailed analysis of children working in agriculture and non-agricultural occupations, with a focus on work-related injuries and fatalities. Provides recommendations for the Department of Labor to help them improve their data collection efforts and to help address the risks for children working in agriculture. Appendix V includes additional detailed information on hired child crop workers and Appendix VI details information for children working on farms.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 11/2018
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Significant Vulnerabilities Exist in the Hospital Wage Index System for Medicare Payments
Reports on 41 examinations of wage data of individual acute care hospitals from 2004 to 2017 to describe significant vulnerabilities observed in the wage index system for Medicare payments. Includes discussion on the rural floor wage index and the effects it has on wage index accuracy. Offers recommendations to reform the hospital wage index system.
Date: 11/2018
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Reports on 41 examinations of wage data of individual acute care hospitals from 2004 to 2017 to describe significant vulnerabilities observed in the wage index system for Medicare payments. Includes discussion on the rural floor wage index and the effects it has on wage index accuracy. Offers recommendations to reform the hospital wage index system.
Date: 11/2018
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Ohio Addiction Policy Inventory and Scorecard: Overdose Reversal and Other Forms of Harm Reduction
Describes changes in Ohio addiction policies related to overdose reversal and harm reduction. Examines the evidence supporting the policy changes and how they will address the needs of Ohio residents. Identifies existing gaps in policy and potential opportunities for improvement. Discusses barriers rural counties face, such as limited access to harm reduction services or healthcare specialists for treatment.
Additional links: Detailed Inventory Tables, Recorded Webinar, Slides
Author(s): Amy Bush Stevens, Hailey Akah
Date: 11/2018
Sponsoring organization: Health Policy Institute of Ohio
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Describes changes in Ohio addiction policies related to overdose reversal and harm reduction. Examines the evidence supporting the policy changes and how they will address the needs of Ohio residents. Identifies existing gaps in policy and potential opportunities for improvement. Discusses barriers rural counties face, such as limited access to harm reduction services or healthcare specialists for treatment.
Additional links: Detailed Inventory Tables, Recorded Webinar, Slides
Author(s): Amy Bush Stevens, Hailey Akah
Date: 11/2018
Sponsoring organization: Health Policy Institute of Ohio
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Case Study: How Alaska Addresses Its Health Care Workforce Challenges
Reviews how state agencies and organizations in Alaska have collaborated to address health workforce shortages, particularly in rural areas of the state. Highlights the state's apprenticeship program, workforce coalition, use of Medicaid to pay nontraditional healthcare workers, and more.
Author(s): Rachel Donlon, Natalie Williams
Date: 11/2018
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Reviews how state agencies and organizations in Alaska have collaborated to address health workforce shortages, particularly in rural areas of the state. Highlights the state's apprenticeship program, workforce coalition, use of Medicaid to pay nontraditional healthcare workers, and more.
Author(s): Rachel Donlon, Natalie Williams
Date: 11/2018
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Why Are the Health Insurance Marketplaces Thriving in Some States but Struggling in Others?
Analyzes the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's HIX Compare dataset and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' 2010 Supplemental Health Care Exhibit Report to identify factors explaining differences in issuers' participation in state insurance marketplaces. Features statistics including the number of insurers participating in states in 2017, with breakdowns by mean state population and rural population as percent of total state population.
Author(s): Jon R. Gabel, Heidi Whitmore, Sam Stromberg, Matthew Green
Date: 11/2018
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Analyzes the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's HIX Compare dataset and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' 2010 Supplemental Health Care Exhibit Report to identify factors explaining differences in issuers' participation in state insurance marketplaces. Features statistics including the number of insurers participating in states in 2017, with breakdowns by mean state population and rural population as percent of total state population.
Author(s): Jon R. Gabel, Heidi Whitmore, Sam Stromberg, Matthew Green
Date: 11/2018
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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