Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Where Are They Now: Indian Programs on the GAO High Risk List
Features a Senate Committee on Indian Affairs oversight hearing discussing three high risk programs serving American Indians and Alaska Natives. Features testimony from representatives of the Government Accountability Office, the Bureau of Indian Education, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Indian Health Service.
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Indian Affairs
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Features a Senate Committee on Indian Affairs oversight hearing discussing three high risk programs serving American Indians and Alaska Natives. Features testimony from representatives of the Government Accountability Office, the Bureau of Indian Education, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Indian Health Service.
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Indian Affairs
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Implementation and Early Results of the Flex Program's Innovative Models Program Area: Final Evaluation Report
Reports on the implementation of the Flex Program and the integration of the Innovative Health Care Models (Innovative Projects) program area in 7 states focused on telehealth, care coordination, and quality improvement. Highlights lessons learned, program discussion, and the evaluation methods for each of the projects. Builds on a 2018 briefing paper, An Interim Evaluation Report of the Innovative Projects Portfolio of the Medicare Flex Grant Program.
Author(s): John A. Gale, Sara Kahn-Troster, Andrew Coburn
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Reports on the implementation of the Flex Program and the integration of the Innovative Health Care Models (Innovative Projects) program area in 7 states focused on telehealth, care coordination, and quality improvement. Highlights lessons learned, program discussion, and the evaluation methods for each of the projects. Builds on a 2018 briefing paper, An Interim Evaluation Report of the Innovative Projects Portfolio of the Medicare Flex Grant Program.
Author(s): John A. Gale, Sara Kahn-Troster, Andrew Coburn
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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The Clean Water State Revolving Fund: How Federal Infrastructure Investment Can Help Communities Modernize Water Infrastructure and Address Affordability Challenges
Provides a recording of U.S. House Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment hearing addressing storm and wastewater infrastructure and affordability challenges and the potential for federal investments to help. Identifies some health impacts of rural water infrastructure issues. Includes testimony from the National Rural Water Association, U.S. Conference of Mayors, National Association of Clean Water Agencies, a rural development manager, and more.
Additional links: Catherine Flowers Testimony, John Mokszycki Testimony
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organizations: House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, U.S. House of Representatives
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Provides a recording of U.S. House Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment hearing addressing storm and wastewater infrastructure and affordability challenges and the potential for federal investments to help. Identifies some health impacts of rural water infrastructure issues. Includes testimony from the National Rural Water Association, U.S. Conference of Mayors, National Association of Clean Water Agencies, a rural development manager, and more.
Additional links: Catherine Flowers Testimony, John Mokszycki Testimony
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organizations: House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, U.S. House of Representatives
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Best Practices and Barriers to Engaging People with Substance Use Disorders in Treatment
Reports on a study of how health plans are successfully engaging people in substance use disorder treatment for alcohol, opioids, and other substances. Discusses how initiation and engagement can be improved for commercial and Medicaid health insurance plans. Addresses rural factors throughout.
Author(s): Peggy O'Brien, Erika Crable, Catherine Fullerton, Lauren Hughey
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Reports on a study of how health plans are successfully engaging people in substance use disorder treatment for alcohol, opioids, and other substances. Discusses how initiation and engagement can be improved for commercial and Medicaid health insurance plans. Addresses rural factors throughout.
Author(s): Peggy O'Brien, Erika Crable, Catherine Fullerton, Lauren Hughey
Date: 03/2019
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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