Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
Medicaid Expansion: Behavioral Health Treatment Use in Selected States in 2014
Report to Congress describing the population of Medicaid expansion enrollees with behavioral health diagnoses in 2014, and the use of behavioral health treatment among the enrolled population. Results are based on the experience of four states: Iowa, New York, Washington, and West Virginia. Includes a discussion on rural/urban geographic distribution of enrollees and the barriers to accessing treatment for enrollees living in rural areas.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 06/2017
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Report to Congress describing the population of Medicaid expansion enrollees with behavioral health diagnoses in 2014, and the use of behavioral health treatment among the enrolled population. Results are based on the experience of four states: Iowa, New York, Washington, and West Virginia. Includes a discussion on rural/urban geographic distribution of enrollees and the barriers to accessing treatment for enrollees living in rural areas.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 06/2017
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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The Health Care Views and Experiences of Rural Americans: Findings from the Kaiser Family Foundation/Washington Post Survey of Rural America
Examines rural Americans' political views as they relate to healthcare and healthcare benefits. Discusses results within the context of the 2016 presidential election, and compares the views of rural residents with the views of those living in urban or suburban settings. Includes a number of charts and graphs highlighting rural residents' perceptions on issues such as the biggest problems facing rural communities, support for Affordable Care Act (ACA) repeal efforts, and the importance of Medicaid in rural America. Linked Topline & Methodology document provides additional information about survey questions, results, and methodology.
Additional links: Topline & Methodology
Author(s): Liz Hamel, Bryan Wu, Mollyann Brodie
Date: 06/2017
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Examines rural Americans' political views as they relate to healthcare and healthcare benefits. Discusses results within the context of the 2016 presidential election, and compares the views of rural residents with the views of those living in urban or suburban settings. Includes a number of charts and graphs highlighting rural residents' perceptions on issues such as the biggest problems facing rural communities, support for Affordable Care Act (ACA) repeal efforts, and the importance of Medicaid in rural America. Linked Topline & Methodology document provides additional information about survey questions, results, and methodology.
Additional links: Topline & Methodology
Author(s): Liz Hamel, Bryan Wu, Mollyann Brodie
Date: 06/2017
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Innovating Mental Healthcare in Texas and Beyond: Q&A with Dr. Octavio Martinez
An interview with Dr. Octavio Martinez, the executive director of the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health. Discusses the mission of the foundation and how it is addressing mental health in Texas, as well as some of the challenges of providing mental healthcare in Texas and throughout the U.S.
Author(s): Beth Blevins
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 06/2017
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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An interview with Dr. Octavio Martinez, the executive director of the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health. Discusses the mission of the foundation and how it is addressing mental health in Texas, as well as some of the challenges of providing mental healthcare in Texas and throughout the U.S.
Author(s): Beth Blevins
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 06/2017
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Hospital Value-Based Purchasing: CMS Should Take Steps to Ensure Lower Quality Hospitals Do Not Qualify for Bonuses
Examines the scoring methodology used by the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (HVBP) program, which measures quality and efficiency within multiple hospital types including small, rural, and safety-net hospitals. Addresses differences in how safety net, small rural, and small urban hospitals performed, how payment adjustments changed for them over time, and the impact of an efficiency score on payment adjustments. Supports revising the methodology to apply the standards more evenly.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 06/2017
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Examines the scoring methodology used by the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (HVBP) program, which measures quality and efficiency within multiple hospital types including small, rural, and safety-net hospitals. Addresses differences in how safety net, small rural, and small urban hospitals performed, how payment adjustments changed for them over time, and the impact of an efficiency score on payment adjustments. Supports revising the methodology to apply the standards more evenly.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 06/2017
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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CMS Hospital Quality Star Rating: For 762 Rural Hospitals, No Stars Is the Problem
Examines the characteristics of rural hospitals with and without quality star ratings, and explains how the current methodology disproportionately affects rural hospitals. Makes recommendations for improving the utility of the Hospital Quality Star Rating system, especially for the purpose of comparing quality among rural hospitals or between rural and urban hospitals.
Author(s): Kristie W. Thompson, Randy K. Randolph, Kristin L. Reiter, George H. Pink, G. Mark Holmes
Date: 06/2017
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Examines the characteristics of rural hospitals with and without quality star ratings, and explains how the current methodology disproportionately affects rural hospitals. Makes recommendations for improving the utility of the Hospital Quality Star Rating system, especially for the purpose of comparing quality among rural hospitals or between rural and urban hospitals.
Author(s): Kristie W. Thompson, Randy K. Randolph, Kristin L. Reiter, George H. Pink, G. Mark Holmes
Date: 06/2017
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Legislative Hearing to Receive Testimony on the Following Bills: S. 1250, S. 1275
Presents the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs' legislative hearing to receive testimony on proposed legislation with the stated goals to improve recruitment and retention of professionals, restore accountability, and improve health services throughout the Indian Health Service (IHS). Testimony discusses some of the challenges facing individual IHS facilities, as well as healthcare in tribal communities as a whole, and suggests various models to help address these challenges.
Date: 06/2017
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Indian Affairs
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Presents the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs' legislative hearing to receive testimony on proposed legislation with the stated goals to improve recruitment and retention of professionals, restore accountability, and improve health services throughout the Indian Health Service (IHS). Testimony discusses some of the challenges facing individual IHS facilities, as well as healthcare in tribal communities as a whole, and suggests various models to help address these challenges.
Date: 06/2017
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Indian Affairs
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MedPAC Report to the Congress: Medicare and the Health Care Delivery System, June 2017
Includes chapters on implementing a unified payment system for post-acute care, Part B drug payment policies, the redesign of the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and other alternative payment models, drug and device manufacturer payments to physicians and teaching hospitals, stand-alone emergency departments, and skilled nursing facility use. Rural hospitals and rural patient populations are discussed throughout the report.
Date: 06/2017
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Includes chapters on implementing a unified payment system for post-acute care, Part B drug payment policies, the redesign of the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and other alternative payment models, drug and device manufacturer payments to physicians and teaching hospitals, stand-alone emergency departments, and skilled nursing facility use. Rural hospitals and rural patient populations are discussed throughout the report.
Date: 06/2017
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Factors Affecting States' Ability to Respond to Federal Medicaid Cuts and Caps: Which States Are Most At Risk?
Examines 30 key factors that contribute to state-by-state differences in Medicaid per enrollee spending including rural population, and uses the factors to rank and identify which states are at greatest risk if federal Medicaid cuts or caps are enacted. Presents findings across five main areas: Medicaid policy, demographics, health status, available tax revenue and state budget choices, and healthcare markets.
Author(s): Robin Rudowitz, Allison Valentine, Petry Ubri, Julia Zur
Date: 06/2017
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Examines 30 key factors that contribute to state-by-state differences in Medicaid per enrollee spending including rural population, and uses the factors to rank and identify which states are at greatest risk if federal Medicaid cuts or caps are enacted. Presents findings across five main areas: Medicaid policy, demographics, health status, available tax revenue and state budget choices, and healthcare markets.
Author(s): Robin Rudowitz, Allison Valentine, Petry Ubri, Julia Zur
Date: 06/2017
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Physician Workforce: Locations and Types of Graduate Training Were Largely Unchanged, and Federal Efforts May Not Be Sufficient to Meet Needs
Describes change in numbers of graduate medical education (GME) residents in training from 2005-2015, with breakdowns by location and type of training, and federal efforts to increase this training in rural areas and in primary care.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2017
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Describes change in numbers of graduate medical education (GME) residents in training from 2005-2015, with breakdowns by location and type of training, and federal efforts to increase this training in rural areas and in primary care.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2017
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Projecting Demand for the Services of Primary Care Doctors
Estimates the expected growth in demand for primary care medical services in the U.S. between 2013 and 2023. Projections are based on an analysis of historical trends between 2003 and 2013, and factor in the following variables: population growth, population age, health insurance coverage status, and other sources of growth in volume and intensity. Examines legislative and non-legislative ways to increase the supply of primary care services, including in rural areas and facilities.
Author(s): Noelia Duchovny, Sam Trachtman, Ellen Werble
Date: 05/2017
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Budget Office
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Estimates the expected growth in demand for primary care medical services in the U.S. between 2013 and 2023. Projections are based on an analysis of historical trends between 2003 and 2013, and factor in the following variables: population growth, population age, health insurance coverage status, and other sources of growth in volume and intensity. Examines legislative and non-legislative ways to increase the supply of primary care services, including in rural areas and facilities.
Author(s): Noelia Duchovny, Sam Trachtman, Ellen Werble
Date: 05/2017
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Budget Office
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