Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
Drug Discount Program: Update on Agency Efforts to Improve 340B Program Oversight
Testimony before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Committee on Energy and Commerce, U.S. House of Representatives, describing the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) actions and plans for improving 340B program oversight. Also provides an update on the Government Accountability Office's work regarding the 340B program and HRSA oversight. Includes information on 340B program participants, background, structure, audit frequency, and more.
Additional links: Examining HRSA's Oversight of the 340B Drug Pricing Program, Full Report
Date: 07/2017
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Testimony before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Committee on Energy and Commerce, U.S. House of Representatives, describing the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) actions and plans for improving 340B program oversight. Also provides an update on the Government Accountability Office's work regarding the 340B program and HRSA oversight. Includes information on 340B program participants, background, structure, audit frequency, and more.
Additional links: Examining HRSA's Oversight of the 340B Drug Pricing Program, Full Report
Date: 07/2017
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Coverage Trends for American Indian and Alaska Native Children and Families
Analyzes data from the U.S. Census Bureau to show trends in health insurance coverage rates among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) children and families between 2008 and 2015. Examines the expanded role of Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in driving down the AI/AN uninsured rates, particularly in states with the largest AI/AN populations.
Author(s): Joan Alker, Karina Wagnerman, Andy Schneider
Date: 07/2017
Sponsoring organization: Georgetown University Health Policy Institute
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Analyzes data from the U.S. Census Bureau to show trends in health insurance coverage rates among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) children and families between 2008 and 2015. Examines the expanded role of Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in driving down the AI/AN uninsured rates, particularly in states with the largest AI/AN populations.
Author(s): Joan Alker, Karina Wagnerman, Andy Schneider
Date: 07/2017
Sponsoring organization: Georgetown University Health Policy Institute
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Changes in Hospital Quality Associated with Hospital Value-Based Purchasing
Examines whether quality improved more in acute care hospitals exposed to Medicare's Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (HVBP) program. Uses Critical Access Hospitals as a comparison for clinical process, patient experience, and mortality measures.
Author(s): Andrew M. Ryan, Sam Krinsky, Kristen A. Maurer, Justin B. Dimick
Citation: New England Journal of Medicine, 376(24), 2358-2366
Date: 06/2017
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Examines whether quality improved more in acute care hospitals exposed to Medicare's Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (HVBP) program. Uses Critical Access Hospitals as a comparison for clinical process, patient experience, and mortality measures.
Author(s): Andrew M. Ryan, Sam Krinsky, Kristen A. Maurer, Justin B. Dimick
Citation: New England Journal of Medicine, 376(24), 2358-2366
Date: 06/2017
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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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