Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy

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
Type: Document
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
Type: Document
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
Type: Document
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 Indian Country as a whole, and suggests various models to help address these challenges.
Date: 06/2017
Type: Video/Multimedia
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
Type: Document
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
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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After Hospital Closure: Pursuing High Performance Rural Health Systems without Inpatient Care
Describes ways for rural communities to develop optimal healthcare delivery systems after a local hospital closure. Features 3 case studies from Arizona, Michigan, and Illinois. Includes tables showing options currently available under federal and state laws and policies under consideration.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller, Charlie Alfero, Andrew F. Coburn, et al.
Date: 06/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Report on Improving Cybersecurity in the Health Care Industry
Report to Congress discussing the state of cybersecurity within the healthcare industry. Provides recommendations to unite efforts nationwide and create a stronger healthcare cybersecurity system. Presents risks, imperatives, recommendations, action items, and more, with information specific to small and rural providers throughout.
Date: 06/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health Care Industry Cybersecurity Task Force
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Tonkawa Tribe Develops Water Resource Plan
Presents the Tonkawa Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma's water resource plan and tribal water regulatory system. Details the tribe's collaboration with U.S. Corp of Engineers and reference to treaties regarding water rights to develop a set of water quality codes and 2 strategic water and pollution management plans.
Date: 05/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Administration for Native Americans
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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
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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