Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
Rural Beneficiary Access to Medicare Advantage-Part D Plans
Policy brief updating RUPRI's analysis of Medicare Advantage-Part D plans (MA-PDs) including enhanced benefit plan availability and differences in characteristics across metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore areas. Features statistics including number of MA-PDs and stand-alone prescription drug plans (PDPs), average monthly premium costs, and availability in metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore areas from 2008-2023.
Author(s): Edmer Lazaro, Dan M. Shane, Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Policy brief updating RUPRI's analysis of Medicare Advantage-Part D plans (MA-PDs) including enhanced benefit plan availability and differences in characteristics across metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore areas. Features statistics including number of MA-PDs and stand-alone prescription drug plans (PDPs), average monthly premium costs, and availability in metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore areas from 2008-2023.
Author(s): Edmer Lazaro, Dan M. Shane, Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Navigating Disability Benefits: New Research on Administrative Burden and Work Incentives
A recorded webinar that discusses the difficulty of navigating income support for people with low incomes and/or disabilities. Focuses on supplemental security income (SSI) and social security disability insurance (SSDI) application, eligibility, and work incentives. Includes SSI and SSDI policy challenges for rural residents, such as transportation, digital access, and legal representation.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Author(s): Debra L. Brucker, Mike Levere, Ramonia Rochester
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Wisconsin–Madison Institute for Research on Poverty
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A recorded webinar that discusses the difficulty of navigating income support for people with low incomes and/or disabilities. Focuses on supplemental security income (SSI) and social security disability insurance (SSDI) application, eligibility, and work incentives. Includes SSI and SSDI policy challenges for rural residents, such as transportation, digital access, and legal representation.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Author(s): Debra L. Brucker, Mike Levere, Ramonia Rochester
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Wisconsin–Madison Institute for Research on Poverty
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Understanding and Applying for the Rural Health Transformation Program
Blog post providing an overview of the Rural Health Transformation Program established in the July 2025 budget reconciliation law. Covers the program's funding criteria and formula, distribution of funds, expected state application process, and more. Highlights collaborative opportunities that funds may be used for that align with CMS strategic goals. Offers tactical recommendations for state health officials to consider to support the application process.
Author(s): Susan Kansagra, Alexandra Kearly, Madison Hluchan, Orobosa Idehen
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
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Blog post providing an overview of the Rural Health Transformation Program established in the July 2025 budget reconciliation law. Covers the program's funding criteria and formula, distribution of funds, expected state application process, and more. Highlights collaborative opportunities that funds may be used for that align with CMS strategic goals. Offers tactical recommendations for state health officials to consider to support the application process.
Author(s): Susan Kansagra, Alexandra Kearly, Madison Hluchan, Orobosa Idehen
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
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Rural EMS Regionalization - Opportunities and Policy Considerations
Explores models of emergency medical services (EMS) at the state level. Includes a case study exploring successes in Minnesota and offers policy recommendations to overcome common rural EMS challenges.
Author(s): Eli Steenhoek, Lauren Lavin, Keith Mueller
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Explores models of emergency medical services (EMS) at the state level. Includes a case study exploring successes in Minnesota and offers policy recommendations to overcome common rural EMS challenges.
Author(s): Eli Steenhoek, Lauren Lavin, Keith Mueller
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Barriers to Accessible and Affordable Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Care for Older Adults
Discusses challenges in accessing healthcare for mental health and substance use disorders for older adults. Challenges discussed include workforce shortages in rural areas, Medicare regulations, stigma, health insurance coverage, and more.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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Discusses challenges in accessing healthcare for mental health and substance use disorders for older adults. Challenges discussed include workforce shortages in rural areas, Medicare regulations, stigma, health insurance coverage, and more.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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Rural Health Symposium May 8-9, 2025: Advancing Rural Health Through Research, Policy, and Community Partnerships
Summarizes research presentations, panel discussions, and other proceedings of a May 2025 conference on rural health disparities hosted by the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice and Dartmouth Health. Identifies factors contributing to rural health disparities and suggests actions to be taken by healthcare systems, community groups, policymakers, and researchers, among others.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Dartmouth Health, The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice
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Summarizes research presentations, panel discussions, and other proceedings of a May 2025 conference on rural health disparities hosted by the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice and Dartmouth Health. Identifies factors contributing to rural health disparities and suggests actions to be taken by healthcare systems, community groups, policymakers, and researchers, among others.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Dartmouth Health, The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice
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Analysis of Factors Driving HPV Vaccination Coverage and Associated Cost Savings in the United States
Analyzes a variety of healthcare policy, healthcare access, demographic, and geographic factors to identify those factors impacting human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine coverage. Discusses policy changes to improve uptake and potential cost savings for reduced cancer rates.
Author(s): Shanshan Wang, Sanjana Muthukrishnan, Sabiha Quddus, Susan H. Manning, Heather M. Brandt
Citation: BMC Public Health, 25, 2833
Date: 08/2025
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Analyzes a variety of healthcare policy, healthcare access, demographic, and geographic factors to identify those factors impacting human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine coverage. Discusses policy changes to improve uptake and potential cost savings for reduced cancer rates.
Author(s): Shanshan Wang, Sanjana Muthukrishnan, Sabiha Quddus, Susan H. Manning, Heather M. Brandt
Citation: BMC Public Health, 25, 2833
Date: 08/2025
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Health Provisions in P.L. 119-21, the FY2025 Reconciliation Law
Provides an overview of the healthcare-related provisions of the July 2025 reconciliation law (Public Law 119-21). Offers detailed summaries of provisions that impact Medicaid, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Medicare, private health insurance, and rural health providers. Discusses the Rural Health Transformation Program.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Provides an overview of the healthcare-related provisions of the July 2025 reconciliation law (Public Law 119-21). Offers detailed summaries of provisions that impact Medicaid, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Medicare, private health insurance, and rural health providers. Discusses the Rural Health Transformation Program.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Arizona Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP)
Details the process for Arizona's participation in the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), which provides funding for rural health access, rural health outcomes, and improve the financial stability and operations of rural hospitals and other rural health facilities in each state.
Author(s): Dan Derksen, Bryna Koch
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Arizona Center for Rural Health
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Details the process for Arizona's participation in the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), which provides funding for rural health access, rural health outcomes, and improve the financial stability and operations of rural hospitals and other rural health facilities in each state.
Author(s): Dan Derksen, Bryna Koch
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Arizona Center for Rural Health
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FY 2026 Medicare Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Prospective Payment System (IPF PPS) and Quality Reporting (IPFQR) Updates Final Rule (CMS-1831-F)
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) fiscal year 2026 inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS) final rule. Covers annual updates to the prospective payment rates, outlier threshold, and wage index. Also describes changes to facility-level adjustment factors for teaching status and rural location.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) fiscal year 2026 inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS) final rule. Covers annual updates to the prospective payment rates, outlier threshold, and wage index. Also describes changes to facility-level adjustment factors for teaching status and rural location.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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