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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy

Oklahoma Emergency Department Utilization: July 2012 through June 2015
Reports on emergency department use in Oklahoma to help guide the state's Medicaid program, SoonerCare. Includes rural/urban breakdowns and some discussion of rural challenges.
Author(s): Mercer Government Human Services Consulting
Date: 08/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Oklahoma Health Care Authority
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State Innovation Models (SIM) Initiative Evaluation: Model Test Year Two Annual Report
Second annual report detailing the findings of CMS's State Innovation Models (SIM) Initiative, which tests the ability of the governments in six states - Arkansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Vermont, and Oregon - to accelerate health system transformation in the areas of delivery systems, payment models, information technology, workforce development, and more. Presents results from the second of three planned site visits to the states, including interviews, focus groups, and surveys. Connections made throughout to issues specifically affecting rural healthcare.
Date: 08/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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Rural-Urban Differences in Insurer Participation for Marketplace-Based Coverage
Policy brief examining differences between rural and urban counties in terms of the number of Federally Facilitated Marketplace insurers available to consumers in 2015 and showing variation in the composition of insurers serving counties, focusing on five insurers and ownership status. Features statistics with breakdowns by number of insurers in rural and urban counties, group affiliation, and ownership status.
Author(s): Jean Abraham, Coleman Drake, Jeffrey S. McCullough, Kosali Simon
Date: 08/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Report to Congress: E-health and Telemedicine
Reports the state of e-health and telemedicine after the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Includes current policy challenges, discussion of federal level telehealth activity, and a legislative proposal for FY17.
Date: 08/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Evaluation of the Round Two Health Care Innovation Awards (HCIA R2): First Annual Report
Summarizes the first year evaluation results of the 39 Health Care Innovation Awards Round Two projects. Includes findings for the individual grantees, which include 14 projects that serve rural areas.
Date: 08/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Mathematica Policy Research
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Telehealth Parity Laws
Policy brief discussing federal and state activities related to telehealth, as well as Medicaid and private insurer reimbursement for telehealth services. Identifies the arguments in favor of and against paying for telehealth at parity with in-person care. Discusses the role telehealth can play in rural access to healthcare.
Citation: Health Affairs
Date: 08/2016
Type: Document
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Talking Rural Opioid Use at the United Nations: Q&A with Holly Andrilla
An interview with rural health researcher Holly Andrilla of the WWAMI Rural Health Research Center, recounting her experience presenting to the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime in Vienna, Austria. Provides an international perspective on substance abuse prevention and treatment.
Author(s): Zachary Toliver
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 08/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Frontier Community Health Integration Project (FCHIP) Demonstration Fact Sheet
Provides an overview of the Frontier Community Health Integration Project (FCHIP) Demonstration, which tested models of healthcare delivery in the most sparsely populated rural counties. Identifies the participating Critical Access Hospitals and the interventions they focused on.
Date: 08/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Medicaid Outpatient Payment Policy
Provides an overview of Medicaid payment policies for outpatient hospital services. Attached Excel sheet includes details for each state, including adjustments for rural geography and for Critical Access Hospitals.
Additional links: State Medicaid Payment Policies for Outpatient Hospital Services
Date: 07/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Families in Crisis: The Human Service Implications of Rural Opioid Misuse
Presents findings and policy recommendations from the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services' 2016 meeting with rural residents, healthcare providers, and stakeholders regarding the impact and effects of opioid use disorders on rural families. Topics addressed include drug overdose and death, conflict with partners and children, emotional disturbance, adverse health risks, and related impacts on employment and economic sustainability.
Date: 07/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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