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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy

Medicaid Payment and Delivery System Reform: Challenges and Opportunities for Rural Health Systems
An analysis of the impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on rural Medicaid programs across the U.S. Examines their acceptance of alternate payment models and their applications of delivery system reform. Provides policy recommendations supporting integrated and comprehensive primary care delivery and rural participation in value-based payment and delivery system reforms.
Additional links: Policy Brief
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller, Charlie Alfero, Andrew F. Coburn, et al.
Date: 06/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Comprehensive Primary Care Plus - A Rural Commentary
Review of Comprehensive Primary Care Plus (CPC+), a program of the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) initiative, designed to enhance the delivery of primary healthcare and support the shift from volume-based to value-based healthcare payment. Offers a rural perspective, noting the importance and challenges of this payment model for rural healthcare.
Author(s): A. Clinton MacKinney
Date: 06/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Does ACA Insurance Coverage Expansion Improve the Financial Performance of Rural Hospitals?
Findings brief discussing perceptions of rural hospital administrators, state hospital associations, and State Offices of Rural Health, concerning changes in payer mix, changes in uncompensated care and unreimbursed cost, and financial performance in their respective hospitals or states.
Author(s): Kristie Thompson, Kristin Reiter, Rebecca Whitaker, Sharita Thomas
Date: 06/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Purchased/Referred Care
Explains the Purchased/Referred Care (PRC) program, formerly the Contract Health Services program, which is a program that guides usage of healthcare services outside of Indian Health Service or tribal healthcare facilities when needed.
Date: 06/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Indian Health Service
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Association Between the Value-Based Purchasing Pay for Performance Program and Patient Mortality in US Hospitals: Observational Study
Examines the impact of Medicare's Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (HVBP) program on mortality for pneumonia, heart failure, and acute myocardial infarction by comparing data from acute care hospitals participating in the program to data from over 1,300 Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and 44 hospitals in Maryland not in the program.
Author(s): Jose F. Figueroa, Yusuke Tsugawa, Jie Zheng, E. John Orav, Ashish K. Jha
Citation: BMJ, 9(353), i2214
Date: 05/2016
Type: Document
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How Are Migrant Health Centers and Their Patients Faring Under the Affordable Care Act?
An analysis of the population characteristics of migrant and seasonal agricultural workers (MSAW) and their dependents, the changes over time in the MSAW population served by federally funded community health centers, and the effect of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and Medicaid expansion on federally funded migrant health centers.
Author(s): Jessica Sharac, Rachel Gunsalus, Chi Tran, Peter Shin, Sara Rosenbaum
Date: 05/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Geiger Gibson Program in Community Health, RCHN Community Health Foundation
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Health Insurance Marketplaces: Premium Trends in Rural Areas
A policy brief analyzing the variation in the average Health Insurance Marketplace (HIM) health insurance premiums from 2014 to 2015, without accounting for subsidies. Discusses the differences rural populations may be experiencing in HIM insurance premiums relative to urban populations.
Author(s): Abigail R. Barker, Leah M. Kemper, Timothy D. McBride, Keith J. Mueller,
Date: 05/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Quality Measures and Sociodemographic Risk Factors: The Rural Context
Demonstrates how rurality and sociodemographic variables may impact patient outcomes for rural populations using rural appropriate quality measures. Estimates the impact of adjusting quality measurement for the rural environment.
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Katy B. Kozhimannil, Shailendra Prasad, Michelle Casey, Ira Moscovice
Date: 05/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Veterans' Health Care: Proper Plan Needed to Modernize System for Paying Community Providers
Examines the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Medicare and TRICARE systems in regards to processing Veterans healthcare claims including processing times and factors that have impeded processing and payment, as well as modified provisions to improve claim processing. Provides an overview of the Veterans Choice Program and other types of community healthcare programs offered by Veterans Affairs (VA).
Additional links: Full Report
Author(s): Randall B. Williamson
Date: 05/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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FQHC and RHC Supplemental Payment Requirements and FQHC, RHC, and FBC Network Sufficiency under Medicaid and CHIP Managed Care
Provides state health officials with guidance on Federally-qualified Health Center (FQHC) and Rural Health Clinic (RHC) payment methodologies under both Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) managed care delivery systems. Also provides guidance on FQHC, RHC, and freestanding birth center (FBC) network sufficiency standards applicable to a Medicaid managed care delivery system.
Date: 04/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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