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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy

Travel Distance Study for Rural/Competitive Bid Area/Neither Rural nor CBA Census Tracts to Hospitals and Home Medical Equipment Suppliers: Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin
Measures rural populations' proximity to hospitals and home medical equipment suppliers in Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin in comparison with their urban counterparts.
Date: 12/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Northern Iowa Geoinformatics Training, Research, Education, and Extension (GeoTREE) Center
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Grandfathered Tribal (GFT) Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Training: Overview of Requirements and Policies
Provides a summary of the requirements and policies, effective January 1, 2016, for Indian Health Services (IHS), and tribal facilities and organizations when a change in status may allow the healthcare facility to become certified as a Grandfathered Tribal FQHC.
Date: 12/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Health Care Innovation Awards (HCIA) Meta-Analysis and Evaluators Collaborative: Annual Report Year 1
Highlights key implementation and impact findings across 108 Health Care Innovation Awards (HCIA) grant recipients, based on work by 7 independent evaluators. Includes discussion of project experiences in rural areas.
Date: 11/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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Medicare Value-based Payment Reform: Priorities for Transforming Rural Health Systems
Analyzes the provisions within the Affordable Care Act (ACA) regarding Medicare payment and delivery system reforms that affect rural health providers and rural health services. Proposes recommendations that support the inclusion of rural appropriate payment systems.
Additional links: Policy Brief
Author(s): Keith Mueller, Charles Alfero, Andy Coburn, et al.
Date: 11/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Impact of Financial and Operational Interventions Funded by the Flex Program
Analyzes the impact of Flex Program sponsorship and associated financial and operational activities on the financial performance of Critical Access Hospitals.
Author(s): Rebecca G. Whitaker, George H. Pink, G. Mark Holmes
Date: 11/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Micropolitan America: A New and Critical Part of the Nation's Geography
Provides an overview of the micropolitan designation, highlighting important features and demographics. Also presents a preliminary agenda for future research and seeks to engage others in a national initiative that will further the understanding of micropolitan areas.
Author(s): Sam M. Cordes, J. Matthew Fannin
Date: 11/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
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Rural Adults Delay, Forego, and Strategize to Afford Their Pre-ACA Health Care
Provides an in-depth discussion regarding rural and urban adults under the age of 65 and their perceptions of the affordability of health insurance coverage and health services prior to the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Author(s): Erika C. Ziller, Jennifer D. Lenardson, Andrew F. Coburn
Date: 11/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Which Rural and Urban Hospitals Have Received Readmission Penalties Over Time?
Evaluates the rural-urban differences in the proportion of hospitals that receive penalties under the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Readmission Reduction Program, and compares the specific health condition risk-adjusted readmission rates by rural and urban location. Analyzes characteristics of hospitals receiving readmission penalties.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Michelle Casey, Ira Moscovice
Date: 10/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders in America: Priorities, Challenges, and Opportunities
Presents the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) hearing on mental health and substance abuse challenges in the U.S. Includes testimonies from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Health Resources and Services Administration, and National Institute of Mental Health regarding the federal government's role, how well their programs are working, obstacles, and recommendations. Additional link to HRSA administrator's testimony highlights efforts focused on rural areas.
Additional links: Jim Macrae Testimony
Date: 10/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
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Rural Enrollment in Health Insurance Marketplaces, by State
Compares rural and urban rates of enrollment in Health Insurance Marketplaces by state. Provides figures in relation to potential market participants for Medicaid and non-Medicaid expansion states.
Author(s): Abigail R. Barker, Timothy D. McBride, Leah M. Kemper, Keith J. Mueller
Date: 10/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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