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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy

The Need to Reform Medicare's Payments to Skilled Nursing Facilities Is as Strong as Ever
Compares payments made to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and costs over time to see if changes made by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to the payment system have improved payment accuracy. Table 3 and Table 4 compare healthcare facility characteristics, including rural location.
Author(s): Carol Carter, Bowen Garrett, Doug Wissoker
Date: 01/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, Urban Institute
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Authorities and Mechanisms for Purchased Care at the Department of Veterans Affairs
Presents an independent assessment of the Purchased Care component from the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014. Discusses the system used to fill in gaps in care for veterans that live in rural areas or far from a VA Medical Center (VAMC). Compares the VA's system to other payer models in the federal government.
Author(s): Michael D. Greenberg, Caroline Batka, Christine Buttorff, et al.
Date: 2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Implementation of the Affordable Care Act and Rural Health Clinic Capacity in Iowa
Examines the results from an online survey of 142 Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) in Iowa to determine their potential to respond to the opportunities and challenges of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Discusses the capacity of RHCs to provide dental care and mental health services, recruit primary care providers, and participate in value-based healthcare delivery.
Author(s): Brad Wright, Peter C. Damiano, Suzanne E. Bentler
Citation: Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 6(1), 61-65
Date: 2015
Type: Document
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2015 Binational Border Health Research Forum Report
Summarizes an October 21, 2015 meeting of the Binational Border Health Research (BHR) Forum to develop a binational health research agenda for the United States-Mexico border region. Topics discussed include chronic degenerative diseases, infectious diseases, maternal and child health, mental health, addictions, violence, accidents, and injuries. Includes recommendations and suggestions to improve and support research and human resource capacity.
Additional links: En Español
Date: 2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: United States-México Border Health Commission
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Resources and Capabilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs to Provide Timely and Accessible Care to Veterans
Provides an analysis of current and future Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare resources and capabilities in rural and urban areas. Focuses on fiscal resources, workforce, physical infrastructure, health information technology, access to VA healthcare, challenges and enablers to access, healthcare quality, and policies to improve access to healthcare for veterans.
Date: 2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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20 Years of Rural Voices
Highlights and revisits articles from the last two decades of the Rural Voices journal. Covers topics including self-help housing, low-income housing, tax credits, housing trust funds, the Fair Housing Act, and the National Low Income Housing Coalition.
Author(s): Bennie G. Thompson, Leslie Newman, Kim Herman, et al.
Citation: Rural Voices, 20(3), 1-36
Date: 2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Housing Assistance Council
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Many Eligible Children Don't Participate in School Nutrition Programs: Reauthorization Offers Opportunities to Improve
Reports on rates of participation in the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program, comparing rural, urban, and suburban eligible households. Discusses reauthorization of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 as an opportunity to expand participation in these programs generally and particularly for rural eligible children.
Author(s): Jessica A. Carson
Date: 2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Carsey School of Public Policy
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Evaluating the HCIA - Behavioral Health/Substance Abuse Awards: First Annual Report
Evaluations of 10 Health Care Innovation Awards Round One projects focused on mental health and substance abuse services. Provides information on whether and how each project addressed the needs of underserved areas, including rural areas. One rural-focused project used telehealth to deliver services. Other projects provided transportation to help meet rural needs.
Date: 12/2014
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Mathematica Policy Research
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Transportation Disadvantaged Populations: Nonemergency Medical Transportation Not Well Coordinated, and Additional Federal Leadership Needed
Discusses the federal programs that support nonemergency medical transportation (NEMT) and how coordination of these programs between federal agencies is limited. Coordination between state and local level NEMT services and the challenges that accompany NEMT coordination are reviewed.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 12/2014
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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The State HIE Program Four Years Later: Key Findings on Grantees' Experiences from a Six-State Review
Provides information on health information exchange (HIE) efforts in six states: Iowa, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Utah, Vermont, and Wyoming. Includes the population density for each of those states and discusses supportive factors and challenges in implementing statewide HIE services, as well as sustainability.
Author(s): Prashila Dullabh, Petry Ubri, Lauren Hovey
Date: 12/2014
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: NORC at the University of Chicago, Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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