Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
Leading the Way on the Journey to Health Equity and Wellness for American Indians/Alaska Natives
Recording of a May 30, 2024, conference session on addressing tribal health disparities as part of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Health Equity Conference. Includes presentations from the National Indian Health Board on priorities for initiatives aimed at improving health equity for American Indians and Alaska Natives and CMS on improving and using demographic data to improve health equity, with a focus on Medicaid and CHIP data.
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Recording of a May 30, 2024, conference session on addressing tribal health disparities as part of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Health Equity Conference. Includes presentations from the National Indian Health Board on priorities for initiatives aimed at improving health equity for American Indians and Alaska Natives and CMS on improving and using demographic data to improve health equity, with a focus on Medicaid and CHIP data.
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Community Voices Volume 1: Climate Stressors Report: Perceptions and Experiences of Mountain West Climate-Health Engagement Hub Advisory Board Members
Analyzes and highlights themes from interviews with experts and community leaders investigating climate resilience and health equity in rural and urban Colorado. Includes recommendations for action related to centering equity, collaboration, infrastructure, policy, and adaptation.
Author(s): Cerise Hunt, Gabrielle Cooper, Nicholas Stoll, Kelsey Phinney
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Mountain West Climate-Health Engagement Hub
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Analyzes and highlights themes from interviews with experts and community leaders investigating climate resilience and health equity in rural and urban Colorado. Includes recommendations for action related to centering equity, collaboration, infrastructure, policy, and adaptation.
Author(s): Cerise Hunt, Gabrielle Cooper, Nicholas Stoll, Kelsey Phinney
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Mountain West Climate-Health Engagement Hub
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Prepregnancy Health Care Engagement Among American Indian and Alaska Native People Before and After the Affordable Care Act
Examines the impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on healthcare engagement and disparities in American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations as compared to White populations. Utilizes 2009-2015 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System data to examine Medicaid coverage, healthcare interaction and screening, family history discussions, prenatal vitamin use, and teeth cleaning in rural versus urban populations, before and after ACA implementation.
Author(s): Danielle R. Gartner, Katlyn Hettinger, Heather Howard-Bobiwash, Claire E. Margerison
Citation: Health Equity, 8(1)
Date: 05/2024
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Examines the impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on healthcare engagement and disparities in American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations as compared to White populations. Utilizes 2009-2015 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System data to examine Medicaid coverage, healthcare interaction and screening, family history discussions, prenatal vitamin use, and teeth cleaning in rural versus urban populations, before and after ACA implementation.
Author(s): Danielle R. Gartner, Katlyn Hettinger, Heather Howard-Bobiwash, Claire E. Margerison
Citation: Health Equity, 8(1)
Date: 05/2024
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Evaluation of the Maternal Opioid Misuse (MOM) Model: Third Annual Report (Implementation Year 2)
Provides an overview of the Maternal Opioid Misuse Model, which provides evidence-based integrated care and care coordination for pregnant and postpartum Medicaid beneficiaries with opioid use disorder (OUD). Describes activities MOM Model awardees undertook during the MOM Model's second implementation year, July 1, 2022–June 30, 2023. Discusses barriers pregnant and postpartum people with OUD face in accessing high-quality, continuous care, specifically in rural areas.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Insight Policy Research
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Provides an overview of the Maternal Opioid Misuse Model, which provides evidence-based integrated care and care coordination for pregnant and postpartum Medicaid beneficiaries with opioid use disorder (OUD). Describes activities MOM Model awardees undertook during the MOM Model's second implementation year, July 1, 2022–June 30, 2023. Discusses barriers pregnant and postpartum people with OUD face in accessing high-quality, continuous care, specifically in rural areas.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Insight Policy Research
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Facilitators and Barriers to Passing Local Policies That Prohibit the Sale of Flavored Tobacco Products: Qualitative Analysis of Strategies Implemented by 36 Communities in California, 2017–2021
Examines the success rate of implementing local polices that prohibit flavored tobacco sales in California. Analyzes both rural and urban communities and discusses barriers and facilitators to policy adoption.
Author(s): Sarah Hellesen, Sue Haun, Melanie S. Dove
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 21
Date: 05/2024
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Examines the success rate of implementing local polices that prohibit flavored tobacco sales in California. Analyzes both rural and urban communities and discusses barriers and facilitators to policy adoption.
Author(s): Sarah Hellesen, Sue Haun, Melanie S. Dove
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 21
Date: 05/2024
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Food Deserts and Hypertension Prevalence in the Central Valley
Policy brief analyzing the association between food deserts and hypertension by census tract in San Joaquin Valley, California. Includes color-coded census tract maps. Mentions high incidence of hypertension and food deserts in rural areas.
Author(s): G. Mendoza, E. Alcala
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Central Valley Health Policy Institute
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Policy brief analyzing the association between food deserts and hypertension by census tract in San Joaquin Valley, California. Includes color-coded census tract maps. Mentions high incidence of hypertension and food deserts in rural areas.
Author(s): G. Mendoza, E. Alcala
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Central Valley Health Policy Institute
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Senate Finance Committee Bipartisan Medicare GME Working Group Draft Proposal Outline and Questions for Consideration
Outlines draft policy proposals regarding the Medicare Graduate Medical Education (GME) program aimed at addressing healthcare workforce shortages. Proposals cover the distribution of Medicare GME slots to rural areas and key specialties, encouraging hospitals to train physicians in rural areas, the establishment of a Medicare GME Policy Council, GME data collection and transparency, and more. Includes questions for consideration on policies under consideration.
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Finance
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Outlines draft policy proposals regarding the Medicare Graduate Medical Education (GME) program aimed at addressing healthcare workforce shortages. Proposals cover the distribution of Medicare GME slots to rural areas and key specialties, encouraging hospitals to train physicians in rural areas, the establishment of a Medicare GME Policy Council, GME data collection and transparency, and more. Includes questions for consideration on policies under consideration.
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Finance
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VA Health Care: Additional Assessments of Mileage Reimbursement Data and Veterans' Travel Costs Needed
Provides an overview of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration's (VHA) mileage reimbursement benefit that reimburses eligible veterans for the use of personal vehicles to attend VHA-approved care. Explores the extent to which the benefit helps defray travel costs by describing the distance a veteran would have to travel to receive a non-zero reimbursement across a variety of conditions. Presents VHA data on veterans' use of the benefit from fiscal years 2010 through 2023, as well as fuel costs incurred and mileage reimbursement for hypothetical trips to 3 VA health systems by rurality. Offers recommendations to the VA and VHA on the collection and assessment of veterans' use of the mileage reimbursement benefit and how travel costs vary by subpopulations, such as rural veterans.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Provides an overview of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration's (VHA) mileage reimbursement benefit that reimburses eligible veterans for the use of personal vehicles to attend VHA-approved care. Explores the extent to which the benefit helps defray travel costs by describing the distance a veteran would have to travel to receive a non-zero reimbursement across a variety of conditions. Presents VHA data on veterans' use of the benefit from fiscal years 2010 through 2023, as well as fuel costs incurred and mileage reimbursement for hypothetical trips to 3 VA health systems by rurality. Offers recommendations to the VA and VHA on the collection and assessment of veterans' use of the mileage reimbursement benefit and how travel costs vary by subpopulations, such as rural veterans.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on the Payment System for Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities for FY 2025
Comment on an April 3, 2024, Federal Register proposed rule revising the Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Prospective Payment System (IPF PPS) for fiscal year 2025. Includes a discussion of rural IPF PPS payment adjustments.
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Comment on an April 3, 2024, Federal Register proposed rule revising the Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Prospective Payment System (IPF PPS) for fiscal year 2025. Includes a discussion of rural IPF PPS payment adjustments.
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Interconnected: Minnesota's Housing Crisis
A recorded video of a panel conversation focused on housing issues in rural and urban Minnesota. Discusses racial disparities in home ownership as well as housing and policy solutions.
Author(s): Esther Agbaje, Andrew Myers, Shereese Turner, et al.
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Center for Rural Policy and Development, Citizens League
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A recorded video of a panel conversation focused on housing issues in rural and urban Minnesota. Discusses racial disparities in home ownership as well as housing and policy solutions.
Author(s): Esther Agbaje, Andrew Myers, Shereese Turner, et al.
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Center for Rural Policy and Development, Citizens League
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