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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy

State Rural Initiatives: Where the Money Comes From
Discusses how states are financing rural programs, projects and initiatives. Includes descriptions of over 40 programs, projects, or initiatives that are statewide in scope. Includes examples of funding focused on rural health.
Date: 01/2006
Type: Document
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Mental Health and Rural America: 1994-2005
A summary of the knowledge base surrounding mental health and substance abuse issues in rural and frontier areas. Provides an overview of the environment of mental health in rural areas over three decades. Includes an annotated bibliography.
Author(s): Dennis Mohatt, Scott J. Adams, Mimi M. Bradley, Chad A. Morris
Date: 2006
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy
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Rural and Frontier Mental and Behavioral Health Care: Barriers, Effective Policy Strategies, Best Practices
Reports on the mental health and substance abuse needs of people living in rural and frontier areas. Discusses barriers, model programs, policy strategies, and telehealth. Also addresses the role that State Offices of Rural Health and other state and local organizations can play in rural behavioral health service delivery.
Author(s): Donald Sawyer, John Gale, David Lambert
Date: 2006
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Association for Rural Mental Health
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The Impact of Welfare Reform on Health Insurance Coverage in Rural Areas
Discusses the impact that welfare reform had on health insurance coverage for rural and urban areas. Includes information on employment status and health insurance coverage.
Author(s): Timothy D. McBride, Courtney Andrews
Date: 12/2005
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Trends in Skilled Nursing and Swing-bed Use in Rural Areas, 1996-2003
Examines trends in the delivery of skilled nursing facility (SNF) services in rural areas during a period of dramatic change in Medicare payments. Focuses on the role of rural hospitals in providing SNF services, as a number of regulatory changes occurred between 1998 and 2002 that could potentially influence hospital provision of skilled nursing care.
Author(s): Kathleen Dalton, Jeongyoung Park, Ann Howard, Rebecca Slifkin
Date: 12/2005
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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National Advisory Committee on Rural Health & Human Services Meeting Minutes, Jackson, Wyoming, September 18-20, 2005
Summary of a meeting addressing the following topics: family caregiver support for rural elderly, pharmacy assistance, and health information technology initiatives.
Date: 09/2005
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Revisions to Medicare's Disproportionate Share Payment Policy to Incorporate Bad Debt and Charity Care
Investigates the impact of possible changes to the Medicare disproportionate share (DSH) payment policy, designed to incorporate information on the hospital's uncompensated care burden as well as to improve the payment formula. These analyses are intended to help policymakers evaluate the likely impact of revising the DSH payment methodology.
Author(s): Julie A. Schoenman, Janet P. Sutton, Lan Zhao
Date: 09/2005
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
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Rural Research Needs and Data Sources for Selected Human Services Topics
Provides an overview of rural human services. Reviews the literature on work supports for low-income families, substance abuse, and child welfare services, and describes gaps in the research. Identifies 80 data sources that could be used to conduct research on human services topics in rural areas. Provides recommendations to improve the quality and quantity of information available on rural human services.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Research Summary, Volume 1: Research Needs, Volume 2: Data Sources
Date: 08/2005
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Mathematica Policy Research
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Indian Health Service: Health Care Services Are Not Always Available to Native Americans
Examines the availability of primary care including medical, dental and vision, as well as certain ancillary and specialty services to Native Americans. Discusses factors associated with the availability of services.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 08/2005
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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The Impact of Medicaid Cuts on Rural Communities
Discusses rural impact of Medicaid changes such as cutting or freezing provider payments, cutting eligibility or service coverage, reducing pharmacy benefits, adding recipient cost-sharing, or changing the program structure.
Author(s): Pam Silberman, Matt Rudolf, Laura Brogan, et al.
Date: 08/2005
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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