Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
A Summary of State Innovation Models (SIM) Evaluation Results Across 17 States (2013-2020)
Summarizes evaluation results of the State Innovation Models (SIM), which examined the ability of 17 state governments to implement and test innovative value-based payment (VBP) healthcare models across multiple payers between 2013 and 2020. Presents findings regarding the implementation and impact of 29 delivery and payment models, including patient-centered medical homes, accountable care organizations, behavioral health integration, and more. Covers state contracting and consensus building, practice transformation, pediatric care, behavioral healthcare, beneficiary and provider perspectives, and more. Includes a section on payment model designs tailored to unique state needs, including rural populations, as well as rural references throughout.
Additional links: A Summary of State Innovation Models (SIM): Focus on State-Led Transformation - Findings at a Glance, Executive Summary, Findings at a Glance
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Summarizes evaluation results of the State Innovation Models (SIM), which examined the ability of 17 state governments to implement and test innovative value-based payment (VBP) healthcare models across multiple payers between 2013 and 2020. Presents findings regarding the implementation and impact of 29 delivery and payment models, including patient-centered medical homes, accountable care organizations, behavioral health integration, and more. Covers state contracting and consensus building, practice transformation, pediatric care, behavioral healthcare, beneficiary and provider perspectives, and more. Includes a section on payment model designs tailored to unique state needs, including rural populations, as well as rural references throughout.
Additional links: A Summary of State Innovation Models (SIM): Focus on State-Led Transformation - Findings at a Glance, Executive Summary, Findings at a Glance
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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A Discrete Choice Experiment with Health Professions Trainees to Improve the Urban-Rural Health Care Access Disparity in Appalachia: Study Protocol
A study protocol that examines strategies and policies for successful recruitment of healthcare professionals in rural Appalachia. Discusses utilization of the discrete choice experiment methodology (DCE) to analyze medical residents and fellows, physician assistant (PA) students, and nurse practitioner (NP) students and their location choice for employment.
Author(s): Chris Gillette, Jan Ostermann, Sarah Garvick, et al.
Citation: PLoS One, 20(1), e0316521
Date: 01/2025
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A study protocol that examines strategies and policies for successful recruitment of healthcare professionals in rural Appalachia. Discusses utilization of the discrete choice experiment methodology (DCE) to analyze medical residents and fellows, physician assistant (PA) students, and nurse practitioner (NP) students and their location choice for employment.
Author(s): Chris Gillette, Jan Ostermann, Sarah Garvick, et al.
Citation: PLoS One, 20(1), e0316521
Date: 01/2025
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The Latest HIPAA Requirements - A Check-In on Your RHC's Compliance
Recording of a January 14, 2025, webinar on HIPAA compliance for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Covers HIPAA related legislation, HIPAA-related complaints and investigations by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR), and new regulations and proposed rules related to patient privacy. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Recording of a January 14, 2025, webinar on HIPAA compliance for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Covers HIPAA related legislation, HIPAA-related complaints and investigations by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR), and new regulations and proposed rules related to patient privacy. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Evaluating Medicare Advantage Benchmark Setting Methodology on Rural Counties
Examines how the current Medicare Advantage benchmark setting process and methods impact rural and urban counties. Presents data on the Medicare fee-for-service spending quartiles by metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties and the effects of caps on benchmark payments by geography.
Author(s): Dan M. Shane, Edmer Lazaro, Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Examines how the current Medicare Advantage benchmark setting process and methods impact rural and urban counties. Presents data on the Medicare fee-for-service spending quartiles by metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties and the effects of caps on benchmark payments by geography.
Author(s): Dan M. Shane, Edmer Lazaro, Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Resources for Measuring Rurality in Research on Maternity Care
Explores how different measures of rurality influence research outcomes, with a focus on maternal health research. Describes multiple measures and definitions commonly employed to categorize rural populations. Discusses the implications of these definitions for research, public health interventions, and policy formulation.
Author(s): Katy B. Kozhimannil, Emily C. Sheffield, Mary-Jane Adole, et al.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Explores how different measures of rurality influence research outcomes, with a focus on maternal health research. Describes multiple measures and definitions commonly employed to categorize rural populations. Discusses the implications of these definitions for research, public health interventions, and policy formulation.
Author(s): Katy B. Kozhimannil, Emily C. Sheffield, Mary-Jane Adole, et al.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Rural Nonprofit Hospital Community Benefit and Financial Assistance Spending: A Call for Greater Reporting Transparency
Examines the variation in community benefit and financial assistance spending among rural nonprofit hospitals that filed group returns in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Analyzes 2021 nonprofit hospital tax data to explore whether group filers' community benefit spending differed from individual nonprofit hospital filers. Discusses potential implications of policy recommendations that would require nonprofit hospitals to file individual tax returns.
Author(s): Hannah MacDougall, Melissa Latcham, Erica Eliason
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41, e12914
Date: 01/2025
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Examines the variation in community benefit and financial assistance spending among rural nonprofit hospitals that filed group returns in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Analyzes 2021 nonprofit hospital tax data to explore whether group filers' community benefit spending differed from individual nonprofit hospital filers. Discusses potential implications of policy recommendations that would require nonprofit hospitals to file individual tax returns.
Author(s): Hannah MacDougall, Melissa Latcham, Erica Eliason
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41, e12914
Date: 01/2025
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Assessing the Feasibility of Creating a National Behavioral Health Workforce Database
Results of a project to determine the feasibility of developing a database of behavioral health providers and practices that offers up-to-date information to support research, policymaking, and public access. Identifies key elements, including demographics, licensure, education, and practice details. Includes information on databases focused on rural health.
Author(s): Frances Jiménez, Nicole Gauthreaux, Courtney Segal, et al.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Results of a project to determine the feasibility of developing a database of behavioral health providers and practices that offers up-to-date information to support research, policymaking, and public access. Identifies key elements, including demographics, licensure, education, and practice details. Includes information on databases focused on rural health.
Author(s): Frances Jiménez, Nicole Gauthreaux, Courtney Segal, et al.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Maximizing the Value of Remote Patient Monitoring
Provides a brief description of the remote patient monitoring landscape. Discusses four areas policymakers could focus on to improve the effectiveness and accessibility of remote patient monitoring.
Author(s): Maya Sandalow, Julia Harris
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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Provides a brief description of the remote patient monitoring landscape. Discusses four areas policymakers could focus on to improve the effectiveness and accessibility of remote patient monitoring.
Author(s): Maya Sandalow, Julia Harris
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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Implementation of Mobile Medication Units: Findings from a Qualitative Study
Provides a brief overview of the development of policy regarding the approval of mobile medication units (MMUs) operated by opioid treatment programs (OTPs). Presents findings from an environmental scan and key informant interviews regarding MMU implementation. Discusses barriers to establishing, sustaining, and expanding MMU services. Describes opportunities to increase access to methadone in underserved communities. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organizations: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Mathematica
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Provides a brief overview of the development of policy regarding the approval of mobile medication units (MMUs) operated by opioid treatment programs (OTPs). Presents findings from an environmental scan and key informant interviews regarding MMU implementation. Discusses barriers to establishing, sustaining, and expanding MMU services. Describes opportunities to increase access to methadone in underserved communities. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organizations: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Mathematica
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Housing Assistance Council's 2025 Rural Housing Policy Priorities
Provides an overview of the Housing Assistance Council's (HAC's) 2025 policy priorities, such as increasing housing availability in rural areas, increasing access to fair lending practices, preserving federal housing programs in rural areas, and more.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 01/2025
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Provides an overview of the Housing Assistance Council's (HAC's) 2025 policy priorities, such as increasing housing availability in rural areas, increasing access to fair lending practices, preserving federal housing programs in rural areas, and more.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 01/2025
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