Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
Medical Debt and Its Impact on Rural Patients and Providers, with Carrie Henning-Smith
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Carrie Henning-Smith, Co-Director of the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center. Focuses on the prevalence of and difficulties caused by medical debt for both rural patients and providers.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Carrie Henning-Smith, Co-Director of the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center. Focuses on the prevalence of and difficulties caused by medical debt for both rural patients and providers.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Youth Mental Health and Substance Use Task Force: Redesigning the Health Care Delivery System to Better Meet the Needs of Youth
Presents policy recommendations from 50 experts and thought leaders regarding how to maximize the potential of the U.S. healthcare system to better serve youth with behavioral health needs. Covers the behavioral health workforce, transparency and compliance with existing screening and treatment requirements, promoting integrated primary care and behavioral health services in pediatric settings, the needs of youth with the highest acuity behavioral health needs, and strengthening crisis and stabilization systems. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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Presents policy recommendations from 50 experts and thought leaders regarding how to maximize the potential of the U.S. healthcare system to better serve youth with behavioral health needs. Covers the behavioral health workforce, transparency and compliance with existing screening and treatment requirements, promoting integrated primary care and behavioral health services in pediatric settings, the needs of youth with the highest acuity behavioral health needs, and strengthening crisis and stabilization systems. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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Disaster Resiliency and Recovery Resources: A Guide for Rural Communities
Provides an overview of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (RD) programs and services for rural residents, businesses, and communities impacted by disasters, as well as programs that support long-term planning and recovery efforts. Includes information on technical assistance providers to help rural planning and recovery efforts.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Rural Development
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Provides an overview of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (RD) programs and services for rural residents, businesses, and communities impacted by disasters, as well as programs that support long-term planning and recovery efforts. Includes information on technical assistance providers to help rural planning and recovery efforts.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Rural Development
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2025 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report
Report highlights the rate of suicide among veterans and the VA's role in suicide prevention. Discusses the causes of veteran suicide and the steps the VA is taking for suicide prevention. Breaks down rates of suicide by sex, contact with the VHA, and rurality, among other factors. The 2025 report is split into two parts. The second part is added as an additional link.
Additional links: National Suicide Data Appendix, Part 2: Report Findings
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
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Report highlights the rate of suicide among veterans and the VA's role in suicide prevention. Discusses the causes of veteran suicide and the steps the VA is taking for suicide prevention. Breaks down rates of suicide by sex, contact with the VHA, and rurality, among other factors. The 2025 report is split into two parts. The second part is added as an additional link.
Additional links: National Suicide Data Appendix, Part 2: Report Findings
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
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State of Georgia House of Representatives Study Committee on Cancer Care Access: Final Report
Reports on cancer care access in Georgia, providing an overview of testimony from organizations, agencies, and providers involved with cancer care and offering policy recommendations to improve access to quality cancer care and improve the supply of the oncology care workforce in the state. Discusses rural areas throughout.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organizations: Georgia House Committee on Cancer Care Access, State of Georgia House of Representatives
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Reports on cancer care access in Georgia, providing an overview of testimony from organizations, agencies, and providers involved with cancer care and offering policy recommendations to improve access to quality cancer care and improve the supply of the oncology care workforce in the state. Discusses rural areas throughout.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organizations: Georgia House Committee on Cancer Care Access, State of Georgia House of Representatives
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Mississippi State Department of Health 2025 Annual Report
Offers overview of public health indicators for residents of the state of Mississippi including mortality, teen birth rates, various health conditions, and vaccination. Discusses regulation and legislative changes, pharmaceutical programs, lab services, public health outreach, rural health and primary care, Health Professional Shortage Areas, and administrative updates.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: Mississippi State Department of Health
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Offers overview of public health indicators for residents of the state of Mississippi including mortality, teen birth rates, various health conditions, and vaccination. Discusses regulation and legislative changes, pharmaceutical programs, lab services, public health outreach, rural health and primary care, Health Professional Shortage Areas, and administrative updates.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: Mississippi State Department of Health
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2025-2030 Maryland Rural Health Strategic Plan
Recommends priorities for organizations and programs to consider as they provide health services across rural Maryland. Features a county-level map showing distribution of rural regions in Maryland and includes statistics on Maryland's rural population, with breakdowns by region and rural designation.
Additional links: Summary
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: Maryland Department of Health
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Recommends priorities for organizations and programs to consider as they provide health services across rural Maryland. Features a county-level map showing distribution of rural regions in Maryland and includes statistics on Maryland's rural population, with breakdowns by region and rural designation.
Additional links: Summary
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: Maryland Department of Health
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Navigating the J-1 Visa Waiver Job Search
Offers a basic overview for physicians interested in obtaining a J-1 visa waiver. Includes contact information for agencies offering waivers and timelines for applications and job search processes.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: 3RNET
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Offers a basic overview for physicians interested in obtaining a J-1 visa waiver. Includes contact information for agencies offering waivers and timelines for applications and job search processes.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: 3RNET
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Blueprint for a National Prevention Infrastructure for Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Disorders
Explores evidence-based policies and approaches to preventing mental, emotional, and behavioral (MEB) disorders among population groups across the U.S. Discusses the need for prevention services on top of acute or episodic care during MEB crises. Details the infrastructure and workforce required for comprehensive MEB prevention and makes policy recommendations.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Marcella Alsan, Marthe R. Gold, Alina B. Baciu, Alexis Wojtowicz
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Explores evidence-based policies and approaches to preventing mental, emotional, and behavioral (MEB) disorders among population groups across the U.S. Discusses the need for prevention services on top of acute or episodic care during MEB crises. Details the infrastructure and workforce required for comprehensive MEB prevention and makes policy recommendations.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Marcella Alsan, Marthe R. Gold, Alina B. Baciu, Alexis Wojtowicz
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Improving Primary Care Valuation Processes to Inform the Physician Fee Schedule
Describes the current process and data inputs used by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for primary care service valuation in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS). Discusses promising approaches to update the PFS and the potential role of hybrid payments. Offers recommendations to CMS to improve the valuation process and accurately reflect the full scope of high-quality primary care.
Additional links: Read Online
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Describes the current process and data inputs used by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for primary care service valuation in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS). Discusses promising approaches to update the PFS and the potential role of hybrid payments. Offers recommendations to CMS to improve the valuation process and accurately reflect the full scope of high-quality primary care.
Additional links: Read Online
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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