Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare payments under the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and other Medicare Part B issues for calendar year 2025. Summarizes provisions related to telehealth services; advanced primary care management services; behavioral health services; opioid treatment programs; dental and oral health services; Rural Health Clinic (RHC) and Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) care coordination services, telecommunication services, intensive outpatient program (IOP) services, and payment for vaccine costs; and more.
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare payments under the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and other Medicare Part B issues for calendar year 2025. Summarizes provisions related to telehealth services; advanced primary care management services; behavioral health services; opioid treatment programs; dental and oral health services; Rural Health Clinic (RHC) and Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) care coordination services, telecommunication services, intensive outpatient program (IOP) services, and payment for vaccine costs; and more.
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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CY 2025 Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment System Final Rule (CMS 1809-FC)
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare payments for hospital outpatient and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) services for calendar year 2025. Summarizes provisions regarding changes to Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) and partial hospital program rate setting; incorporating an add-on payment to the Medicare outpatient hospital all-inclusive rate (AIR) for certain high-cost drugs for people with Medicare who receive care at Indian Health Service (IHS) or tribal hospitals; updates to the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR), Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR), and Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Programs; a new Conditions of Participation (CoPs) for hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) for obstetrical services; Medicaid and CHIP continuous eligibility; Medicaid clinic services "four walls" exceptions; and more.
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare payments for hospital outpatient and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) services for calendar year 2025. Summarizes provisions regarding changes to Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) and partial hospital program rate setting; incorporating an add-on payment to the Medicare outpatient hospital all-inclusive rate (AIR) for certain high-cost drugs for people with Medicare who receive care at Indian Health Service (IHS) or tribal hospitals; updates to the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR), Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR), and Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Programs; a new Conditions of Participation (CoPs) for hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) for obstetrical services; Medicaid and CHIP continuous eligibility; Medicaid clinic services "four walls" exceptions; and more.
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Understanding the Impact of Medical Debt in Rural Communities: Perspectives from Rural Hospital Administrators
Presents findings from key informant interviews with rural hospital administrators across seven states regarding the impact of medical debt on hospitals and patients in rural communities. Describes themes related to causes and consequences of medical debt across three domains: hospital, patient/community, and policy.
Author(s): Mariana Tuttle, Ingrid Jacobson, Katie Rydberg, Carrie Henning-Smith
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Presents findings from key informant interviews with rural hospital administrators across seven states regarding the impact of medical debt on hospitals and patients in rural communities. Describes themes related to causes and consequences of medical debt across three domains: hospital, patient/community, and policy.
Author(s): Mariana Tuttle, Ingrid Jacobson, Katie Rydberg, Carrie Henning-Smith
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Final CY 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule: Fact Sheet
Fact sheet covering Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) telehealth policy changes for 2025 as outlined in the final calendar year (CY) 2025 Physician Fee Schedule. Covers audio-only telehealth; eligible services that can be delivered by telehealth; frequency limitations for inpatient visits, nursing facilities, and critical care consults; direct supervision through the use of live video; payment to Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs); opioid treatment programs; and more.
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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Fact sheet covering Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) telehealth policy changes for 2025 as outlined in the final calendar year (CY) 2025 Physician Fee Schedule. Covers audio-only telehealth; eligible services that can be delivered by telehealth; frequency limitations for inpatient visits, nursing facilities, and critical care consults; direct supervision through the use of live video; payment to Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs); opioid treatment programs; and more.
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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Accountable Health Communities (AHC) Model Evaluation: Third Evaluation Report
Provides an overview of the Accountable Health Communities (ACH) Model, which tests whether identifying and addressing core health-related social needs (HRSNs) of community-dwelling beneficiaries improves health outcomes, reduces healthcare costs, and reduces unnecessary healthcare utilization. Explores which bridge organization and community characteristics were associated with better implementation outcomes, and the beneficiary-level characteristics were associated with a greater probability of accepting navigation, having at least one HRSN resolved, or having all HRSNs resolved. Examines the extent to which bridge organizations met model requirements. Includes information on the availability and quality of community resources to address HRSNs in rural communities.
Additional links: Appendices, Findings at a Glance
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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Provides an overview of the Accountable Health Communities (ACH) Model, which tests whether identifying and addressing core health-related social needs (HRSNs) of community-dwelling beneficiaries improves health outcomes, reduces healthcare costs, and reduces unnecessary healthcare utilization. Explores which bridge organization and community characteristics were associated with better implementation outcomes, and the beneficiary-level characteristics were associated with a greater probability of accepting navigation, having at least one HRSN resolved, or having all HRSNs resolved. Examines the extent to which bridge organizations met model requirements. Includes information on the availability and quality of community resources to address HRSNs in rural communities.
Additional links: Appendices, Findings at a Glance
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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Re-Imagining Rural Health: Themes, Concepts, and Next Steps from the CMS Innovation Center "Hackathon" Series
Summarizes themes that emerged from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center's August 2024 Rural Health Hackathons, which aimed to inform potential payment and service delivery model development and to identify innovative solutions to address the access, care delivery, and workforce needs of rural, Tribal, frontier, and geographically isolated areas communities. Describes lessons learned from previous Innovation Center models focused on rural health and how these lessons were applied during the development of new models. Outlines potential areas for the Innovation Center to explore to advance health in rural, Tribal, frontier, and geographically isolated areas.
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Summarizes themes that emerged from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center's August 2024 Rural Health Hackathons, which aimed to inform potential payment and service delivery model development and to identify innovative solutions to address the access, care delivery, and workforce needs of rural, Tribal, frontier, and geographically isolated areas communities. Describes lessons learned from previous Innovation Center models focused on rural health and how these lessons were applied during the development of new models. Outlines potential areas for the Innovation Center to explore to advance health in rural, Tribal, frontier, and geographically isolated areas.
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Rural Value-Based Care – The Payer Perspective
Summarizes discussions on rural value-based care (VBC) contracting during a July 2024 summit of leaders from national and regional healthcare payer organizations. Describes challenges facing payer organizations that serve rural beneficiaries, including engaging rural healthcare organizations in VBC; solutions to rural-specific challenges; and recommendations for rural healthcare organizations.
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Summarizes discussions on rural value-based care (VBC) contracting during a July 2024 summit of leaders from national and regional healthcare payer organizations. Describes challenges facing payer organizations that serve rural beneficiaries, including engaging rural healthcare organizations in VBC; solutions to rural-specific challenges; and recommendations for rural healthcare organizations.
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Texas Rural Hospital Grant Program Report
Reports on the establishment, functions, and achievements of the Rural Hospital Grant Program in Texas during the 2024 and 2025 state fiscal years. Provides an overview of program funding and awards, and details grant programs supporting hospital stabilization, maternal care, and Alternative Payment Model readiness.
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Texas Health and Human Services
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Reports on the establishment, functions, and achievements of the Rural Hospital Grant Program in Texas during the 2024 and 2025 state fiscal years. Provides an overview of program funding and awards, and details grant programs supporting hospital stabilization, maternal care, and Alternative Payment Model readiness.
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Texas Health and Human Services
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Impacts of Telehealth on Rural Health Care Access
Policy brief highlighting the significance and effectiveness of telehealth. Includes analysis of current telehealth policies for Medicaid, Medicare, and private payors, and examines COVID-19 impacts on telehealth. Offers policy recommendations to enhance adoption and efficacy of telehealth services, particularly in rural areas.
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Policy brief highlighting the significance and effectiveness of telehealth. Includes analysis of current telehealth policies for Medicaid, Medicare, and private payors, and examines COVID-19 impacts on telehealth. Offers policy recommendations to enhance adoption and efficacy of telehealth services, particularly in rural areas.
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Growing the Rural Physician Workforce: Decades of Federal Funding Impacts Rural Graduate Medical Education
A historical review of graduate medical education funding and its relationship to the supply of rural physicians. Highlights recent federal funding and policies aimed at addressing the geographic maldistribution of physicians.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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A historical review of graduate medical education funding and its relationship to the supply of rural physicians. Highlights recent federal funding and policies aimed at addressing the geographic maldistribution of physicians.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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