Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
Recruiting the Next Generation of Behavioral Health Professionals
Podcast episode regarding the recruitment, training, and retention of behavioral health specialists in rural areas. Discusses the University of Iowa Health Care rural psychiatry residency track and Public Psychiatry Fellowship program.
Date: 05/2023
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Podcast episode regarding the recruitment, training, and retention of behavioral health specialists in rural areas. Discusses the University of Iowa Health Care rural psychiatry residency track and Public Psychiatry Fellowship program.
Date: 05/2023
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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New England Health System CEOs Address Rural Healthcare Crisis In A Live Conversation
Recording of a May 22, 2023, roundtable discussion with the chief executive officers (CEOs) of Dartmouth Health, MaineHealth, and the University of Vermont Health Network regarding the challenges rural healthcare providers face. Covers workforce challenges, regulatory and inflation challenges, and innovations to preserve access to care. Transcript is available in the video description.
Date: 05/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Dartmouth Health
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Recording of a May 22, 2023, roundtable discussion with the chief executive officers (CEOs) of Dartmouth Health, MaineHealth, and the University of Vermont Health Network regarding the challenges rural healthcare providers face. Covers workforce challenges, regulatory and inflation challenges, and innovations to preserve access to care. Transcript is available in the video description.
Date: 05/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Dartmouth Health
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State Medicaid and Private Telemedicine Coverage Requirements and Telemedicine Use, 2013–2019
Examines the association between state Medicaid and private telemedicine coverage requirements and live video-based telemedicine use by analyzing nationally representative survey data from the 2013–2019 Association of American Medical Colleges Consumer Survey of Health Care Access. Evaluates the impact of these requirements by rurality. Explores whether telemedicine coverage requirements were associated with healthcare access.
Author(s): Brandy J. Lipton, Michael F. Pesko
Citation: Health Services Research, 2023
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
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Examines the association between state Medicaid and private telemedicine coverage requirements and live video-based telemedicine use by analyzing nationally representative survey data from the 2013–2019 Association of American Medical Colleges Consumer Survey of Health Care Access. Evaluates the impact of these requirements by rurality. Explores whether telemedicine coverage requirements were associated with healthcare access.
Author(s): Brandy J. Lipton, Michael F. Pesko
Citation: Health Services Research, 2023
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
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Understanding the U.S. Behavioral Health Workforce Shortage
Discusses the shortage of behavioral health professionals across the country and highlights some of the contributing factors. Breaks down factors affecting licensed providers, clinical supporters, community care workers, and frontline workers. Makes recommendations for policymakers and includes considerations for rural areas.
Author(s): Nathaniel Counts
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Discusses the shortage of behavioral health professionals across the country and highlights some of the contributing factors. Breaks down factors affecting licensed providers, clinical supporters, community care workers, and frontline workers. Makes recommendations for policymakers and includes considerations for rural areas.
Author(s): Nathaniel Counts
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Accountable Health Communities (AHC) Model Evaluation: Second 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 the context in which the AHC Model was implemented and the model's impacts on Medicaid, FFS Medicare, and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries. Presents information on participating organizations that had rural areas within their geographic target areas (GTAs) and compares outcomes among urban and rural participants.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance
Date: 05/2023
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 the context in which the AHC Model was implemented and the model's impacts on Medicaid, FFS Medicare, and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries. Presents information on participating organizations that had rural areas within their geographic target areas (GTAs) and compares outcomes among urban and rural participants.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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Behavioral Health Conditions Reach Crisis Levels: Counties Urge Stronger Intergovernmental Partnerships and Outcomes
Features a number of counties throughout the nation and details their behavioral health needs and access challenges. Presents each county as a case study. Describes the policy priorities for each county and the barriers to access. Several of the featured counties are rural.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Counties
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Features a number of counties throughout the nation and details their behavioral health needs and access challenges. Presents each county as a case study. Describes the policy priorities for each county and the barriers to access. Several of the featured counties are rural.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Counties
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Improving Health Care Access in Rural Communities: Obstacles and Opportunities
Presents the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, Subcommittee on Health Care hearing on improving access to high-quality, affordable healthcare in rural communities. Discusses workforce issues, education pipeline, transportation, broadband, school-based health centers, payment models and value-based care, and rural-friendly policies. Features testimonies from representatives of Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital, Choptank Community Health System, Essentia Health, and the Sheps Center For Health Services Research.
Additional links: Testimony by David Herman, Testimony by Erin Aune, Testimony by Mark Holmes, Testimony by Sara Rich
Date: 05/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Finance, Subcommittee on Health Care
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Presents the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, Subcommittee on Health Care hearing on improving access to high-quality, affordable healthcare in rural communities. Discusses workforce issues, education pipeline, transportation, broadband, school-based health centers, payment models and value-based care, and rural-friendly policies. Features testimonies from representatives of Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital, Choptank Community Health System, Essentia Health, and the Sheps Center For Health Services Research.
Additional links: Testimony by David Herman, Testimony by Erin Aune, Testimony by Mark Holmes, Testimony by Sara Rich
Date: 05/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Finance, Subcommittee on Health Care
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Health Care Capsule: Accessing Health Care in Rural America
Discusses challenges rural communities face related to healthcare access, such as limited healthcare providers, travel distance and transportation issues, insurance coverage, and access to broadband. Provides policy recommendations from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to address rural healthcare disparities.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Discusses challenges rural communities face related to healthcare access, such as limited healthcare providers, travel distance and transportation issues, insurance coverage, and access to broadband. Provides policy recommendations from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to address rural healthcare disparities.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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How Regional Partnerships Bolster Rural Hospitals
Explores how Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and other rural providers partner to overcome challenges. Profiles six regional partnerships that address staffing, quality improvement, contracts with payers, value-based payment, and community development. Offers lessons learned that could inform policy changes to strengthen rural providers.
Author(s): Martha Hostetter, Sarah Klein
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Explores how Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and other rural providers partner to overcome challenges. Profiles six regional partnerships that address staffing, quality improvement, contracts with payers, value-based payment, and community development. Offers lessons learned that could inform policy changes to strengthen rural providers.
Author(s): Martha Hostetter, Sarah Klein
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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340B Drug Discount Program: Information about Hospitals That Received an Eligibility Exception as a Result of COVID-19
Provides an overview of a provision of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022, that allowed hospitals to request an exception to the disproportionate share hospital (DSH) percentage eligibility requirement if they were unable to meet it due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Explores the exception process and provides information on hospitals that received the exception. Discusses the amount of 340B drug purchases and discounts that excepted hospitals indicated they had in 2020 and 2021; the extent to which excepted hospitals indicated providing discounts on 340B drugs to low-income, uninsured patients; and results of the Health Resources and Services Administration's audits and oversight activities to assess program compliance.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Provides an overview of a provision of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022, that allowed hospitals to request an exception to the disproportionate share hospital (DSH) percentage eligibility requirement if they were unable to meet it due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Explores the exception process and provides information on hospitals that received the exception. Discusses the amount of 340B drug purchases and discounts that excepted hospitals indicated they had in 2020 and 2021; the extent to which excepted hospitals indicated providing discounts on 340B drugs to low-income, uninsured patients; and results of the Health Resources and Services Administration's audits and oversight activities to assess program compliance.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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