Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
Fiscal Years 2021-2023 USDA Report to Congress on Reducing Barriers to Food Access
Examines federal strategies between October 2020 and September 2023 to improve food access in the United States. Discusses resilient food systems, nutrition assistance programs, safety and sustainability, and research and evaluation activities. Includes examples of rural and tribal development, food policy, and funding.
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: USDA Food and Nutrition Service
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Examines federal strategies between October 2020 and September 2023 to improve food access in the United States. Discusses resilient food systems, nutrition assistance programs, safety and sustainability, and research and evaluation activities. Includes examples of rural and tribal development, food policy, and funding.
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: USDA Food and Nutrition Service
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Rural Health Policy: The Long and Winding Road
Presentation slides that offer highlights of rural health policy milestones, such as changes in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), value-based care, accountable care organizations, and more.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller
Date: 10/2024
Type: Presentation Slides
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
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Presentation slides that offer highlights of rural health policy milestones, such as changes in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), value-based care, accountable care organizations, and more.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller
Date: 10/2024
Type: Presentation Slides
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
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Telehealth: Supplement or Supplant?
Presentation slides that cover highlights regarding value-based care and payment, telehealth use during the COVID-19 public health emergency, optimal use of telehealth as well as potential issues, related policy, and more.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller
Date: 10/2024
Type: Presentation Slides
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
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Presentation slides that cover highlights regarding value-based care and payment, telehealth use during the COVID-19 public health emergency, optimal use of telehealth as well as potential issues, related policy, and more.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller
Date: 10/2024
Type: Presentation Slides
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
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Separate Payment for Essential Medicines – New Biweekly Interim Payments for the Inpatient Prospective Payment System
Provides an overview of payment adjustments to small, independent hospitals for establishing and maintaining access to buffer stocks of essential medicines for cost report periods beginning on or after October 1, 2024.
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of payment adjustments to small, independent hospitals for establishing and maintaining access to buffer stocks of essential medicines for cost report periods beginning on or after October 1, 2024.
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Access to Health Care in Rural America: Current Trends and Key Challenges
Highlights patterns in insurance coverage and uninsurance rates in rural and urban areas, explores non-financial challenges in accessing care faced by rural residents, and describes disparities in health outcomes between urban and rural areas. Features statistics on number of uninsured rural non-elderly adults by state, in 2010 and 2023.
Author(s): Gina Turrini, Eden Volkov, Christie Peters, Nancy De Lew, Thomas Buchmueller
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Highlights patterns in insurance coverage and uninsurance rates in rural and urban areas, explores non-financial challenges in accessing care faced by rural residents, and describes disparities in health outcomes between urban and rural areas. Features statistics on number of uninsured rural non-elderly adults by state, in 2010 and 2023.
Author(s): Gina Turrini, Eden Volkov, Christie Peters, Nancy De Lew, Thomas Buchmueller
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Consumer Survey: Barriers to Accessing Oral Health Services in New York State
Examines major access barriers to oral health services for adults in New York. Provides evidence-based insights for policymakers and stakeholders to develop strategies to reduce oral health disparities and improve access to care, especially for underserved populations. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban or rural locations.
Author(s): Simona Surdu, Nozomi Sasaki, Jinman Pang, Jean Moore
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Workforce Studies
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Examines major access barriers to oral health services for adults in New York. Provides evidence-based insights for policymakers and stakeholders to develop strategies to reduce oral health disparities and improve access to care, especially for underserved populations. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban or rural locations.
Author(s): Simona Surdu, Nozomi Sasaki, Jinman Pang, Jean Moore
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Workforce Studies
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2023 Summer Non-Congregate Meal Service: Results from the 2023 Summer Non-Congregate Sponsor Survey
Evaluates the implementation of the 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act, which permanently allowed for rural non-congregate meal service as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Summer Meal Programs. Provides 2023 survey data from State agency sponsors operating summer non-congregate meal service for children, with a focus on site participation, sponsor experiences, meal pick up sites, meal delivery, and future plans for non-congregate meal service.
Additional links: Appendix A - Survey, Data Tables
Author(s): Susannah Barr
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: USDA Food and Nutrition Service
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Evaluates the implementation of the 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act, which permanently allowed for rural non-congregate meal service as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Summer Meal Programs. Provides 2023 survey data from State agency sponsors operating summer non-congregate meal service for children, with a focus on site participation, sponsor experiences, meal pick up sites, meal delivery, and future plans for non-congregate meal service.
Additional links: Appendix A - Survey, Data Tables
Author(s): Susannah Barr
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: USDA Food and Nutrition Service
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CMS-Approved Waivers Break New Ground for Medicaid Coverage of American Indian and Alaska Native Traditional Health Care Practices
Provides an overview of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approved 1115 waivers that allow Medicaid agencies to cover American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) traditional healthcare practices in four states: Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Oregon. Describes who can access traditional healthcare practices under these waivers, where traditional healthcare services can be provided, who will be certified to provide these services, and implementation support.
Author(s): Anne Smithey
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Provides an overview of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approved 1115 waivers that allow Medicaid agencies to cover American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) traditional healthcare practices in four states: Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Oregon. Describes who can access traditional healthcare practices under these waivers, where traditional healthcare services can be provided, who will be certified to provide these services, and implementation support.
Author(s): Anne Smithey
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Beneficiary and Clinician Perspectives on Medicare and Other Issues: Findings from 2024 Focus Groups in Select States
Summarizes findings from 24 focus groups of Medicare beneficiaries, Medicare and Medicaid (dual eligible) beneficiaries, and clinicians conducted between May and June 2024, including three virtual focus groups of rural Medicare beneficiaries. Highlights themes that emerged across the focus groups covering Medicare coverage options, access to care, telehealth, organization of care, and prescription drugs.
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, NORC at the University of Chicago
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Summarizes findings from 24 focus groups of Medicare beneficiaries, Medicare and Medicaid (dual eligible) beneficiaries, and clinicians conducted between May and June 2024, including three virtual focus groups of rural Medicare beneficiaries. Highlights themes that emerged across the focus groups covering Medicare coverage options, access to care, telehealth, organization of care, and prescription drugs.
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, NORC at the University of Chicago
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Frontier Community Health Integration Project (FCHIP) Demonstration Extension Fact Sheet
Provides an overview of the Frontier Community Health Integration Project (FCHIP) Demonstration Extension, which tests new healthcare delivery models in the most sparsely populated rural counties. Identifies participating Critical Access Hospitals and models tested.
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of the Frontier Community Health Integration Project (FCHIP) Demonstration Extension, which tests new healthcare delivery models in the most sparsely populated rural counties. Identifies participating Critical Access Hospitals and models tested.
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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