Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
Medicare: CMS Needs to Address Risks Posed by Provider Enrollment Waivers and Flexibilities
Report discusses the waivers and flexibilities in Medicare requirements that were implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. Highlights how these waivers, such as fingerprint-based criminal background checks and revalidating provider eligibility, put Medicare at a high risk for fraud, waste, and abuse. Details how these waivers affect rural providers, as well.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Report discusses the waivers and flexibilities in Medicare requirements that were implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. Highlights how these waivers, such as fingerprint-based criminal background checks and revalidating provider eligibility, put Medicare at a high risk for fraud, waste, and abuse. Details how these waivers affect rural providers, as well.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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COVID-19 Relief Funds: Lessons Learned Could Improve Future Distribution of Federal Emergency Relief to Tribal Recipients
Examines approaches selected federal agencies used to administer programs that provided COVID-19 funds to tribal recipients. Identifies lessons learned that could improve future federal relief to these recipients.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Examines approaches selected federal agencies used to administer programs that provided COVID-19 funds to tribal recipients. Identifies lessons learned that could improve future federal relief to these recipients.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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OIG's Top Unimplemented Recommendations: Solutions To Reduce Fraud, Waste, and Abuse in HHS Programs: December 2022
Annual report identifying the top 25 unimplemented recommendations from the Office of Inspector General (OIG) that, in OIG's view, would have the most substantial positive impact on Health and Human Services (HHS) programs. Positive impact may refer to cost savings, program efficacy and efficiency, and/or quality improvement. Primary areas of interest in the December 2022 edition include: ensuring that incidents of potential abuse or neglect of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries are identified and reported; addressing inappropriate nursing home discharges; reforming the hospital wage index system; increasing access to treatments for opioid use disorder; ensuring that Medicaid managed care enrollees have timely access to behavioral health services; and developing and implementing a staffing program for recruiting, retaining, and transitioning staff and leadership to remote Indian Health Service hospitals.
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Annual report identifying the top 25 unimplemented recommendations from the Office of Inspector General (OIG) that, in OIG's view, would have the most substantial positive impact on Health and Human Services (HHS) programs. Positive impact may refer to cost savings, program efficacy and efficiency, and/or quality improvement. Primary areas of interest in the December 2022 edition include: ensuring that incidents of potential abuse or neglect of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries are identified and reported; addressing inappropriate nursing home discharges; reforming the hospital wage index system; increasing access to treatments for opioid use disorder; ensuring that Medicaid managed care enrollees have timely access to behavioral health services; and developing and implementing a staffing program for recruiting, retaining, and transitioning staff and leadership to remote Indian Health Service hospitals.
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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State Strategies to Support the Future of the Primary Care Physician and Nursing Workforce
Discusses primary care physician and nursing workforce challenges, including the shortage of these providers in rural and underserved areas. Describes policies and strategies implemented by states to address these challenges. Offers resources for states, health systems, and academic institutions exploring innovative strategies to address healthcare workforce challenges.
Author(s): Elaine Chhean, Anita Cardwell, Lauren Block, Sarah Tocher
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Discusses primary care physician and nursing workforce challenges, including the shortage of these providers in rural and underserved areas. Describes policies and strategies implemented by states to address these challenges. Offers resources for states, health systems, and academic institutions exploring innovative strategies to address healthcare workforce challenges.
Author(s): Elaine Chhean, Anita Cardwell, Lauren Block, Sarah Tocher
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Doula Care and Maternal Health: An Evidence Review
Examines the role of doula care in maternal health as well as impacts, challenges, access, disparities, reimbursement, and policy efforts related to maternity/doula care. Includes a county-level U.S. map of maternity care deserts and discussion of rural-specific maternity programs.
Author(s): Kathleen Knocke, Andre Chappel, Sarah Sugar, Nancy De Lew, Benjamin D. Sommers
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Examines the role of doula care in maternal health as well as impacts, challenges, access, disparities, reimbursement, and policy efforts related to maternity/doula care. Includes a county-level U.S. map of maternity care deserts and discussion of rural-specific maternity programs.
Author(s): Kathleen Knocke, Andre Chappel, Sarah Sugar, Nancy De Lew, Benjamin D. Sommers
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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CMS Innovation Center: 2022 Report to Congress
Reports to Congress on payment and service delivery models and initiatives tested or announced by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation between October 2020 and September 2022. Includes summaries and updates on multiple rural-relevant models and initiatives, including Community Health Access and Rural Transformation (CHART) Model, the Pennsylvania Rural Health Model (PARHM), the Vermont All-Payer Accountable Care Organization Model, and more.
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Reports to Congress on payment and service delivery models and initiatives tested or announced by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation between October 2020 and September 2022. Includes summaries and updates on multiple rural-relevant models and initiatives, including Community Health Access and Rural Transformation (CHART) Model, the Pennsylvania Rural Health Model (PARHM), the Vermont All-Payer Accountable Care Organization Model, and more.
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Health Care Access in the Heartland: How to Improve Services in Rural America
Outlines strategies policymakers and community leaders in rural America can use to improve healthcare access and services. Combines data analysis of county demographics and health data with focus groups in Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. Provides expert interviews to better understand healthcare access in rural communities.
Author(s): Darren Chapman, Angie Cooper, Elizabeth Dombowsky, et al.
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Heartland Forward
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Outlines strategies policymakers and community leaders in rural America can use to improve healthcare access and services. Combines data analysis of county demographics and health data with focus groups in Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. Provides expert interviews to better understand healthcare access in rural communities.
Author(s): Darren Chapman, Angie Cooper, Elizabeth Dombowsky, et al.
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Heartland Forward
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RHC Regulatory Updates & Good Faith Estimate (GFE) Policy
Recording of a December 7, 2022, webinar providing an overview of telehealth payment rates for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and other regulatory updates and potential changes for 2023. Discusses price transparency in healthcare and good faith estimate requirements for RHCs. Includes links to good faith estimate resources. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides, Transcript
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Recording of a December 7, 2022, webinar providing an overview of telehealth payment rates for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and other regulatory updates and potential changes for 2023. Discusses price transparency in healthcare and good faith estimate requirements for RHCs. Includes links to good faith estimate resources. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides, Transcript
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Early Changes in Waivered Clinicians and Utilization of Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder After Implementation of the 2021 HHS Buprenorphine Practice Guidelines
Report examines the changes in access to buprenorphine following the implementation of new HHS guidelines as of April 2021. Discusses the revised guidelines and analyzes their effect on access to buprenorphine for patients with opioid use disorder.
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Report examines the changes in access to buprenorphine following the implementation of new HHS guidelines as of April 2021. Discusses the revised guidelines and analyzes their effect on access to buprenorphine for patients with opioid use disorder.
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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30 Years Of 340B: Preserving The Health Care Safety Net
Discusses the development and purpose of the 340B Drug Pricing Program, and provides an overview of the program. Summarizes research on the impact of the 340B program on hospitals and lessons learned.
Author(s): Henry A. Waxman
Citation: Health Affairs Forefront
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
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Discusses the development and purpose of the 340B Drug Pricing Program, and provides an overview of the program. Summarizes research on the impact of the 340B program on hospitals and lessons learned.
Author(s): Henry A. Waxman
Citation: Health Affairs Forefront
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
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