Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
Consolidation and Corporate Ownership in Health Care: Trends and Impacts on Access, Quality, and Costs
Recording of a June 8, 2023, U.S. Senate Committee on Finance hearing on healthcare consolidation and its impacts on healthcare access and finances. Testimony from the American Academy of Family Physicians discusses the impact of consolidation on rural primary care providers.
Additional links: R. Shawn Martin, American Academy of Family Physicians - Testimony
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Finance
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Recording of a June 8, 2023, U.S. Senate Committee on Finance hearing on healthcare consolidation and its impacts on healthcare access and finances. Testimony from the American Academy of Family Physicians discusses the impact of consolidation on rural primary care providers.
Additional links: R. Shawn Martin, American Academy of Family Physicians - Testimony
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Finance
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MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on the Hospital Inpatient PPS for FY 2024
Comments on a May 1, 2023, Federal Register proposed rule revising the hospital inpatient and long-term care hospital (LTCH) prospective payment systems (PPS). Offers comments on future hospital safety-net policies, including a potential safety-net adjustment for Medicare inpatient hospital payments; recent case law on rural reclassification and estimated implications; and supplemental uncompensated care payments to Puerto Rico.
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Comments on a May 1, 2023, Federal Register proposed rule revising the hospital inpatient and long-term care hospital (LTCH) prospective payment systems (PPS). Offers comments on future hospital safety-net policies, including a potential safety-net adjustment for Medicare inpatient hospital payments; recent case law on rural reclassification and estimated implications; and supplemental uncompensated care payments to Puerto Rico.
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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STI Federal Implementation Plan for the United States: 2021-2025
Outlines federal actions aimed at reducing the burden of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the United States through 2025. Covers federal partners' commitments to programs, policies, research, and other activities during fiscal years 2021–2025 to meet the goals of the Sexually Transmitted Infections National Strategic Plan for the United States: 2021–2025. Includes action steps related to tribal communities.
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Outlines federal actions aimed at reducing the burden of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the United States through 2025. Covers federal partners' commitments to programs, policies, research, and other activities during fiscal years 2021–2025 to meet the goals of the Sexually Transmitted Infections National Strategic Plan for the United States: 2021–2025. Includes action steps related to tribal communities.
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Medicare Accountable Care Organizations: Presence in Rural America
Presentation slides from a June 6, 2023, webinar for the Rural Northern Border Healthcare Support Technical Assistance Center. Provides an overview of the Medicare Shared Savings Program, including the composition of program participants in 2023, the spread of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) in rural counties, and the federal and state policy landscape. Details changes to the Shared Savings Program for 2024.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
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Presentation slides from a June 6, 2023, webinar for the Rural Northern Border Healthcare Support Technical Assistance Center. Provides an overview of the Medicare Shared Savings Program, including the composition of program participants in 2023, the spread of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) in rural counties, and the federal and state policy landscape. Details changes to the Shared Savings Program for 2024.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
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MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on the Payment System for Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities for FY 2024
Comment on an April 4, 2023, Federal Register proposed rule revising the Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Prospective Payment System (IPF PPS) for fiscal year 2024. Includes a discussion of rural IPF PPS payment adjustments.
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Comment on an April 4, 2023, Federal Register proposed rule revising the Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Prospective Payment System (IPF PPS) for fiscal year 2024. Includes a discussion of rural IPF PPS payment adjustments.
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Training the Primary Care Workforce to Deliver Team-Based Care in Underserved Areas: The Teaching Health Center Program
Provides an overview of the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) program. Describes the THCGME program's outcomes in training primary care medical and dental providers, the practice settings of THCGME family medicine graduates, and services provided by program graduates. Profiles four THCGME programs, including three programs that serve tribal or rural areas. Discusses challenges facing Teaching Health Centers, proposed solutions, and key takeaways and recommendations for policymakers.
Author(s): Emily Hawes, Jacob Rains, Candice Chen, Erin Fraher
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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Provides an overview of the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) program. Describes the THCGME program's outcomes in training primary care medical and dental providers, the practice settings of THCGME family medicine graduates, and services provided by program graduates. Profiles four THCGME programs, including three programs that serve tribal or rural areas. Discusses challenges facing Teaching Health Centers, proposed solutions, and key takeaways and recommendations for policymakers.
Author(s): Emily Hawes, Jacob Rains, Candice Chen, Erin Fraher
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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Rural Track Programs: A Guide to the Updated Medicare Requirements
An overview of the requirements to participate in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Rural Track Program (RTP), which is a partnership between an urban hospital - the primary clinical site - and rural site(s) for medical residency training. Describes how the RTP program differs from the earlier rural training track (RTT) program.
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Association of American Medical Colleges
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An overview of the requirements to participate in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Rural Track Program (RTP), which is a partnership between an urban hospital - the primary clinical site - and rural site(s) for medical residency training. Describes how the RTP program differs from the earlier rural training track (RTT) program.
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Association of American Medical Colleges
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Policy Recommendations for Improving Rural Cancer Services in the United States
Discusses cancer healthcare access for rural residents and factors in access challenges. Discusses rural physician recruitment, facility closures, reimbursement, data gathering, and graduate medical education. Offers policy recommendations for incentivizing and increasing the rural cancer care workforce as well as gathering cancer-related data.
Author(s): Adrienne B. Lent, Daniel Derksen, Elizabeth T. Jacobs, Leila Barraza, Elizabeth A. Calhoun
Citation: JCO Oncology Practice, 19(5), 288-294
Date: 05/2023
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Discusses cancer healthcare access for rural residents and factors in access challenges. Discusses rural physician recruitment, facility closures, reimbursement, data gathering, and graduate medical education. Offers policy recommendations for incentivizing and increasing the rural cancer care workforce as well as gathering cancer-related data.
Author(s): Adrienne B. Lent, Daniel Derksen, Elizabeth T. Jacobs, Leila Barraza, Elizabeth A. Calhoun
Citation: JCO Oncology Practice, 19(5), 288-294
Date: 05/2023
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The Impacts of Extreme Weather Events on People with Disabilities
Reports on the impact of extreme weather on people with disabilities in the areas of regulations, healthcare, housing, employment, education, and emergency management. Discusses concerns and recommendations for both rural and tribal residents throughout.
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Council on Disability
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Reports on the impact of extreme weather on people with disabilities in the areas of regulations, healthcare, housing, employment, education, and emergency management. Discusses concerns and recommendations for both rural and tribal residents throughout.
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Council on Disability
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State Medicaid Telehealth Coverage Policy Decisions Since the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
Describes changes to state Medicaid telehealth policy flexibilities and/or new policies enacted during the COVID-19 PHE as of April–May 2022. Focuses on flexibilities that were rolled back, as well as those made permanent in whole or in part. Examines the decision-making processes behind Medicaid telehealth policy changes. Summarizes findings from guided discussions with state Medicaid representatives across four domains: 1) state attitudes and perspectives on telehealth and telehealth policies; 2) state telehealth policy decision-making processes; 3) states' future plans for telehealth; and 4) challenges and lessons learned. Outlines potential opportunities for the future of telehealth. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Author(s): Peggy G. Chen, Sara E. Heins, Stephanie Dellva
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organizations: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, RAND Corporation
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Describes changes to state Medicaid telehealth policy flexibilities and/or new policies enacted during the COVID-19 PHE as of April–May 2022. Focuses on flexibilities that were rolled back, as well as those made permanent in whole or in part. Examines the decision-making processes behind Medicaid telehealth policy changes. Summarizes findings from guided discussions with state Medicaid representatives across four domains: 1) state attitudes and perspectives on telehealth and telehealth policies; 2) state telehealth policy decision-making processes; 3) states' future plans for telehealth; and 4) challenges and lessons learned. Outlines potential opportunities for the future of telehealth. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Author(s): Peggy G. Chen, Sara E. Heins, Stephanie Dellva
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organizations: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, RAND Corporation
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