Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Reimbursement and payment models
October 2026 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) October 2026 meeting. Covers an analysis of physician participation in Medicare Advantage provider networks, issues affecting the payment accuracy of the physician fee schedule and the clinical laboratory fee schedule, clinician quality initiatives in fee-for-service Medicare, Medicare's late-enrollment penalties, and MedPAC's work plan regarding the skilled nursing facility and home health prospective payment systems.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) October 2026 meeting. Covers an analysis of physician participation in Medicare Advantage provider networks, issues affecting the payment accuracy of the physician fee schedule and the clinical laboratory fee schedule, clinician quality initiatives in fee-for-service Medicare, Medicare's late-enrollment penalties, and MedPAC's work plan regarding the skilled nursing facility and home health prospective payment systems.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Strengthening Telehealth Skills for the Rural Healthcare Workforce
Provides links to training materials, tools, and technical assistance resources to help rural healthcare organizations build telehealth workforce capacity. Covers telehealth fundamentals, workforce development, clinical best practices, patient engagement, technology and innovation, emergency preparedness, reimbursement and sustainability, and regional support.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers
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Provides links to training materials, tools, and technical assistance resources to help rural healthcare organizations build telehealth workforce capacity. Covers telehealth fundamentals, workforce development, clinical best practices, patient engagement, technology and innovation, emergency preparedness, reimbursement and sustainability, and regional support.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers
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Survival Versus Scale: The Effects of Critical Access Hospital Designation
Explores whether designation-based hospital subsidies, specifically the Critical Access Hospital (CAH) program, preserve meaningful access to care. Describes the effects of CAH designation on hospital finances, capacity, and organizational outcomes between 1995-2010. Discusses the implications of hospital preservation and reduced operational scale on access to care and patient health.
Author(s): Ian M. McCarthy, Katie Leinenbach
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Bureau of Economic Research
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Explores whether designation-based hospital subsidies, specifically the Critical Access Hospital (CAH) program, preserve meaningful access to care. Describes the effects of CAH designation on hospital finances, capacity, and organizational outcomes between 1995-2010. Discusses the implications of hospital preservation and reduced operational scale on access to care and patient health.
Author(s): Ian M. McCarthy, Katie Leinenbach
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Bureau of Economic Research
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Rural and Urban Health Center Patients and Financing
Reports on rural and urban community health centers' revenue sources, patient demographics, and patient health insurance coverage using 2025 Uniform Data System (UDS) data. Includes an interactive map showing shares of child and adult rural health center patients covered by Medicaid by state.
Author(s): Akash Pillai, Jennifer Tolbert
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Reports on rural and urban community health centers' revenue sources, patient demographics, and patient health insurance coverage using 2025 Uniform Data System (UDS) data. Includes an interactive map showing shares of child and adult rural health center patients covered by Medicaid by state.
Author(s): Akash Pillai, Jennifer Tolbert
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Historical State Actions Aligned with Approved RHTP Uses
Describes state legislation enacted to address rural health topics that coincide with priorities of the Rural Health Transformation Program, including chronic disease management, the healthcare workforce, emergency medical services, health technology, behavioral health, and healthcare payment.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
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Describes state legislation enacted to address rural health topics that coincide with priorities of the Rural Health Transformation Program, including chronic disease management, the healthcare workforce, emergency medical services, health technology, behavioral health, and healthcare payment.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
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Risk Adjustment in the Medicare Advantage Population Using Encounter Data
Examines the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Hierarchical Condition Category (HCC) risk model by comparing 2016-2022 Traditional Medicare (TM) claims and Medicare Advantage (MA) encounter data. Analyzes differences in the TM-based model and MA-based model and discusses risk-adjusted MA payment, MA payment policy, and enrollment incentives for various populations, including rural.
Author(s): Caroline S. Carlin, Roger Feldman, Jeah Jung
Citation: Health Services Research, 61(5), e70165
Date: 10/2026
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Examines the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Hierarchical Condition Category (HCC) risk model by comparing 2016-2022 Traditional Medicare (TM) claims and Medicare Advantage (MA) encounter data. Analyzes differences in the TM-based model and MA-based model and discusses risk-adjusted MA payment, MA payment policy, and enrollment incentives for various populations, including rural.
Author(s): Caroline S. Carlin, Roger Feldman, Jeah Jung
Citation: Health Services Research, 61(5), e70165
Date: 10/2026
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Telehealth FAQ
Provides information on Medicare telehealth regulations and payment policy for calendar year 2026. Includes information on audio-only services, behavioral health services, direct supervision, and more.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Provides information on Medicare telehealth regulations and payment policy for calendar year 2026. Includes information on audio-only services, behavioral health services, direct supervision, and more.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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MedPAC Payment Basics
Series of briefs providing an of Medicare payment systems. Covers payments systems including Accountable Care Organizations (ACO), Critical Access Hospitals (CAH), Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics, hospital acute inpatient services, and more.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Series of briefs providing an of Medicare payment systems. Covers payments systems including Accountable Care Organizations (ACO), Critical Access Hospitals (CAH), Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics, hospital acute inpatient services, and more.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Medicare Payment Basics: Federally Qualified Health Center and Rural Health Clinic Payment Systems
Presents an overview of Medicare payments for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Details how the all-inclusive rate (AIR) is calculated for RHCs and how the national statutory payment limit applies to provider-based RHCs enrolled in Medicare before December 31, 2020, and whether they part of a hospital with fewer than 50 beds. Includes information on special payment rules for certain services provided by FQHCs and RHCs.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Presents an overview of Medicare payments for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Details how the all-inclusive rate (AIR) is calculated for RHCs and how the national statutory payment limit applies to provider-based RHCs enrolled in Medicare before December 31, 2020, and whether they part of a hospital with fewer than 50 beds. Includes information on special payment rules for certain services provided by FQHCs and RHCs.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Medicare Payment Basics: Outpatient Dialysis Services Payment System
Overview of Medicare payment methods for outpatient dialysis services of beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Describes the base payment rate for freestanding and hospital-based facilities and identifies facility-level adjustments, including facilities located in rural areas.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Overview of Medicare payment methods for outpatient dialysis services of beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Describes the base payment rate for freestanding and hospital-based facilities and identifies facility-level adjustments, including facilities located in rural areas.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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