Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Service delivery models
CMS Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Advanced Model: Year 2 Evaluation Report
Second annual report of the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Advanced (BPCI Advanced) Model, which tests whether linking payments for a clinical episode of care can reduce Medicare expenditures while maintaining or improving quality of care. Covers the period from October 1, 2018, through January 1, 2020. Describes participants in the model; clinical episodes included; the reach of the model; and the impact of BPCI Advanced on episode payments, utilization, and quality of care. Includes information on rural hospital participation in the model.
Additional links: Appendices
Author(s): The Lewin Group, Abt Associates, GDIT, Telligen
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
view details
Second annual report of the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Advanced (BPCI Advanced) Model, which tests whether linking payments for a clinical episode of care can reduce Medicare expenditures while maintaining or improving quality of care. Covers the period from October 1, 2018, through January 1, 2020. Describes participants in the model; clinical episodes included; the reach of the model; and the impact of BPCI Advanced on episode payments, utilization, and quality of care. Includes information on rural hospital participation in the model.
Additional links: Appendices
Author(s): The Lewin Group, Abt Associates, GDIT, Telligen
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
view details
Tackling America's Mental Health and Addiction Crisis Through Primary Care Integration
Explores how primary and behavioral healthcare integration can overcome the unmet needs for mental health and substance use services. Discusses barriers to integrated care delivery. Offers policy recommendations to improve the integration of primary and behavioral healthcare services through enhanced payments, training, and technical assistance, and improving access to behavioral health providers for consultation and referral.
Additional links: Infographic
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
view details
Explores how primary and behavioral healthcare integration can overcome the unmet needs for mental health and substance use services. Discusses barriers to integrated care delivery. Offers policy recommendations to improve the integration of primary and behavioral healthcare services through enhanced payments, training, and technical assistance, and improving access to behavioral health providers for consultation and referral.
Additional links: Infographic
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
view details
RideSheet: Rural Transportation Benefits from New Coordination Technology
Discusses the transportation challenges rural human services providers face, specifically regarding demand-responsive transportation. Profiles RideSheet, a tool that supports scheduling requirements of rural and frontier communities with small transit providers. Describes two transportation agencies in rural Lake County, Oregon, and their experiences before and after utilizing RideSheet.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organizations: AARP Public Policy Institute, Full Path Transit Technology
view details
Discusses the transportation challenges rural human services providers face, specifically regarding demand-responsive transportation. Profiles RideSheet, a tool that supports scheduling requirements of rural and frontier communities with small transit providers. Describes two transportation agencies in rural Lake County, Oregon, and their experiences before and after utilizing RideSheet.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organizations: AARP Public Policy Institute, Full Path Transit Technology
view details
Post-Acute Care Trajectories for Rural Medicare Beneficiaries: Planned versus Actual Hospital Discharges to Skilled Nursing Facilities and Home Health Agencies
Examines care transitions among rural fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries following discharge from an acute care hospital. Compares planned and actual discharges to home health agencies and skilled nursing facilities. Discusses implications of these findings on rural healthcare policy and practice.
Author(s): Tracy M. Mroz, Lisa A. Garberson, C. Holly A. Andrilla, et al.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
view details
Examines care transitions among rural fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries following discharge from an acute care hospital. Compares planned and actual discharges to home health agencies and skilled nursing facilities. Discusses implications of these findings on rural healthcare policy and practice.
Author(s): Tracy M. Mroz, Lisa A. Garberson, C. Holly A. Andrilla, et al.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
view details
Telehealth & Medicaid: A Policy Webinar Series
Summarizes a series of webinars on Medicaid telehealth policy changes during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics covered include telehealth policy developments related to the public health emergency (PHE), Medicaid program engagement and education of healthcare providers, patient education and engagement to increase telehealth access, and discussions of the future of telehealth policy. Offers specific examples from state-level Medicaid programs, with charts and data on telehealth utilization and outcomes.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
view details
Summarizes a series of webinars on Medicaid telehealth policy changes during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics covered include telehealth policy developments related to the public health emergency (PHE), Medicaid program engagement and education of healthcare providers, patient education and engagement to increase telehealth access, and discussions of the future of telehealth policy. Offers specific examples from state-level Medicaid programs, with charts and data on telehealth utilization and outcomes.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
view details
Telehealth Policy and Regulatory Considerations During a Pandemic
Toolkit examining policies related to telehealth regarding coverage and payment, licensing, patient privacy and security, remote prescribing, and others, noting temporary changes due to COVID-19. Offers policy recommendations and highlights other important policy areas for healthcare providers to be aware of.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Telehealth Technology Assessment Resource Center
view details
Toolkit examining policies related to telehealth regarding coverage and payment, licensing, patient privacy and security, remote prescribing, and others, noting temporary changes due to COVID-19. Offers policy recommendations and highlights other important policy areas for healthcare providers to be aware of.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Telehealth Technology Assessment Resource Center
view details
An Examination of Telehealth Policy Impacts on Initial Rural Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Patterns During the COVID‐19 Pandemic
Explores changes in the patterns of medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in western North Carolina during the COVID-19 pandemic. Examines the impact of telehealth policy changes during the pandemic on the patient population seen for MOUD, access to MOUD services for rural patients, overall MOUD clinic volume, and changes to the provision of MOUD.
Author(s): Phillip M. Hughes, Genevieve Verrastro, Carriedelle Wilson Fusco, Courtenay Gilmore Wilson, Bayla Ostrach
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 37(3), 467-472
Date: 03/2021
view details
Explores changes in the patterns of medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in western North Carolina during the COVID-19 pandemic. Examines the impact of telehealth policy changes during the pandemic on the patient population seen for MOUD, access to MOUD services for rural patients, overall MOUD clinic volume, and changes to the provision of MOUD.
Author(s): Phillip M. Hughes, Genevieve Verrastro, Carriedelle Wilson Fusco, Courtenay Gilmore Wilson, Bayla Ostrach
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 37(3), 467-472
Date: 03/2021
view details
MedPAC Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy, 2021
Annual review of Medicare payment policies, with recommendations to Congress. Includes discussion on Medicare payment policies directly affecting rural providers and beneficiaries. Addresses payment adequacy for healthcare facilities and services, improving Medicare payment for post-acute care, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D, and the impact of healthcare provider consolidation. Contains information on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Medicare beneficiary healthcare access, mortality, and service use. Presents an option for Medicare's coverage of telehealth beyond the public health emergency.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
view details
Annual review of Medicare payment policies, with recommendations to Congress. Includes discussion on Medicare payment policies directly affecting rural providers and beneficiaries. Addresses payment adequacy for healthcare facilities and services, improving Medicare payment for post-acute care, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D, and the impact of healthcare provider consolidation. Contains information on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Medicare beneficiary healthcare access, mortality, and service use. Presents an option for Medicare's coverage of telehealth beyond the public health emergency.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
view details
Innovations and Workforce Challenges for CAHs during COVID-19
Presents results from a survey of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) on hospital operation and workforce adaptations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses innovative practices adopted by CAHs related to hospital processes and clinical care. Describes how CAHs overcame workforce challenges during COVID-19.
Author(s): Madeleine Pick, Megan Lahr, Keelia Silvis, Ira Moscovice
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
view details
Presents results from a survey of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) on hospital operation and workforce adaptations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses innovative practices adopted by CAHs related to hospital processes and clinical care. Describes how CAHs overcame workforce challenges during COVID-19.
Author(s): Madeleine Pick, Megan Lahr, Keelia Silvis, Ira Moscovice
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
view details
2021 RHC Billing and Coding Update
Recording of a March 9, 2021, webinar providing an overview of coding and billing changes relevant to Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Discusses guidelines for reporting COVID-19 immunizations and monoclonal antibody infusions, telehealth coding and billing during the COVID-19 public health emergency, ICD-10-CM diagnosis coding for COVID-19, and RHC lab billing and COVID test reporting. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: AMA Code & Guideline Changes, COVID Vaccine Log, Presentation Slides, Transcript
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
view details
Recording of a March 9, 2021, webinar providing an overview of coding and billing changes relevant to Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Discusses guidelines for reporting COVID-19 immunizations and monoclonal antibody infusions, telehealth coding and billing during the COVID-19 public health emergency, ICD-10-CM diagnosis coding for COVID-19, and RHC lab billing and COVID test reporting. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: AMA Code & Guideline Changes, COVID Vaccine Log, Presentation Slides, Transcript
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
view details