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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Sole Community Hospitals

Sole Community Hospitals: Early Indications Show That TRICARE's Revised Reimbursement Rules Have Not Affected Access to Care
Reports on the impact of a January 2014 revision to TRICARE's reimbursement for Sole Community Hospitals (SCHs), which serve primarily rural areas. The new TRICARE reimbursement rules approximate Medicare's for these hospitals. Looks at the impact of revised SCH reimbursement on healthcare access for servicemembers and their dependents. Findings based on claims data, as well as interviews with 10 SCHs and with national stakeholders. Appendices include information on SCHs with a high number of TRICARE admissions.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 04/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Do Current Medicare Rural Hospital Payment Systems Align with Cost Determinants?
Discusses various payment models that may affect the financial performance of rural hospitals and the variables (geographic, community, market, and hospital) that affect rural hospital costs.
Author(s): Kristin Moss, G. Mark Holmes, George H. Pink,
Date: 02/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Implications of Proposed Changes to Rural Hospital Payment Designations
Discusses the short-term policy implications of proposed changes to the designation and payment guidelines for small rural hospitals. Focuses on proposed changes to rural Medicare payments for hospitals and physicians, as well as a proposal to change the CAH distance requirements.
Date: 12/2012
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Trends in the Provision of Surgery by Rural Hospitals
Examines changes in the number of rural hospitals that provided surgery between 2001 and 2008. Shows results based on hospital location and Medicare payment classification.
Author(s): George M. Holmes, Saleema A. Karim, George H. Pink
Date: 07/2011
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Collaboration and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC)
Provides non-FQHC health care providers, including Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), with an understanding of motivating factors for FQHCs to expand the number of service sites and provide non-FQHC reimbursed services, such as laboratory and other diagnostic services.
Date: 03/2011
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Stroudwater Associates
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A Comparison of Rural Hospitals with Special Medicare Payment Provisions to Urban and Rural Hospitals Paid Under Prospective Payment
Compares the financial performance and condition of rural hospitals with special Medicare payment provisions - Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), Medicare Dependent Hospitals (MDHs), Sole Community Hospitals (SCHs), and Rural Referral Centers (RRCs) - to urban and rural hospitals paid under prospective payment.
Additional links: Findings Brief: A Financial Comparison of Rural Hospitals With Special Medicare Payment Provisions to Hospitals Paid Under Prospective Payment, 4/2010, Findings Brief: Profitability of Rural Hospitals Paid Under Prospective Payment Compared to Rural Hospitals with Special Medicare Payment Provisions, 9/2010
Author(s): G. Mark Holmes, George H. Pink, Sarah A. Friedman, Hilda A. Howard
Date: 08/2010
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Trends in Special Medicare Payments and Service Utilization for Rural Areas in the 1990s
Presents the findings of an analysis of payment trends for providers qualifying under Medicare special payment provisions for rural providers. Covers payment trends for rural hospitals, Rural Health Clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and physicians.
Author(s): Donna O. Farley, Lisa R. Shugarman, Pat Taylor, et al.
Date: 06/2002
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Utah Rural and Critical Access Hospitals Map
Interactive map providing county-level information on rural and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in Utah. Hovering over a hospital location on the map will show hospital specific information, including the hospital name, address, city, phone number, affiliation, and number of inpatient beds.
Type: Map/Mapping System
Sponsoring organization: Utah Office of Primary Care and Rural Health
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Medicare Learning Network: Acute Care Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System
Provides general information about the Medicare Acute Care Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (PPS). Includes information on Medicare Disproportionate Share Hospitals (DSHs), Sole Community Hospitals (SCHs), Medicare Dependent Hospitals (MDHs), the Rural Referral Center (RRC) Program, and Low-Volume Hospitals (LVH).
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Medicare Learning Network: Medicare Payment Systems
Provides general information about Medicare payment systems, including the DMEPOS Fee Schedule, Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Prospective Payment System (IPF PPS), Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Prospective Payment System (IRF PPS), and more. Includes links to additional resources for each provider type.
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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