Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Telehealth
Home Health Agencies: CMS Flexibilities to Fight COVID-19
Outlines specific regulatory waivers and Medicare flexibilities for home health agencies issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Includes information on whether each waiver or flexibility has been terminated, will end at the conclusion of the public health emergency, or has become permanent.
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Outlines specific regulatory waivers and Medicare flexibilities for home health agencies issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Includes information on whether each waiver or flexibility has been terminated, will end at the conclusion of the public health emergency, or has become permanent.
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Mental Health Visits via Telecommunications for Rural Health Clinics & Federally Qualified Health Centers
Details regulatory changes for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) regarding mental health visits provided through real-time audio-video and audio-only technologies. Includes information on coding for RHC and FQHC claims, in-person mental health visit requirements, and exceptions to the in-person requirement.
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Details regulatory changes for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) regarding mental health visits provided through real-time audio-video and audio-only technologies. Includes information on coding for RHC and FQHC claims, in-person mental health visit requirements, and exceptions to the in-person requirement.
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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New and Expanded Flexibilities for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs)
Provides an overview of changes to Rural Health Clinic (RHC) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) requirements and payment policies in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) and subsequent changes at the end of the PHE on May 11, 2023. Includes information on telehealth flexibilities that have continued through 2024.
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of changes to Rural Health Clinic (RHC) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) requirements and payment policies in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) and subsequent changes at the end of the PHE on May 11, 2023. Includes information on telehealth flexibilities that have continued through 2024.
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Challenges and Solutions for Disaster Behavioral Health in Rural and Remote Communities
Describes the scope and diversity of rural and remote populations across the nation, highlighting sources of strength and struggle, including the effects of stigma, for rural Americans and rural healthcare providers. Explores potential approaches to disaster behavioral health in rural and remote areas, including governmental and policy approaches, community-based approaches, and telemedicine.
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center
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Describes the scope and diversity of rural and remote populations across the nation, highlighting sources of strength and struggle, including the effects of stigma, for rural Americans and rural healthcare providers. Explores potential approaches to disaster behavioral health in rural and remote areas, including governmental and policy approaches, community-based approaches, and telemedicine.
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center
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April 2023 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) April 2023 meeting. Covers high prices of drugs covered under Medicare Part B, draft recommendations for reforming Medicare's wage index systems, aligning fee-for-service payment rates across ambulatory settings, leveraging Medicare policies to address social determinants of health, assessing post-sale rebates for prescription drugs in Medicare Part D, and assessing the need for Medicare safety net payments for skilled nursing facilities and home health agencies. Features discussions on draft reports regarding a prototype design for a post-acute care prospective payment system, telehealth in Medicare, and behavioral health in Medicare. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) April 2023 meeting. Covers high prices of drugs covered under Medicare Part B, draft recommendations for reforming Medicare's wage index systems, aligning fee-for-service payment rates across ambulatory settings, leveraging Medicare policies to address social determinants of health, assessing post-sale rebates for prescription drugs in Medicare Part D, and assessing the need for Medicare safety net payments for skilled nursing facilities and home health agencies. Features discussions on draft reports regarding a prototype design for a post-acute care prospective payment system, telehealth in Medicare, and behavioral health in Medicare. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Health Care's Role in Rural Economic Development: How Broadband Can Improve Health Outcomes
Policy brief exploring how lack of broadband infrastructure and adaptation in rural areas limits access to healthcare. Includes recommendations for policies and actions to improve the rural broadband infrastructure and promote telehealth.
Author(s): Jeremy Cannon
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Policy brief exploring how lack of broadband infrastructure and adaptation in rural areas limits access to healthcare. Includes recommendations for policies and actions to improve the rural broadband infrastructure and promote telehealth.
Author(s): Jeremy Cannon
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Association Between Broadband Capacity and Telehealth Utilization Among Medicare Fee-for-Service Beneficiaries During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Evaluates the relationship between broadband access and telehealth utilization throughout the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic, from January through September 2020, by merging county-level data from 3,107 counties focused on broadband capacity, telehealth utilization by Medicare Fee-for-Service beneficiaries, rural-urban residence, and demographic characteristics.
Author(s): Ambrish A Pandit, Ruchira V Mahashabde, Clare C Brown, et al.
Citation: Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 2023
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
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Evaluates the relationship between broadband access and telehealth utilization throughout the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic, from January through September 2020, by merging county-level data from 3,107 counties focused on broadband capacity, telehealth utilization by Medicare Fee-for-Service beneficiaries, rural-urban residence, and demographic characteristics.
Author(s): Ambrish A Pandit, Ruchira V Mahashabde, Clare C Brown, et al.
Citation: Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 2023
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
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The End of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency - Impact for RHCs
Recording of an April 5, 2023, webinar regarding how the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) impacts regulatory waivers and flexibilities related to Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides, Q&A Follow-Up, Transcript
Date: 04/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Recording of an April 5, 2023, webinar regarding how the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) impacts regulatory waivers and flexibilities related to Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides, Q&A Follow-Up, Transcript
Date: 04/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Telehealth and the Expiration of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, with Kathy Wibberly
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Kathy Wibberly, Director of the Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center. Discusses the impact of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) on rural access to telehealth services and adjustments patients and providers can anticipate as the PHE comes to an end May 11, 2023.
Date: 04/2023
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Kathy Wibberly, Director of the Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center. Discusses the impact of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) on rural access to telehealth services and adjustments patients and providers can anticipate as the PHE comes to an end May 11, 2023.
Date: 04/2023
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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The State Perspective on Rural Behavioral Health Crisis Services
Provides an overview of a 12-month State Policy Academy on Rural Mental Health Crisis Services to help five states - Montana, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, and Wisconsin - work to improve rural behavioral health crisis services. Summarizes lessons learned, successes, and next steps. Covers data-informed strategies, cross-state and stakeholder partnerships, financing and funding approaches, the behavioral health workforce, and telehealth.
Author(s): Miriam Pearsall, Sandra Wilkniss
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Provides an overview of a 12-month State Policy Academy on Rural Mental Health Crisis Services to help five states - Montana, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, and Wisconsin - work to improve rural behavioral health crisis services. Summarizes lessons learned, successes, and next steps. Covers data-informed strategies, cross-state and stakeholder partnerships, financing and funding approaches, the behavioral health workforce, and telehealth.
Author(s): Miriam Pearsall, Sandra Wilkniss
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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