Rural Health
Resources by Type: Document
Impact of COVID-19 on Clinical Trials Costs to Patients
Examines the direct and indirect costs of COVID-19 clinical trial participation to patients and the impact of utilizing remote technologies. Presents an environmental scan of articles published between 2010 and 2023 and discusses barriers to clinical trial participation experienced by underrepresented and rural populations.
Author(s): Keri Calkins, Emily Crabtree, Emily Harrison, Nyna Williams, Kirsten Barrett
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Mathematica
view details
Examines the direct and indirect costs of COVID-19 clinical trial participation to patients and the impact of utilizing remote technologies. Presents an environmental scan of articles published between 2010 and 2023 and discusses barriers to clinical trial participation experienced by underrepresented and rural populations.
Author(s): Keri Calkins, Emily Crabtree, Emily Harrison, Nyna Williams, Kirsten Barrett
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Mathematica
view details
Characteristics of Adults Age 18 and Older Who Took Prescription Medication for Depression: United States, 2023
Provides 2023 data on the characteristics of adults who took prescription medication for depression. Includes a breakdown by region and urbanization level, including nonmetropolitan, medium and small metropolitan, large fringe metropolitan, or large central metropolitan area.
Author(s): Nazik Elgaddal, Julie D. Weeks, Laryssa Mykyta
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
view details
Provides 2023 data on the characteristics of adults who took prescription medication for depression. Includes a breakdown by region and urbanization level, including nonmetropolitan, medium and small metropolitan, large fringe metropolitan, or large central metropolitan area.
Author(s): Nazik Elgaddal, Julie D. Weeks, Laryssa Mykyta
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
view details
April 2025 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) April 2025 meeting. Covers physician fee schedule updates and improving the accuracy of relative payment rates; structural differences between the stand-alone prescription drug plan (PDP) and Medicare Advantage–Prescription Drug plan (MA–PD) markets; the utilization and delivery of Medicare Advantage supplemental benefits; the effect of Medicare Advantage on rural hospitals; paying for software technologies in Medicare; access to hospice and certain services under the hospice benefit for beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease and beneficiaries with cancer; and regulations, star ratings, and fee-for-service Medicare policies aimed at improving nursing home quality.
Additional links: Exploring the Effect of Medicare Advantage on Rural Hospitals
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
view details
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) April 2025 meeting. Covers physician fee schedule updates and improving the accuracy of relative payment rates; structural differences between the stand-alone prescription drug plan (PDP) and Medicare Advantage–Prescription Drug plan (MA–PD) markets; the utilization and delivery of Medicare Advantage supplemental benefits; the effect of Medicare Advantage on rural hospitals; paying for software technologies in Medicare; access to hospice and certain services under the hospice benefit for beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease and beneficiaries with cancer; and regulations, star ratings, and fee-for-service Medicare policies aimed at improving nursing home quality.
Additional links: Exploring the Effect of Medicare Advantage on Rural Hospitals
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
view details
Fiscal Year 2026 Medicare Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Prospective Payment System and Quality Reporting Updates Proposed Rule CMS-1831-P Fact Sheet
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) fiscal year 2026 inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS) proposed rule. Covers proposed annual updates to the prospective payment rates, outlier threshold, and wage index. Also describes proposed changes to facility-level adjustment factors for teaching status and rural location.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
view details
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) fiscal year 2026 inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS) proposed rule. Covers proposed annual updates to the prospective payment rates, outlier threshold, and wage index. Also describes proposed changes to facility-level adjustment factors for teaching status and rural location.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
view details
Initiating Research in Indian Country: Lessons From the Strong Heart Study
Discusses the process of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) initiating studies to examine cardiovascular disease in rural and remote areas, isolated populations, and sovereign nations. Discusses the steps in conducting research with a focus on building trust, transparent implementation, and mutual feedback and results sharing.
Author(s): Barbara V. Howard, Elisa T. Lee, Thomas K. Welty, Richard R. Fabsitz
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 22
Date: 04/2025
view details
Discusses the process of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) initiating studies to examine cardiovascular disease in rural and remote areas, isolated populations, and sovereign nations. Discusses the steps in conducting research with a focus on building trust, transparent implementation, and mutual feedback and results sharing.
Author(s): Barbara V. Howard, Elisa T. Lee, Thomas K. Welty, Richard R. Fabsitz
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 22
Date: 04/2025
view details
Are HHC Scores a Reliable Health Status Indicator Across Rural and Urban Areas?
Examines differences in Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Hierarchical Condition Category (HCC) risk scores between rural and urban Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) beneficiaries and analyzes which factors drive observed differences. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban, large rural, small rural, and isolated rural areas for 4 chronic conditions in 2019-2020.
Author(s): Craig D. Holden, Alana Knudson, Marilyn Klug, Samantha Augenbraun, Shena Popat
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: ETSU/NORC Rural Health Research Center
view details
Examines differences in Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Hierarchical Condition Category (HCC) risk scores between rural and urban Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) beneficiaries and analyzes which factors drive observed differences. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban, large rural, small rural, and isolated rural areas for 4 chronic conditions in 2019-2020.
Author(s): Craig D. Holden, Alana Knudson, Marilyn Klug, Samantha Augenbraun, Shena Popat
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: ETSU/NORC Rural Health Research Center
view details
Notes from the Field: Suicidal Thoughts and Knowing Someone Who Died by Suicide Among Adults — United States, 2023
Estimates the number of U.S. adults who had suicidal thoughts during the past 12 months and the number who personally knew someone who died by suicide. Includes data by metropolitan and nonmetro areas.
Author(s): Bhavna Singichetti, Jing Wang, Robin Lee, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 74(12), 213-215
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
view details
Estimates the number of U.S. adults who had suicidal thoughts during the past 12 months and the number who personally knew someone who died by suicide. Includes data by metropolitan and nonmetro areas.
Author(s): Bhavna Singichetti, Jing Wang, Robin Lee, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 74(12), 213-215
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
view details
Controlled Substance Prescribing Patterns Among Fatal Overdose Decedents with an Opioid, Stimulant, or Both Contributing to Death — Pennsylvania, 2017–2022
Reports on deaths involving opioids without stimulants, deaths involving stimulants without opioids, and deaths involving both opioids and stimulants in Pennsylvania between 2017 and 2022. Includes data for rural and urban areas. Discusses the role of opioid prescribing on overdose deaths.
Author(s): Stephanie Hayden, Stanley M. Murzynski, Ashley Bolton, Carrie Thomas Goetz
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 74(12), 205-209
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
view details
Reports on deaths involving opioids without stimulants, deaths involving stimulants without opioids, and deaths involving both opioids and stimulants in Pennsylvania between 2017 and 2022. Includes data for rural and urban areas. Discusses the role of opioid prescribing on overdose deaths.
Author(s): Stephanie Hayden, Stanley M. Murzynski, Ashley Bolton, Carrie Thomas Goetz
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 74(12), 205-209
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
view details
2025 Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) At-A-Glance Reporting Options for Small Practices
Provides a comparison of the three Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) reporting options for MIPS-eligible clinicians in small practices: Traditional MIPS, MIPS Value Pathways (MVP), and Alternative Payment Model (APM) Performance Pathway (APP). Highlights data submission and performance category weighting and flexibilities for small practices.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
view details
Provides a comparison of the three Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) reporting options for MIPS-eligible clinicians in small practices: Traditional MIPS, MIPS Value Pathways (MVP), and Alternative Payment Model (APM) Performance Pathway (APP). Highlights data submission and performance category weighting and flexibilities for small practices.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
view details
County Characteristics Associated With Receipt of Food Boxes Through the Farmers to Families Food Box Program
Reports on county-level food box distribution through the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box Program between May 2020 and May 2021. Provides data on program funding and characteristics of food distributed by program round. Examines associations between likelihood of receiving food boxes and county-level rurality, access to food, and other demographic factors.
Additional links: Report Summary
Author(s): Keenan Marchesi, Saied Toossi, Katy Georg
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
view details
Reports on county-level food box distribution through the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box Program between May 2020 and May 2021. Provides data on program funding and characteristics of food distributed by program round. Examines associations between likelihood of receiving food boxes and county-level rurality, access to food, and other demographic factors.
Additional links: Report Summary
Author(s): Keenan Marchesi, Saied Toossi, Katy Georg
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
view details