Rural Home Health Services – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Home Health Services.
Home Health Agencies Used Multiple Strategies to Respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Although Some Challenges Persist
Presents results of a survey of home health agencies (HHAs) conducted between September through December 2021 to explore the challenges they faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses challenges related to staffing, infection control, the use of telehealth, and the adequacy of emergency preparedness plans, as well as challenges specific to rural HHAs. Provides recommendations for how the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) can help HHAs prepare for and respond to current and future infectious disease outbreaks and changes to the home health care landscape.
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Presents results of a survey of home health agencies (HHAs) conducted between September through December 2021 to explore the challenges they faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses challenges related to staffing, infection control, the use of telehealth, and the adequacy of emergency preparedness plans, as well as challenges specific to rural HHAs. Provides recommendations for how the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) can help HHAs prepare for and respond to current and future infectious disease outbreaks and changes to the home health care landscape.
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Availability of Home Health Services in Minoritized Racial/Ethnic Group Areas
Explores the availability of home health care nationwide across ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) categorized by rurality and racial and ethnic composition. Provides data on the characteristics of home health agencies that serve rural areas and a high proportion of minoritized ethnic and racial groups, as well as the percent of ZCTAs served by one or no home health agencies by Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) Code.
Author(s): Janice C. Probst, Gabriel Benavidez, Nicholas Yell, Jan Eberth, Melinda Merrell
Date: 08/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
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Explores the availability of home health care nationwide across ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) categorized by rurality and racial and ethnic composition. Provides data on the characteristics of home health agencies that serve rural areas and a high proportion of minoritized ethnic and racial groups, as well as the percent of ZCTAs served by one or no home health agencies by Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) Code.
Author(s): Janice C. Probst, Gabriel Benavidez, Nicholas Yell, Jan Eberth, Melinda Merrell
Date: 08/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
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Report to Congress: Unified Payment for Medicare-Covered Post-Acute Care
Presents a prototype for a Unified Post-acute Care (PAC) prospective payment system (PPS) that would set payment for PAC services on the basis of the clinical characteristics of the patient rather than the type of provider. Details the structure of the prototype and the data used in the analyses to design and calibrate the PPS. Explores key considerations for unifying PAC payment, such as cost-sharing and value-based payment. Includes data on PAC provider characteristics, including facility size and rural status, as well as rural payment adjustments.
Additional links: Appendices
Author(s): Benjamin Silver, Anne Deutsch, Nicole Coomer, et al.
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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Presents a prototype for a Unified Post-acute Care (PAC) prospective payment system (PPS) that would set payment for PAC services on the basis of the clinical characteristics of the patient rather than the type of provider. Details the structure of the prototype and the data used in the analyses to design and calibrate the PPS. Explores key considerations for unifying PAC payment, such as cost-sharing and value-based payment. Includes data on PAC provider characteristics, including facility size and rural status, as well as rural payment adjustments.
Additional links: Appendices
Author(s): Benjamin Silver, Anne Deutsch, Nicole Coomer, et al.
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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Quality of Home Health Agencies Serving Rural Medicare Beneficiaries
Describes a study examining the quality of home health agencies (HHAs) that serve rural beneficiaries, based on ratings from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services star rating system. Features statistics including characteristics of HHAs, patient care ratings, and patient experience ratings in 2018 by rural-serving status.
Date: 02/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Describes a study examining the quality of home health agencies (HHAs) that serve rural beneficiaries, based on ratings from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services star rating system. Features statistics including characteristics of HHAs, patient care ratings, and patient experience ratings in 2018 by rural-serving status.
Date: 02/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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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
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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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
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Left Behind Again: Rural Home Health Services in a Medicaid Pediatric Accountable Care Organization
Examines differences in pediatric home healthcare utilization among rural and urban children in a Medicaid pediatric Accountable Care Organization (ACO) in Ohio. Analyzes overall differences in healthcare use and annual trends in home health use by rurality and Medicaid eligibility group. Discusses how these findings could inform state policies and future research.
Author(s): Rose Y. Hardy, Gilbert C. Liu, Kimberly J. Conkol, Sean P. Gleeson, Kelly J. Kelleher
Citation: Journal of Rural Health
Date: 2021
Type: Document
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Examines differences in pediatric home healthcare utilization among rural and urban children in a Medicaid pediatric Accountable Care Organization (ACO) in Ohio. Analyzes overall differences in healthcare use and annual trends in home health use by rurality and Medicaid eligibility group. Discusses how these findings could inform state policies and future research.
Author(s): Rose Y. Hardy, Gilbert C. Liu, Kimberly J. Conkol, Sean P. Gleeson, Kelly J. Kelleher
Citation: Journal of Rural Health
Date: 2021
Type: Document
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The Impact of Medicare's Rural Add-on Payments on Supply of Home Health Agencies Serving Rural Counties
Examines how Medicare rural add-on payments affected the number of home health agencies serving rural counties between 2002-2017. Compares the population-adjusted number of home health agencies in urban, urban-adjacent non-urban-adjacent rural counties during periods with add-on payments and without add-on payments. Discusses implications for revised and future add-on payments to maintain or increase the supply of rural home health agencies.
Author(s): Tracy M. Mroz, Davis G. Patterson, Bianca K. Frogner
Citation: Health Affairs, 39(6), 949-957
Date: 06/2020
Type: Document
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Examines how Medicare rural add-on payments affected the number of home health agencies serving rural counties between 2002-2017. Compares the population-adjusted number of home health agencies in urban, urban-adjacent non-urban-adjacent rural counties during periods with add-on payments and without add-on payments. Discusses implications for revised and future add-on payments to maintain or increase the supply of rural home health agencies.
Author(s): Tracy M. Mroz, Davis G. Patterson, Bianca K. Frogner
Citation: Health Affairs, 39(6), 949-957
Date: 06/2020
Type: Document
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There's No Place Like Home: Home Health Care in Rural America
Recording of testimony by providers of rural home health care and representatives of home health and hospice organizations, in a hearing held by the United States Senate Special Committee on Aging on February 12, 2020. Addresses challenges including workforce shortages and limitations in Medicare coverage for needed services.
Additional links: Testimony of Francis Adams, Testimony of Leigh Ann Howard, Testimony of Warren Hebert, Testimony of William A. Dombi
Date: 02/2020
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging
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Recording of testimony by providers of rural home health care and representatives of home health and hospice organizations, in a hearing held by the United States Senate Special Committee on Aging on February 12, 2020. Addresses challenges including workforce shortages and limitations in Medicare coverage for needed services.
Additional links: Testimony of Francis Adams, Testimony of Leigh Ann Howard, Testimony of Warren Hebert, Testimony of William A. Dombi
Date: 02/2020
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging
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Rural Post-Acute Care: Healthcare Leaders Offer Practical Solutions to Workforce Challenges
Describes methods for preparing and supporting healthcare workers who provide post-acute care in rural areas. Highlights programs that empower and train staff, maximize community partnerships, involve community health workers, and use telemonitoring.
Author(s): Jenn Lukens
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 05/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Describes methods for preparing and supporting healthcare workers who provide post-acute care in rural areas. Highlights programs that empower and train staff, maximize community partnerships, involve community health workers, and use telemonitoring.
Author(s): Jenn Lukens
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 05/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Rural Post-Acute Care: Improving Transitions to Enhance Patient Recovery
Highlights approaches that are improving patient transitions from acute care to post-acute care (PAC) in rural settings. Features a tertiary facility's communication with skilled nursing facilities in Tennessee and Kentucky, a Nebraska Critical Access Hospital's swing bed program, and a home health agency serving rural Maine.
Author(s): Jenn Lukens
Date: 05/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Highlights approaches that are improving patient transitions from acute care to post-acute care (PAC) in rural settings. Features a tertiary facility's communication with skilled nursing facilities in Tennessee and Kentucky, a Nebraska Critical Access Hospital's swing bed program, and a home health agency serving rural Maine.
Author(s): Jenn Lukens
Date: 05/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Last Updated: 10/17/2024