Rural Health Policy – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Health Policy.
Report to Congress on Medicaid and CHIP, June 2024
Semi-annual report to Congress from the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC). Covers recommendations for increased transparency in Medicaid and CHIP financing, tools for optimizing state Medicaid agency contracts (SMACs), enrollment trends in Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs), and demographic data collection in Medicaid. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 06/2024
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Semi-annual report to Congress from the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC). Covers recommendations for increased transparency in Medicaid and CHIP financing, tools for optimizing state Medicaid agency contracts (SMACs), enrollment trends in Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs), and demographic data collection in Medicaid. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 06/2024
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Sources of Federal Funding for Health Care Facilities: Frequently Asked Questions
Provides an overview of how the federal government supports healthcare facilities, with a focus on hospitals. Discusses how Medicare and Medicaid pay acute care hospitals and for services rendered to beneficiaries and enrollees, as well as other payments these programs make. Identifies federal grants, loans, and technical assistance programs that can support health facilities. Describes how federal agencies, including the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), have supported healthcare facilities during emergencies.
Date: 06/2024
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Provides an overview of how the federal government supports healthcare facilities, with a focus on hospitals. Discusses how Medicare and Medicaid pay acute care hospitals and for services rendered to beneficiaries and enrollees, as well as other payments these programs make. Identifies federal grants, loans, and technical assistance programs that can support health facilities. Describes how federal agencies, including the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), have supported healthcare facilities during emergencies.
Date: 06/2024
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Senate Finance Committee Bipartisan Medicare GME Working Group Draft Proposal Outline and Questions for Consideration
Outlines draft policy proposals regarding the Medicare Graduate Medical Education (GME) program aimed at addressing healthcare workforce shortages. Proposals cover the distribution of Medicare GME slots to rural areas and key specialties, encouraging hospitals to train physicians in rural areas, the establishment of a Medicare GME Policy Council, GME data collection and transparency, and more. Includes questions for consideration on policies under consideration.
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Finance
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Outlines draft policy proposals regarding the Medicare Graduate Medical Education (GME) program aimed at addressing healthcare workforce shortages. Proposals cover the distribution of Medicare GME slots to rural areas and key specialties, encouraging hospitals to train physicians in rural areas, the establishment of a Medicare GME Policy Council, GME data collection and transparency, and more. Includes questions for consideration on policies under consideration.
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Finance
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Rural Health Care: Supporting Lives and Improving Communities
Presents the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance May 16, 2024, hearing on rural healthcare. Discusses the financial vulnerability of rural hospitals, the rural healthcare workforce and graduate medical education (GME), access to maternal healthcare, health information technology and telehealth, and more. Features testimony from the Chartis Center for Rural Health; Grande Ronde Hospital, a Critical Access Hospital in Oregon; the Wisconsin Collaborative for Rural Graduate Medical Education; and the Rural Policy Research Institute.
Additional links: Jeremy P. Davis, Grande Ronde Hospital - Testimony, Keith J. Mueller, Rural Policy Research Institute - Testimony, Lori Rodefeld, Wisconsin Collaborative for Rural Graduate Medical Education - Testimony, Michael Topchik, Chartis Center for Rural Health - Testimony
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Finance
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Presents the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance May 16, 2024, hearing on rural healthcare. Discusses the financial vulnerability of rural hospitals, the rural healthcare workforce and graduate medical education (GME), access to maternal healthcare, health information technology and telehealth, and more. Features testimony from the Chartis Center for Rural Health; Grande Ronde Hospital, a Critical Access Hospital in Oregon; the Wisconsin Collaborative for Rural Graduate Medical Education; and the Rural Policy Research Institute.
Additional links: Jeremy P. Davis, Grande Ronde Hospital - Testimony, Keith J. Mueller, Rural Policy Research Institute - Testimony, Lori Rodefeld, Wisconsin Collaborative for Rural Graduate Medical Education - Testimony, Michael Topchik, Chartis Center for Rural Health - Testimony
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Finance
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Markup of H.R. 8261, H.R. 7931, H.R. 8245, H.R. 8244, H.R. 8235, and H.R. 8246
Recording of a May 8, 2024, House Ways and Means Committee markup of six bills regarding rural health. Legislation covers the extension of telehealth flexibilities, location requirements for Critical Access Hospitals in mountainous areas, the rural nursing home and physician workforce, and Rural Emergency Hospital eligibility.
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: House Ways and Means Committee
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Recording of a May 8, 2024, House Ways and Means Committee markup of six bills regarding rural health. Legislation covers the extension of telehealth flexibilities, location requirements for Critical Access Hospitals in mountainous areas, the rural nursing home and physician workforce, and Rural Emergency Hospital eligibility.
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: House Ways and Means Committee
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National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services Meeting Summary, Austin, Texas, April 9-11, 2024
Summarizes the 94th meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services (NACRHHS), which was held in Austin, Texas. Presents an overview of the meeting's two areas of focus: 1) innovation and technology in rural health and human services and 2) expanding quality reporting and benchmarking in Rural Health Clinics (RHCs).
Date: 04/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Summarizes the 94th meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services (NACRHHS), which was held in Austin, Texas. Presents an overview of the meeting's two areas of focus: 1) innovation and technology in rural health and human services and 2) expanding quality reporting and benchmarking in Rural Health Clinics (RHCs).
Date: 04/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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United States Department of Health & Human Services: Plan for Promoting Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence in Automated and Algorithmic Systems by State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Governments in Public Benefit Administration
Offers guidance from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) for the use of artificial intelligence in public benefits and services funded by HHS. Discusses areas of opportunity and concerns for underserved communities, including rural residents, throughout.
Date: 04/2024
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Offers guidance from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) for the use of artificial intelligence in public benefits and services funded by HHS. Discusses areas of opportunity and concerns for underserved communities, including rural residents, throughout.
Date: 04/2024
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Report on Prevention of Out-Of-Network Ground Ambulance Emergency Service Balance Billing
Recommendations from the Ground Ambulance and Patient Billing Advisory Committee, convened between May and November, 2023, to protect consumers from balance billing and protect their access to emergency services. Features sections on rural ambulance services and community paramedicine.
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: Ground Ambulance and Patient Billing Advisory Committee
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Recommendations from the Ground Ambulance and Patient Billing Advisory Committee, convened between May and November, 2023, to protect consumers from balance billing and protect their access to emergency services. Features sections on rural ambulance services and community paramedicine.
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: Ground Ambulance and Patient Billing Advisory Committee
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Early Impacts of the Pennsylvania Rural Health Model on Potentially Avoidable Utilization
Assesses the impact of the Pennsylvania Rural Health Model (PARHM) on potentially avoidable utilization rates between 2016 and 2022 by comparing participating and non-participating hospitals. Discusses the potential impact of COVID-19 on results.
Author(s): Donald S. Bourne, Eric T. Roberts, Lindsay M. Sabik
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 2(2)
Date: 02/2024
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Assesses the impact of the Pennsylvania Rural Health Model (PARHM) on potentially avoidable utilization rates between 2016 and 2022 by comparing participating and non-participating hospitals. Discusses the potential impact of COVID-19 on results.
Author(s): Donald S. Bourne, Eric T. Roberts, Lindsay M. Sabik
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 2(2)
Date: 02/2024
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CMS Framework for Advancing Health Care in Rural, Tribal, and Geographically Isolated Communities (Webinar)
Recording of a January 2024 webinar providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Framework for Advancing Health Care in Rural, Tribal, and Geographically Isolated Communities. Discusses rural health resources, including resources on Coverage to Care, the Tribal Roadmap to Better Care, community engagement efforts, and forthcoming initiatives. Focuses on resources tailored to tribal communities.
Date: 01/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Recording of a January 2024 webinar providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Framework for Advancing Health Care in Rural, Tribal, and Geographically Isolated Communities. Discusses rural health resources, including resources on Coverage to Care, the Tribal Roadmap to Better Care, community engagement efforts, and forthcoming initiatives. Focuses on resources tailored to tribal communities.
Date: 01/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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