The RUPRI Health Panel offers comments in response to the Committee on Ways and Means Request for Information regarding Improving Access to Health Care in Rural and Underserved Areas. The comments focus on all five topics included in the RFI. The five topics include comments on: Geographic Payment Difference: The Panel recommends that changes to …
Tag Archives: Helmsley
RUPRI Health Panel Submits Comments to Physician-Focused Payment Model TA Committee. October 2023
The RUPRI Health Panel has offered comments and resources in response to the Physician-Focused Payment Model Request for Information (RFI) regarding rural participation in population-based total cost of care models. The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation in HHS convenes the PTAC. Find the Comments Here
RUPRI Health Panel Responds to CMS Proposed Rule on 2024 Physician Fee Schedule and Medicare Part B
The RUPRI Health Panel responded to a CMS proposed rule CY 2024 Payment Policies Under the PhysicianFee Schedule and Other Changes to Part B Payment and Coverage Policies; Medicare Shared Savings Program. READ COMMENTS HERE
RUPRI Health Panel Submits Comments on HHS Smoking Cessation Framework
The RUPRI Health Panel provided comments on the HHS 2023 Smoking Cessation Framework. Read the Comments Here. To be most impactful in rural communities, the Panel recommends a broader approach to tobacco cessation, not just smoking cessation. The prevalence of smokeless tobacco (e.g., snuff, dip, snus, and chewing tobacco) is higher in rural areas than …
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RUPRI Health Panel Submits Comments on Medicare PPS Proposed Rule
The RUPRI Health Panel submitted comments on CMS-1785-P: Medicare Program: Proposed Hospital PPS for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital PPS and Policy Changes and Fiscal Year 2024 Rates Proposed Rule Read Comments HERE
Keith Mueller Presentation to the National Rural EMS & Care Conference. April 2023
Keith Mueller presented State and National EMS Policy Recommendations at the 2023 National Rural EMS & Care Conference in April 2023. View Presentation Here
RUPRI Health Panel Releases New Policy Paper, The Role of Telehealth in Achieving a High Performing Rural Health System: Priorities in a Post-Pandemic System. February 2023.
The RUPRI Health Panel has released a new brief, The Role of Telehealth in Achieving a High Performing Rural Health System: Priorities in a Post-Pandemic System, as a commentary on the preconditions for the optimum use of telehealth, looking at experiences of telehealth usage during the PHE. KEY CONSIDERATIONThe Panel continues to contribute to discussions …
RUPRI Health Panel Releases State-Based Recommendations to Support Rural Ambulance Agencies. February 2023.
The RUPRI Health Panel has released a new Policy Brief, State-Based Recommendations to Support Rural Ambulance Agencies. State-Based Recommendations• To ensure access to emergency medical services (EMS) for all rural residents, state legislatures should designate EMS as an essential service and provide a portion of the funding necessary to support the costs of maintaining essential …
RUPRI Health Panel Submits Comment Letter on Hospital PPS. September 2022
The RUPRI Health Panel submitted a comment letter to CMS responding to Request For Information CMS-4203-NC: Medicare Program: Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment Systems and Quality Reporting Programs… Rural Emergency Hospitals. READ THE COMMENT LETTER HERE
RUPRI Health Panel Submits Comments to CMS RFI 1770-P Medicare and Medicaid Programs; CY 2023 Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule; Medicare Shared Savings Program Requirements. September 2022.
The RUPRI Health Panel has submitted a response to CMS -17700P Medicare and Medicaid Programs; CY 2023 Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Changes to Part B Payment Policies; Medicare Shared Savings Program Requirements. READ THE COMMENT LETTER HERE
RUPRI Health Panel Comment Letter on Medicare Advantage Program
The RUPRI Health Panel has responded to a CMS Request for Information on the Medicare Advantage program. READ COMMENT LETTER HERE Rural Perspective on Medicare AdvantageOur comments and feedback are offered from the rural perspective, where Medicare Advantage is an increasingly important source of health care coverage. As of March 2022, MA accounted for 45.7 …
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RUPRI Health Panel Comment Letter on Access to Coverage and Care in Medicaid & CHIP. April 2022
Click Here for Comment Letter The Panel underscores the importance of recognizing the variance in demand for Medicaid access and coverage across non-metro and metro areas. In 2019, the percent of Medicaid coverage in non-metro areas was 22.4 percent, whereas in metro areas the percent of Medicaid coverage was 19.1. The three percent difference signifies …
RUPRI Health Panel Releases Comment Letter to Federal Communications Commission RFI on Promoting Telehealth in Rural America. April 2022
Click Here for Comment Letter on 47 CFR Part 54 The Panel is encouraged by the efforts of the FCC to increase broadband access for rural providers. We encourage FCC to lead an effort to quantify the actual costs of connecting and operating broadband capacity supporting access to healthcare services. With that information subsidies could …
RUPRI Health Panel Releases Comments on Rural Emergency Hospital RFI
The Panel is pleased to comment in response to the proposed rule for Medicare hospital outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) program and the Request for Information (RFI) on Rural Emergency Hospitals (REH). Our comments will focus only on the latter, Section XVII of the proposed rule, Federal Register pages 42285 – 42289. We also limit …
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RUPRI Health Panel Comment Letter on proposed changes in the CY 2021 Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule Rule. September 2021
Read comment letter here.
RUPRI Health Panel Comment Letter on Census Bureau Urban Definition. May 2021
Read comment letter here.
RUPRI Health Panel Comment Letter Responding to HHS RFI to Assess Temporary Deregulatory Actions in Response to COVID-19. December 2020.
Read comment letter here.
The Evolving Landscape of National Telehealth Policies during a Public Health Emergency: Responsiveness to Rural Needs
The coronavirus pandemic precipitated significant but temporary changes in telehealth policy and the use of telehealth services to ensure access to needed health services during a public health emergency (PHE). Extending the temporary policy changes will require statutory and regulatory action. This paper takes stock of current telehealth policies and assesses options for expanding the …
Behavioral Health in Rural America: Challenges and Opportunities
The prevalence of mental health and substance use diagnoses and unmet treatment needs are not equally distributed, with rural residence being one factor associated with these differences. Moreover, the rural context has proven challenging for ensuring the availability of and access to prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and recovery services in rural areas. This paper reviews the …
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Toward a High Performing Rural Health Care System: Key Issues and Recommendations from Rural Health Care System Innovators. Roundtable with Rural Health Innovators. RUPRI Rural Health Panel. December 2018.
Toward a High Performing Rural Health Care System: Key Issues and Recommendations from Rural Health Care System Innovators View Report On December 6-7, 2018, the Rural Health Policy Research Institute’s (RUPRI) Health Panel convened a meeting in Washington, DC, of rural health leaders from around the country to discuss strategies and models for rural health …
Primary Care: The Foundation for a High-Performance Rural Health Care System
This paper will review elements of a robust rural primary care system, including development and maintenance of a high performance rural primary care system and workforce as well as policy considerations and opportunities that address the sustainability of rural primary care. Written by Keith J. Mueller (PhD), Charlie Alfero (MA), Andrew F. Coburn (PhD), Jennifer …
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Taking Stock: Policy Opportunities for Advancing Rural Health
This paper examines the progress of health system transformation and the gaps that remain as they affect rural people, places, and providers. The health system transformation activities examined here are not limited to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA), but also touch upon activities undertaken by states, insurance plans, and public …
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Medicaid Payment and Delivery System Reform: Challenges and Opportunities for Rural Health Systems
Medicaid has grown significantly in its importance to rural health systems and communities; a higher proportion (22 percent) of rural residents was enrolled in Medicaid than Medicare (20 percent) in 2014. At the same time, the use of payment and delivery innovations has grown significantly, but varies across the U.S. As a result of expansions …
Advancing the Transition to a High-Performance Rural Health System. RUPRI Health Panel. November 2014.
In Advancing the Transition to a High-Performance Rural Health System, the RUPRI Health Panel discusses strategies and options for creating a pathway to a transformed, high-performing rural health system. This paper builds on the RUPRI Health Panel’s earlier paper that conceptually defined the core elements of a high-performance rural health system. We have also incorporated …
Access to Rural Health Care – Literature Review and New Synthesis
This report reviews important access definitions and frameworks from the literature. The review serves as a concept map to create a unique synthesis of perspectives that may be used by researches and policy makers to design or clarify access to health care providers. Prepared in August 2014 by the RUPRI Health Panel: A. Clinton MacKinney, …
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The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010: Impacts on Rural People, Places, and Providers: 2010 First and 2014 Second Look
These two policy documents from 2010 and 2014 take a first and second look at the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 and how it contributes to reshaping the health care delivery landscape, particularly in rural areas. Prepared in September 2010 and April 2014 by the RUPRI Health Panel: Andrew …
RUPRI Health Panel Provides Comments to HRSA on Designation of Frontier & Remote Areas. December 2012.
RUPRI Health Panel Provided Comments to HRSA on Proposed Designation of Frontier & Remote Areas. December 29, 2012. Read Comment Letter Here
RUPRI Health Panel Provides Comments to Office of Personnel Management regarding 45 CFR part 800 proposed rule of Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Establishment of the Multi-State Plan Program for the Affordable Insurance Exchanges. December 2012.
RUPRI Health Panel Provided Comments to 45 CFR part 800 Proposed Rule Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Establishment of the Multi-State Plan Program for the Affordable Insurance Exchanges. December 18, 2012. Read Comment Letter Here
RUPRI Health Panel Provides Comments to CMS on Health Insurance Market Rule. December 2012.
RUPRI Health Panel Provided Comments to CMS-9972-P, Proposed Rule: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Health Insurance Market Rules; Rate Review. December 18, 2012. Read Comment Letter Here
