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
Tag Archives: Public Policy
RUPRI Health Panel Releases New Paper on Payment Policies and Implications for Rural Hospitals. December 2022
The RUPRI Health Panel Releases Evolution of Hospital Designations & Payment in the U.S.: Implications for Rural Hospitals Rural hospital closures have increased over the past few decades, and more are at risk for closure. Medicare hospital payment policies affecting rural hospitals play a significant role in the financial viability of rural hospitals. Programs have …
RUPRI Releases Nursing Homes in Rural America: A Chartbook. July 2022
The RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis released a Nursing Homes in Rural America Chartbook. Policymakers are increasingly concerned about the availability of post-acute care and long-term care services in rural areas. In this chartbook, we define nursing homes as Medicare and/or Medicaid certified facilities providing post-acute care (skilled nursing facilities) and/or long-term care …
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RUPRI Health Panel Releases New Report, Meeting The Behavioral Health Needs of Farm Families in Times of Economic Distress. February 2022.
Meeting the Behavioral Health Needs of Farm Families in Times of Economic Distress. Given recent global economic and climate trends, including those induced by the COVID-19 public health emergency, behavioral health consequences related to economic distress will likely continue as a public health concern for the foreseeable future. The RUPRI Health Panel offers guidance for …
RUPRI Health Panel Releases Updated High Performing Rural Health System Brief.
This document updates the RUPRI Health Panel’s framework for a high-performing rural health care system, originally published in 2011. It offers a revised vision statement and updates the high-performing rural health system pillars (access, affordability, community health, and quality), and describes an underlying base of equity considerations. Abstract: This brief presents the RUPRI Health Panel’s …
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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 Founder & President Emeritus Chuck Fluharty Interviewed for Campbell Conversations on WRVO Public Media
Many prominent voices both inside and outside of government are calling on President Biden to focus more attention on rural issues, and even appoint a rural czar to coordinate the effort. On this episode of the Campbell Conversations, Grant Reeher speaks with Charles Fluharty, founder and President Emeritus of the Rural Policy Research Institute at …
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 …
Legatum Institute Releases State by State Prosperity Index at American Enterprise Institute
July 18, 2019 @ 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Prosperity entails much more than wealth; it reaches way beyond the financial and into the well-being and character of a nation and its institutions. It is about creating an environment where citizens can reach their full potential. A nation is prosperous when it has an open economy, an …
Fiscal, Economic, and Social Effects of Immigration in the Hoosier State
View Study This study details the current realities and implications of immigration in Indiana as a whole, including effects on demographics, education, wealth and poverty, employment, and the labor market. Study sponsored by Conexus Indiana. Written at Ball State University by Emily J. Wornell, PhD and Michael J. Hicks, PhD; published May 13, 2019. To …
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Policy Opportunities for Advancing Rural Health
This presentation describes the transformation in the finance and delivery of health systems as well as exploring social determinants of health. High-performance rural health systems are influenced by policy actions. Presented by Keith Mueller (PhD), Andrew Coburn (PhD), Jennifer Lundblad (PhD), Timothy McBride (PhD) at the Annual Conference of the National Rural Health Association in …
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RUPRI Founder Chuck Fluharty Presented At NASAA Arts and Rural Prosperity Briefing
RUPRI Founder & President Emeritus Chuck Fluharty presented at the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies Arts and Rural Prosperity Capitol Hill Briefing on May 2nd, 2019. View Presentation
Health Affairs blog Features RUPRI Writing on Affordable Health Insurance Options in Rural Areas
The Health Affairs blog recently featured a piece by Abigail Barker, Timothy McBride & Keith Mueller of the RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis, examining whether the health insurance market can deliver affordable health insurance options in rural areas. Can the Market Deliver Affordable Health Insurance for Rural Areas, discusses the multiple challenges that rural areas …
RUPRI Scholars’ Research on Rural Intergenerational Mobility featured in CityLab
RUPRI Scholars, Bruce Weber, and Matt Fannin, and their colleagues, Kathleen Miller and Stephan Goetz, have recently released research that shows that average upward mobility is greater for youth in nonmetropolitan counties than in metropolitan counties. CityLab, a publication of Atlantic Media dedicated to examining life and development in our nation’s cities, featured this work in a …
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David Terrell, Executive Director of RUPRI Center for State Policy, spoke at Harvard Conference on Rural America, Video Recording Now Available
David Terrell, Executive Director of the RUPRI Center for State Policy and the Indiana Communities Institute spoke at a Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health conference on Rural America, co-sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and National Public Radio. David joined other speakers to discuss the Health and Economic Concerns of Rural …
RUPRI Research on Rural Pharmacy Closures featured in US New & World Report
Ongoing research on rural pharmacy closures by the RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis was featured in a US News & World Report article, Rural Pharmacies and Closing: Where Does That Leave Patients. “IN RURAL AND SMALL-TOWN America, independent pharmacies play a vital role for the customers who rely on them. However, U.S. rural pharmacies are dwindling. Since …
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John Davis Named 2018-2020 RUPRI Senior Policy Fellow
The Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) is honored to announce that John Davis, who recently retired as Executive Director of Lanesboro Arts in Minnesota, has been named a 2018-2020 RUPRI Senior Policy Fellow. “We are thrilled and honored that John will serve as a RUPRI Senior Policy Fellow, contributing to our emerging Rural Cultural Wealth …
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2018 Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation Conference
October 10, 2018 – October 12, 2018 THE 2018 CANADIAN RURAL REVITALIZATION FOUNDATION CONFERENCE IS ALL ABOUT BRINGING TOGETHER PRACTITIONERS, POLICY MAKERS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND RESEARCHERS INTERESTED IN RURAL AREAS. THIS CONFERENCE IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE YOUR OWN SUCCESSES, LEARN FROM A DIVERSE GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS, AND HEAR THE LATEST ON ISSUES THAT MATTER TO …
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LIVE Stream 9:00 Central October 9: RUPRI Scholars present Lecture “Details of the Rural Health Framework-A Comprehensive Measure of Economic Well-Being
October 9, 2018 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am On October 9, RUPRI Scholars, Dr. Tom Johnson & Dr. Matt Fannin, will present a lecture on the “Details of the Rural Health Framework – A Comprehensive Measure of Economic Well-Being” to faculty and students at the University of Iowa’s College of Public Health.
RUPRI’s Rural Health Research Findings included in new GAO Report on Rural Hospital Closures
The United States Government Accountability Office was asked by Members of Congress to examine Rural Hospital Closures and the Number and Characteristics of Affected Hospitals and Contributing Factors. Research and policy considerations from the RUPRI Health Panel, the RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis and Rural Health Value, in partnership with Stratis Health, were included in the report. GAO’s analysis …
RUPRI’s Director of National Policy Programs, Jocelyn Richgels, Discusses Smmertime Experiences of Rural Children
Jocelyn Richgels, director of national policy programs for the Rural Policy Research Institute, was an invited panelist at a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine information gathering session held Sept. 19 in Washington, D.C. The session was convened by the Committee on Summertime Experiences and Child and Adolescent Education, Health, and Safety. The committee, …
HHS National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services Fall Meeting
September 10, 2018 – September 12, 2018 The Secretary’s National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services (NACRHHS) has scheduled a public meeting for September 10-12. The meeting will be held in CHarlotte, NC, along with site visits to rural North Carolina. Information about NACRHHS and the agenda for this meeting can be found on the NACRHHS website. During the …
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Teresa Kittridge Presents at the Rural Policy Forum
Teresa Kittridge presented a Keynote Presentation at the 2018 Rural Policy Form, held August 8-10, 2018, in Wickenburg, Arizona. This gathering of rural economic development professionals, nonprofits, community leaders, business owners, tribal communities, and other rural stakeholders who are interested in sustaining rural communities is unlike anything of its kind. The forum is presented by the Local First …
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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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Insuring Rural America: Health Insurance Challenges and Opportunities
This paper discusses the realities and challenges of designing a market structure that will result in affordable health insurance being offered in rural markets, and reviews the rural implications of policies affecting rural health insurance markets and health systems. Written by Keith J. Mueller (PhD), Charlie Alfero (MA), Andrew F. Coburn (PhD), Jennifer P. Lundblad …
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Chuck Fluharty and Savannah Barrett participate in National Governors Association Experts’ Roundtable
RUPRI President and CEO Chuck Fluharty and RUPRI National Director of Next Generation Programs recently participated in an invited experts roundtable hosted by the National Governors Association, the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Leveraging the Creative Sector to Strengthen Rural Economic Development took place at the Hall of States on …
RUPRI President & CEO delivers keynote at NACo Placemaking Challenge Workshop
RUPRI President and CEO Chuck Fluharty delivered the keynote presentation at the National Association of County’s Placemaking Challenge Workshop, held March 28th-30th in Des Moines, Iowa. About the NACo Placemaking Challenge: As public funding becomes increasingly strained, counties must search for and employ new strategies to improve their communities and local economies. NACo, in partnership …
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The Race to Value-Based Payment
Presented by Keith J. Mueller, PhD (Director, RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis) to Pennsylvania Rural Health Model Summit in Harrisburg, PA on April 11, 2018. View Presentation
Owensboro Gathering a win for Food, Art, and Health in Kentucky!
This week, RUPRI partnered with the Kentucky Arts Council, Owensboro Health, the Kentucky Highlands Investment Corporation, and Art of the Rural to host a statewide conversation in Owensboro, KY about the dynamic intersection of food, art and health. More than seventy-five people travelled to Owensboro to attend the event, which offered participants a broad understanding of …
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LIVESTREAM National Conference: Multidisciplinary social science conference on rural poverty in the United States on the 50th Anniversary of the 1967 report of the President’s National Advisory Commission on Rural Poverty entitled The People Left Behind.
March 21, 2018 – March 22, 2018 An Invited conference lifting up multidisciplinary social science research on rural poverty in the United States on the 50th Anniversary of the 1967 report of the President’s National Advisory Commission on Rural Poverty entitled The People Left Behind. This report focused attention on the economic and social conditions of the 14 million …
Rural Poverty, Fifty Years After The People Left Behind – A Research Conference. Looking Backward and Forward.
An Invited conference lifting up multidisciplinary social science research on rural poverty in the United States on the 50thAnniversary of the 1967 report of the President’s National Advisory Commission on Rural Poverty entitled The People Left Behind. This report focused attention on the economic and social conditions of the 14 million rural people living in poverty, …
NACo Webinar:Building Arts-Driven Community and Economic Development Solutions for Your County
December 12, 2017 Join us on December 12th at 2:00 -3:15 EST for this interactive webinar to learn how counties are improving their economies and building thriving communities by leveraging their creativity and their arts and culture assets. Local communities will discuss their creative solutions to local challenges. AGENDA Introduction to webinar (Jenna Moran, Program …
RUPRI Rural Cultural Wealth Lab highlighted in NEA press release: New Research Highlights Economic Impact of the Arts in Rural Communities National Endowment for the Arts Releases Rural Arts, Design, and Innovation in America Online Conversation at #NEArural
Washington, DC—Rural arts organizations draw more non-local audiences to their venues and report greater civic leadership and customer connectedness than their urban peers, according to a new research report, Rural Arts, Design, & Innovation in America: Research Findings from the Rural Establishment Innovation Survey. Published by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the report is …
Public Transformation Exhibition Opening Events
October 20, 2017 – October 22, 2017 RUPRI partner Art of the Rural will present Public Transformation, a cross-country documentary art project highlighting how rural-based artists and arts organizations make their communities a more vibrant, healthy, connected place to live, at their Outpost Winona space October 20-22. Ashley Hanson’s little yellow school bus acted as a mobile artist residency to document …
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Assessing Indiana’s E-Readiness in the Development of the Digital Society
View Report This study seeks to bridge the gaps in research on the relationship between broadband accessibility and human development by assessing the e-readiness of Indiana counties. Written by Srikant Devaraj, PhD; Sushil Sharma, PhD; Emily J. Wornell, PhD; and Michael J. Hicks, PhD (Ball State University); published Oct. 5, 2017.
After Hospital Closure: Pursuing High Performance Rural Health System without Inpatient Care
The RUPRI Health Panel describes opportunities for rural communities to develop a high-performance rural health system after hospital closure, including three case studies that describe real-world transitions from a hospital-based locus of care to new models of care delivery in rural places. After Hospital Closure: Pursuing High Performance Rural Health System without Inpatient Care This paper describes …
Written Statement for the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
This statement discusses the structural challenges in the current agricultural economy and how farm programs address the challenges facing farms as well as the structural challenges facing the rural economy and how rural development programs address these inherent challenges. The takeaway is that place-based Federal rural investments stimulated income and job growth and reduced poverty …
Footloose Jobs & Urbanization
Footloose Jobs & Urbanization: Recent History and Policy Considerations for Indiana This policy brief outlines the recent history of footloose and non-footloose jobs in Indiana, including regional changes in rural and urban employment. We also examine economic development policy and suggest future models for consideration. Written by Michael J. Hicks, PhD (Center for Business and …
RUPRI President Fluharty presents to USC at series of lectures focused on issues impacting rural communities
March 21, 2017
Chuck Fluharty, President of RUPRI, presented the Public Policy Luncheon address
RUPRI President presented the Public Policy Luncheon address, during the Southern Early Childhood Association’s 68th Annual Conference, March 10th, 2017, in Biloxi, Mississippi. View Flyer View Presentation
RUPRI Health Center releases report on the Changing Rural and Urban Enrollment in State Medicaid Programs
The RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis has analyzed Medicaid enrollment in a new brief, Changing Rural and Urban Enrollment in State Medicaid Programs and found that growth was happened in most states, but was largest in expansion states and metropolitan areas generally had higher growth than micropolitan and rural areas. County-level data on Medicaid enrollment …
RUPRI Health Center Releases Report on Rural Enrollment in Health Insurance Marketplaces
The RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis has released a brief, 2016 Rural Enrollment in Health Insurance Marketplaces, by State. The data shows that about half of all states had higher enrollment growth in non-metropolitan areas than metropolitan areas. In this brief, cumulative county-level enrollment in Health Insurance Marketplaces (HIMs) through March 2016 is presented …
RUPRI Named NEA National Research Lab
Washington, DC – The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) announces the first projects funded through a new program, NEA Research Labs. The cross-sector projects supported through the program investigate how the arts contribute to positive outcomes for individuals and communities. The NEA will fund four inaugural projects totaling $598,600 that will yield insights for …
Next Generation Rural Creative Placemaking Summit, Iowa City
October 12, 2016 – October 14, 2016 We invite you to join us in Iowa for Next Generation: A Rural Creative Placemaking Summit. The Summit is designed to enhance cross-sector collaboration, elevate intercultural perspectives within the field, and build policy presence for deeper consideration of rural creative placemaking. The event will be held October 12-14, 2016 at the …
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Live stream: National Next Generation Rural Creative Placemaking Summit at the University of Iowa
October 12- October 14, 2016 We invite you to join us in Iowa for Next Generation: A Rural Creative Placemaking Summit. The Summit was designed to enhance cross-sector collaboration, elevate intercultural perspectives within the field, and build policy presence for deeper consideration of rural creative placemaking. Held October 12-14, 2016 at the University of Iowa, this …
University of Iowa, College of Public Health: Summit explores role of arts, culture in enhancing rural communities
People living in rural communities need the same access as their urban counterparts, not only to clean water, jobs, housing and other basic standards of living, but art and culture, as well, note the backers of a growing movement called “rural creative placemaking.” Led by the Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) in the University of Iowa College …
RUPRI Leader, Dr Bruce Weber to present at Agricultural and Applied Economics Association meetings – Boston
July 31, 2016 – August 2, 2016 The Agricultural & Applied Economics Association (AAEA) is a not-for-profit association serving the professional interests of members working in agricultural and broadly related fields of applied economics. Members of the AAEA are employed by academic or government institutions, as well as in industry and not-for-profit organizations, and engage in a …
Rural Medicare Advantage Market Dynamics and Quality: Historical Context and Current Implications
In this policy brief, we assess variation in Medicare’s star quality ratings of Medicare Advantage (MA) plans that are available to rural beneficiaries. Evidence from the recent Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) quality demonstration suggests that market dynamics, i.e., firms entering and exiting the MA marketplace, play a role in quality improvement. Therefore, …
RUPRI Health Panel member, Jennifer Lundblad, discusses rural hospital innovation
In Health & Hospitals Networks latest publication, Jennifer Lundblad, RUPRI Health Panel Member and president and CEO of Stratis Health, discusses how rural hospitals and rural communities are well-positioned to create innovative population health and wellness programs. “A rural environment lends itself to population health and wellness,” she says. “Providers probably know the patient and their family, they …
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Local food hub sprouts in Little Falls Minnesota: Former Crestliner building takes new roots
RUPRI leader Cheryal Lee Hills, Executive Director Region Five in MN, is a member of the RUPRI State Policy Panel and Next Generation National Advisory Board. Cheryal and collaborator Arlene Jones launched “Sprout” on Friday, April 1st in Little Falls MN – with many funders, partners and contributors. RUPRI was honored to participate in this …
