RUPRI Health Center Examines Rural Premium Trends in Health Insurance Marketplace

Health Insurance Marketplaces: Premium Trends in Rural Areas Since 2014, when the Health Insurance Marketplaces (HIMs) authorized by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) were implemented, considerable premium changes have been observed in the marketplaces. This policy brief from the RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis assesses the changes in average HIM …

RUPRI Health Center Examines Beneficiary Assignment Updates in Medicare ACOs

Medicare Accountable Care Organizations: Beneficiary Assignment Update  This brief updates Brief No. 2014-3 and explains changes in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Accountable Care Organization (ACO) regulations issued in June 2015 pertaining to beneficiary assignment for Medicare Shared Savings Program ACOs. Overall, the regulatory changes are intended to (1) encourage ACOs to …

RUPRI President, Chuck Fluharty, to participate in discussion of White House Rural Council at NADO Policy Conference

April 5, 2016 @ 10:15 am – 11:15 am The Future of the White House Rural Council Established by President Obama in 2011, the White House Rural Council has provided a framework for addressing challenges in rural America. In launching several successful initiatives designed to grow the rural economy, the council has worked to streamline federal programs, …

Featured RUPRI Leader: Jennifer Lundblad

Jennifer is the President and CEO of Stratis Health, a non-profit based in Minnesota that focuses on collaboration and innovation in health care quality and safety. She has been a member of the RUPRI Health Panel since 2009, in addition to Stratis Health and RURPI partnering on a national Rural Health Value Project that focuses …

Webinar: Are some Rural Areas of the US seeing a Drop in Life Expectancy and Increased Mortality? —– RUPRI National Policy Programs Director, Jocelyn Richgels will be presenting

January 28, 2016 The National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services will host a Webinar on January 28, 2016 at 2:00 pm ET on its recent Policy Brief Mortality and Life Expectancy in Rural America. Webinar Panelists:The Honorable Ronnie Musgrove, Chair of the NACRHHSWayne Myers, MDCurt Mueller, PhDAlana Knudson, PhDJocelyn B. Richgels Recent articles …

Featured RUPRI Leader: Cheryal Lee Hills

Cheryal Lee Hills, Executive Director, Region Five Development Commission (R5DC) Affiliate 501c3 North Central Economic Development Association With over 25 years of experience in community and economic development, Cheryal currently provides oversight of over three million dollars in project, levy and grant annual income. She oversees a high performing staff of six who deliver a range …

National Rural Health Day- Live Webcast: Featuring Dr Keith Mueller – Rural Health Delivery System Reform

November 19, 2015 November 19th, 2015 is the 5th Annual National Rural Health Day! The Rural Assistance Center is pleased to partner with the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health for a series of live National Rural Health Day events that celebrate the power of rural. Join Dr. Keith Mueller, Director of the Department of …

RUPRI President and CEO Chuck Fluharty to present at NTCA TELECOM EXECUTIVE POLICY SUMMIT

November 18, 2015 Beyond Rural Walls: Identifying Impacts and InterdependenciesAmong Rural and Urban Spaces Presented By Smart Rural Community and Foundation for Rural Service in collaboration with Rep. Bill Johnson (Ohio, 6th Dist.) and Senator Al Frankin (Minnesota) View Agenda View Website

Creating Collective Impact: The SOAR Approach

This presentation discusses the SOAR Program of work and the goals with each step. It also touches base on prioritizing and the framework for regional rural innovation. Presented by Charles W. Fluharty (President and CEO, Rural Policy Research Institute) to “Building a Better Future for Coal Workers and their Communities” Workshop on November 13, 2015 …

Human Development & Technology in US Counties

View Policy Paper In this study, the authors expand the scope of their previous research using the Human Development & Technology Index (HDTI) to assess geographic trends in the access to and the quality of broadband technology across all US counties. This work includes considerations for policy makers. Written by Srikant Devaraj, PhD; Sushil Sharma, …

The Human Development Index of Indiana Counties: A Policy Perspective

View Policy Paper Three factors comprise the Human Development Index—health, education, and living standards. We examine those factors and provide a framework for policy considerations. This study is a research contribution to Primacy of Place, an interdisciplinary initiative at Ball State University (home of the RUPRI Center for State Policy). Primacy of Place focuses on …

Increasing Citizen Engagement and Trust: The Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR) Model

The presentation discusses the three phases of SOAR development as well as collective impact success. Presented by Charles W. Fluharty (President and CEO, Rural Policy Research Institute) to 10th OECD Rural Development Conference “National Prosperity through Modern Rural Policy” on May 20, 2015 in Memphis, Tennessee. View Presentation

Next Generation: The Future of Arts & Culture Placemaking in Rural America

Next Generation: The Future of Arts & Culture Placemaking in Rural America, engages artists, organizations and communities across public and private sectors to advance collaboration, innovative strategies, and “Next Generation” leadership in rural creative placemaking. Through the expertise and networks of the Rural Policy Research Institute and Art of the Rural and the program’s regional and …

The RUPRI Center has a new policy brief titled, Developmental Strategies and Challenges for Rural Accountable Care Organizations

This Policy Brief shares insights into initial strategic decisions and challenges of four Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) with a rural presence, one from each census region (West, Midwest, Northeast, and South). Semi-structured on-site interviews were conducted with ACO leaders and key stakeholder group representatives (e.g., board members, physicians). The four ACOs were formed as a …

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, …

Written Statement for the US Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

This document discusses a policy perspective which reflects the most critical dynamics to be addressed, to lesson the comparative disadvantage to rural people and places. Written by Charles W. Fluharty (President and CEO, Rural Policy Research Institute) on May 1, 2014 for the US Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. View Document

Rural America, Urban America, or E Pluribus Unum?

As we all know, rural America is an amazingly diverse and dynamic place, and far from homoge-nous, in almost all ways. As the old saw goes, “Once you have seen one rural community, you have, indeed, seen just one rural community!” While this stereotyping is unfortunate, rural America has a far deeper challenge, which became …