Medicare
Completed Projects
Access to Cancer Services for Rural Colorectal Cancer Medicare Patients: A Multi-State Study
Research center:
WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Aging, Chronic diseases and conditions, Health services, Medicare, Minority health
This study examined a comprehensive database to quantify the distance and access to four types of cancer services in a sample of rural, Medicare-insured, CRC patients of different racial and ethnic groups, and will inform future work designed to understand discrepancies in cancer service use by the rural elderly in different racial and ethnic groups.
Access to Physician Care for the Rural Medicare Elderly
Research center:
WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Aging, Chronic diseases and conditions, Health services, Medicare, Physicians, Poverty
This study described where Medicare beneficiaries in five states obtain their health care, how far they travel for that care, and the mix of physician specialties from which they obtain ambulatory care. Special attention was paid to beneficiaries who have dual Medicare-Medicaid status, who reside in poorer income areas, and who live in designated Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Analytic Capacity to Respond to Changes in Medicare and Medicaid, Data Assistance to Policy Staff at the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, and Production of Short Policy Briefs
Research center:
North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Health policy, Legislation and regulation, Medicaid and S-CHIP, Medicare
This project will produce short policy briefs on a variety of topics related to proposed and enacted changes in Medicare and Medicaid, as requested by policy staff at the federal Office of Rural Health Policy.
Assessing Pent-Up Demand for Rural Medicare Beneficiaries
Research center:
Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topic:
Medicare
Assessment of Barriers to the Delivery of Medicare Reimbursed Diabetes Self-Management Education in Rural Areas
Research center:
South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Chronic diseases and conditions, Medicare, Minority health
Changing the Medicare Program According to the Principles of Managed Competition
Research center:
Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topic:
Medicare
Characteristics of Low-volume Communities
Research center:
Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Health care financing, Legislation and regulation, Medicare
Chronic Disease Management in Rural Areas: Examination of Medicare and Medicaid Managed Care Programs
Research center:
Southwest Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Chronic diseases and conditions, Medicaid and S-CHIP, Medicare
The goal of this project was to advance knowledge of the use of DM to address chronic conditions among rural populations, analyzing information from participating health plans and providers about special challenges and effective strategies in DM initiatives targeting rural populations.
Comments on Regulatory and Contractor Reform Legislation
Research center:
Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Health policy, Legislation and regulation, Medicare
Cost of Ambulance Transports for Low-Volume Providers in Rural Areas and Its Implications for Medicare Reimbursement Policy
Research center:
Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Emergency medical services (EMS), Health care financing, Health policy, Medicare
Counting Rural Health Care Facilities: A Moving Target?
Research center:
Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Home health, Hospitals and clinics, Medicare, Medicare Prospective Payment System (PPS)
Do We Need a Rural Payment Differential Under the Medicare Ambulance Fee Schedule?
Research center:
Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Emergency medical services (EMS), Health care financing, Medicare
Estimating the Medicare+Choice Threshold Payment Rate
Research center:
Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Health care financing, Medicare
Home Care in Rural America
Research center:
Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Home health, Medicare, Medicare Prospective Payment System (PPS)
Impact of Medicare Advantage Plan Concentration on Choices and Competition in Rural Areas
Research center:
Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Medicare, Medicare Advantage (MA)
This project focuses on the analysis of Medicare Advantage (MA) plan choices for rural beneficiaries and what the concentration of plan choices in rural areas may mean in the context of how rural beneficiaries are making their choices. Using measures of concentration from the economics literature, this project will explore the relationship between market concentration in MA plans and the generosity of MA plans, and how it varies by the location of residence of Medicare beneficiaries.
Implementation of Health Reform Legislation in Rural America
Research center:
Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Health insurance and the uninsured, Health policy, Medicare
The RUPRI Center has developed particular expertise, including the use of simulations, in how changes in public policy that are now part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) affect the rural health care providers and communities. We have published policy briefs and papers related to Medicare Advantage and Part D plans, effects of insurance reform on the percentage of uninsured in rural areas, and effects of changes in physician payment on projected total income of rural primary care physicians. The purpose of this project is to take advantage of RUPRI's capacity for further simulation analysis and empirically based analyses of changes occurring as a result of the PPACA.
Is Medicare Beneficiary Access to Primary Care Physicians At Risk?
Research center:
Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Medicare, Physicians
This project examined the impact of changes in Medicare payment to physicians on access to care for rural beneficiaries.
Medicare Bonus Payments for Physician Care in Health Professional Shortage Areas
Research center:
WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Health care financing, Medicare, Physicians
National Study of Home Health Access in Rural America
Research center:
ORHP-funded Individual Grantees
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Health services, Home health, Hospice and palliative care, Medicare
This project will develop home health care service areas that will allow for the measurement of access to home health care for rural Medicare beneficiaries who die of cancer, and recommend options for increasing access to home health care in underserved rural areas.
National Study of Rural-Urban Differences in Use of Home Oxygen for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease: Are Rural Medicare Beneficiaries Disadvantaged?
Research center:
WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Chronic diseases and conditions, Medicare
To understand disparities in care among rural and urban Medicare beneficiaries, data from Medicare's Durable Medical Equipment (DME) files were used to assess rural/urban variation in the home use of supplemental oxygen.
Nationwide Analysis of New Entrants into Medicare+Choice Demonstrations
Research center:
Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topic:
Medicare
This project will examine the effects of recent changes in the Medicare+Choice program on enrollment in rural areas and on activities of rural-based health plans.
Post-Acute Care: A Rural and Urban Comparison
Research center:
Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Home health, Long term care, Medicare
This multi-phase analysis examines whether discharge patterns for and use of post-acute care services by rural and urban hospitalized Medicare beneficiaries differ and, if they do, what are the sources of these different patterns.
Rapid and Flexible Analysis of Data from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Research center:
North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Health policy, Medicare, Rural statistics and demographics
Project staff will provide rapid and flexible analysis of CMS data in response to requests from ORHP staff. Work will be ongoing throughout the contract year, with the design of individual products determined in response to ORHP staff needs.
Rural Dimensions of Medicare Payment Policies
Research center:
Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Health policy, Medicare
Rural Perspective on Restructuring Medicare
Research center:
Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Medicare, Pharmacy and prescription drugs
Rural-urban Comparison of Hospital Financial Performance by Medicare Payment Classification
Research center:
North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Hospitals and clinics, Medicare
This project will compare the financial performance of rural and urban short term general hospitals by Medicare payment classifications (PPS only, Medicare dependent hospitals, sole community hospitals, rural referral centers, and critical access hospitals).
Rural-Urban Physician Payment Differences Across the Nation: Methodological Changes
Research center:
Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Health policy, Medicare, Physicians, Workforce
This project will simulate the effects of changes to the methodologies used to calculate the three geographic practice cost indices (GPCIs) currently used to adjust physician payment across the 89 Medicare payment areas in the U.S. and territories. Changes to the payment formula will be analyzed to determine potential impact on payment across areas and revenues for rural physician practices.
Transitions in Care for Rural Medicare Beneficiaries with Diabetes
Research center:
South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Chronic diseases and conditions, Health disparities, Medicare, Minority health
Hospital readmission rates among persons with diabetes, as well as absolute admission rates, may be used to study health disparities among rural and minority populations. This project will use data from the Medicare Chronic Conditions Data Warehouse to explore residence- and race-based disparities in diabetes admission rates, effective transitions to outpatient care, and re-admission rates, to help guide rural policy-makers and health care providers.
Urban and Rural Differences in Access to Care and Treatment for Medicare Beneficiaries with Cancer
Research center:
ORHP-funded Individual Grantees
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Chronic diseases and conditions, Health services, Medicare, Quality
Little is known about the differences in the diagnosis, treatment and outcomes of care for cancer patients across urban and rural regions of the country. This study will extend our understanding of the challenge of providing high-quality cancer care to Medicare beneficiaries and how provider availability influences access to needed care in urban and rural areas.
Urban and Rural Differences in Utilization Patterns, Risk Factors and Expenditures of the Dually Eligible Elderly and Non-Elderly Persons with Disabilities
Research center:
Maine Rural Health Research Center
Funder:
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics:
Aging, Disabilities, Medicaid and S-CHIP, Medicare
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