Health policy

Current Projects

Analysis of the Effects of Federal Debt Reduction and Long Term Budget Adjustment on Rural Health Care Delivery
Research center : Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics: Health policy, Health services, Medicaid and S-CHIP, Medicare
The RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis will examine suggested changes in Medicare and Medicaid as stated in proposals to reduce spending as part of achieving deficit reduction.

Assessing the Community Impact of the MMA
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, Medicare Part D
This project will measure the community-level impacts of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA) and will provide feedback to policymakers regarding the impact of the MMA on its policy targets (providers and beneficiaries), in the context of rural places.

Challenges and Opportunities for Improving Rural Long-Term Services and Supports under the Affordable Care Act
Research center : Maine Rural Health Research Center
Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics: Aging, Health policy, Long term care
This project will examine strategies, models, and policy options for improving access to, and quality of, rural long-term services and supports. Through focused policy analyses, we will highlight the rural options, opportunities, and barriers of implementing the coordinated care, health home, and long-term services and supports provisions in the Affordable Care Act.

Examining the Applicability of the AHRQ's Inpatient Quality Indicators to Rural Hospitals and the Implications of the Relationship Between the Indicators and Financial Measures for Medicare Payment Policies
Research center : Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics: Health care financing, Health policy, Hospitals and clinics, Quality
This study will investigate how the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's inpatient quality indicators can be applied to rural hospitals and will explore the application of those indicators in answering relevant policy questions.

How Would Health Insurance Exchanges Work 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
The passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) of 2010 has created the potential for states to create health insurance exchanges (HIEs). This project will assess the potential of these plans to meet the needs of rural residents. Empirical work will establish baseline measures of choices available to rural residents and literature reviews will yield prospective analysis of how exchanges could operate to benefit rural residents.

Out-of-Pocket Costs Among Rural Medicare Beneficiaries
Research center : Maine Rural Health Research Center
Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics: Disabilities, Health policy, Medicare
The purpose of this project is to examine out-of-pocket spending among Medicare beneficiaries, to identify whether there are rural-urban differences in out-of-pocket costs, and to explore what factors account for these differences. Should Medicare redesign occur, this study will provide important information against which to assess the possible impact of different design options on rural Medicare beneficiaries.

Patterns of Care in Small Rural Areas: Implications for New Models of Care Provision and Payment such as Bundled Payments and Accountable Care Organizations
Research center : North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics: Health policy, Health services
This study will describe usual patterns of care in rural areas to determine whether rural areas are part of a single service area, or whether smaller communities utilize services from a variety of larger hubs. The results of this analysis will inform a thought piece on how the concepts of bundled payments and Accountable Care Organizations might play out in small rural areas and whether small rural communities can be assigned to a single service area without major disruption of current patterns of care.

Post-Hospital Transitions in Care Among Dually-Eligible Medicare Beneficiaries
Research center : South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics: Health policy, Hospitals and clinics, Medicare
This project will examine the hospitalization rates, post-discharge physician follow-up, and subsequent readmission rates among Medicare beneficiaries who are also enrolled in Medicaid. We will examine these dual-eligible beneficiaries by level of rurality to determine if residence is a significant factor in these rates. We will also control for co-morbidities, county characteristics, and other factors related to readmission rates.

Transformation of Rural Health Clinics: Are They Ready to Serve as Patient-Centered Medical Homes?
Research center : Maine Rural Health Research Center
Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics: Health policy, Rural Health Clinics (RHCs)
Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) face pressure to transform their practices by becoming patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs). This study will document the readiness of RHCs to serve as PCMHs and provide information to assist policymakers in developing technical assistance and other policy resources to support RHCs in doing so.

Topics Centers Researchers Other Resources Search		Health policy Current Projects Analysis of the Effects of Federal Debt Reduction and Long Term Budget Adjustment on Rural Health Care Delivery Research center : Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP) Topics: Health policy, Health services, Medicaid and S-CHIP, Medicare The RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis will examine suggested changes in Medicare and Medicaid as stated in proposals to reduce spending as part of achieving deficit reduction. Assessing the Community Impact of the MMA 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, Medicare Part D This project will measure the community-level impacts of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA) and will provide feedback to policymakers regarding the impact of the MMA on its policy targets (providers and beneficiaries), in the context of rural places. Challenges and Opportunities for Improving Rural Long-Term Services and Supports under the Affordable Care Act Research center : Maine Rural Health Research Center Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP) Topics: Aging, Health policy, Long term care This project will examine strategies, models, and policy options for improving access to, and quality of, rural long-term services and supports. Through focused policy analyses, we will highlight the rural options, opportunities, and barriers of implementing the coordinated care, health home, and long-term services and supports provisions in the Affordable Care Act. Examining the Applicability of the AHRQ's Inpatient Quality Indicators to Rural Hospitals and the Implications of the Relationship Between the Indicators and Financial Measures for Medicare Payment Policies Research center : Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP) Topics: Health care financing, Health policy, Hospitals and clinics, Quality This study will investigate how the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's inpatient quality indicators can be applied to rural hospitals and will explore the application of those indicators in answering relevant policy questions. How Would Health Insurance Exchanges Work 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 The passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) of 2010 has created the potential for states to create health insurance exchanges (HIEs). This project will assess the potential of these plans to meet the needs of rural residents. Empirical work will establish baseline measures of choices available to rural residents and literature reviews will yield prospective analysis of how exchanges could operate to benefit rural residents. Out-of-Pocket Costs Among Rural Medicare Beneficiaries Research center : Maine Rural Health Research Center Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP) Topics: Disabilities, Health policy, Medicare The purpose of this project is to examine out-of-pocket spending among Medicare beneficiaries, to identify whether there are rural-urban differences in out-of-pocket costs, and to explore what factors account for these differences. Should Medicare redesign occur, this study will provide important information against which to assess the possible impact of different design options on rural Medicare beneficiaries. Patterns of Care in Small Rural Areas: Implications for New Models of Care Provision and Payment such as Bundled Payments and Accountable Care Organizations Research center : North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP) Topics: Health policy, Health services This study will describe usual patterns of care in rural areas to determine whether rural areas are part of a single service area, or whether smaller communities utilize services from a variety of larger hubs. The results of this analysis will inform a thought piece on how the concepts of bundled payments and Accountable Care Organizations might play out in small rural areas and whether small rural communities can be assigned to a single service area without major disruption of current patterns of care. Post-Hospital Transitions in Care Among Dually-Eligible Medicare Beneficiaries Research center : South Carolina Rural Health Research Center Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP) Topics: Health policy, Hospitals and clinics, Medicare This project will examine the hospitalization rates, post-discharge physician follow-up, and subsequent readmission rates among Medicare beneficiaries who are also enrolled in Medicaid. We will examine these dual-eligible beneficiaries by level of rurality to determine if residence is a significant factor in these rates. We will also control for co-morbidities, county characteristics, and other factors related to readmission rates. Transformation of Rural Health Clinics: Are They Ready to Serve as Patient-Centered Medical Homes? Research center : Maine Rural Health Research Center Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP) Topics: Health policy, Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) face pressure to transform their practices by becoming patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs). This study will document the readiness of RHCs to serve as PCMHs and provide information to assist policymakers in developing technical assistance and other policy resources to support RHCs in doing so.