With approximately 3800 located across the nation, RHCs are an important component of the rural health infrastructure. Using Medicare outpatient claims data the degree to which Medicare beneficiaries are utilizing available RHCs will be determined and a profile of those Medicare beneficiaries served by RHCs will be constructed. This profile will include types of diagnoses experienced by users of RHC as well as beneficiaries geographic proximity to the RHC. Beneficiaries utilizing RHCs will be compared to Medicare beneficiaries utilizing FQHCs.

Publications

• Profile of Rural Health Clinics: Clinic & Medicare Patient Characteristics
  North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
  Date: 03/2013
  This brief presents a summary of the geographic distribution and clinic-level characteristics of rural health clinics, as well as an overview of the Medicare beneficiaries they served.
• Profile of Rural Health Clinics: Medicare Payments & Common Diagnoses: Review of 2009 Medicare Outpatient Claims Data
  North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
  Date: 12/2012
  Using data extracted from 2009 Medicare outpatient provider claims, this brief presents a summary profile of Medicare billing and reimbursement activity for independent and provider-based RHCs.