Rural Health
Research Gateway

Fred Ullrich, BA

RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis

Phone: 319.384.3834
Email: fred-ullrich@uiowa.edu

Health Management and Policy
University of Iowa
College of Public Health
Iowa City, IA 52242

Current Projects - (4)

  • Causal Effect of Nursing Home Closure on Resident Outcomes in Rural Areas
    We will evaluate the causal impact of nursing home closure on two key outcomes: distance to the transitioned nursing home, and resident physical and mental health outcomes. We will compare the effect of closures on outcomes for rural and urban areas using resident-level data from 2010-2019 and advanced difference-in-differences regression methods.
    Research center: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Topics: Aging, Health services, Healthcare access, Long-term care, Post-acute care, Quality
  • Retention and Expansion of Hospital Services Offered by Rural Hospitals After Enrollment in 340B
    The 340B Federal program is designed to provide hospitals with financial stability through provision of drug discounts which may, in turn, allow hospitals to maintain or expand their service line offerings. Using a series of event study analyses over an 11-year period, this study will examine the impact of enrollment in the 340B program on discontinuing services, maintaining services, and adding new services in eligible rural hospitals.
    Research center: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Topics: Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), Health services, Hospitals and clinics, Pharmacy and prescription drugs
  • RHCs and CAHs Participating in SSP: Characteristics of the Providers and Communities
    This project describes characteristics of Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) participating in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (SSP), and the communities they serve. Comparisons will be made to RHCs and CAHs not participating in the SSP.
    Research center: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Topics: Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), Healthcare financing, Medicare, Rural Health Clinics (RHCs)
  • Rural Implications of Increased Medicare Beneficiary Enrollment in ACOs and MA Plans
    This project will leverage Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services data showing the number of Medicare beneficiaries assigned to Accountable Care Organizations, in combination with enrollment in Medicare Advantage in rural counties, to describe implications for rural health care organizations.
    Research center: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Topics: Health reform, Healthcare financing, Medicare, Medicare Advantage (MA)

Completed Projects - (2)

  • Assessing the Stability of Rural Pharmacy Services
    This project's goals include deepening our understanding of economic forces beyond the immediate control of local pharmacies that are affecting their ability to remain in business, assessing the future of sole community retail pharmacies in rural places, and exploring alternative modalities for delivering pharmacy services in the absence of retail pharmacy businesses.
    Research center: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Topics: Health services, Pharmacy and prescription drugs, Telehealth
  • How Does Participation in Medicare Accountable Care Organizations Affect Rural Hospital Financial Outcomes?
    This project examined the impact of Medicare Accountable Care Organizations' (ACOs') participation on rural hospitals' financial outcomes. Findings from this project provided policy-relevant information on how ACO participation affects rural hospitals' financial bottom lines, contributing to further program design.
    Research center: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Topics: Care management, Health reform, Health services, Hospitals and clinics, Medicare

Publications - (97)

2024

  • Financial Performance of Rural and Urban Hospitals in the Medicare Shared Savings Program
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 09/2024
    This brief presents financial performance trends of hospitals who participated in Medicare's Shared Savings Program (SSP) from 2011 to 2018. Trends in six financial outcomes are compared between SSP and non-SSP hospitals over time and between rural and urban hospitals.
  • Changes in Rural Pharmacy Presence 2023
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis, Rapid Response to Requests for Rural Data Analysis
    Date: 08/2024
    This data brief continues the RUPRI Center's series of reports exploring the availability of retail pharmacy services in rural areas of the U.S. It provides information on rural communities that have kept, lost, or gained a retail pharmacy between 2018 and 2023.
  • Profiling Social Needs Activities in Publicly Traded Medicare Advantage Organizations
    Journal Article
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 08/2024
    This article reviews how six major Medicare Advantage (MA) companies address social determinants of health (SDOH) through supplemental benefits. It analyzes public reports, highlighting MA growth, SDOH activities, and plan initiatives.
  • Medicare Advantage Plan Growth in Rural America: Availability of Supplemental Benefits
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 05/2024
    This policy brief compares availability of Medicare Advantage plans providing supplemental health-related benefits and special supplemental benefits for the chronically ill in metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore counties.
  • Nursing Home Closures and Access to Post-Acute Care and Long-Term Care Services in Rural Areas
    Journal Article
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 01/2024
    Nursing home closures have raised concerns about access to post-acute care (PAC) and long-term care (LTC) services. In this study, researchers estimate the additional distance rural residents had to travel to access PAC and LTC services because of nursing home closures.

2023

2022

  • The Impact of Medicare Shared Savings Program Participation on Hospital Financial Performance: An Event-Study Analysis
    Journal Article
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 10/2022
    This study evaluated the extent to which Medicare Shared Savings Program participation affected hospital financial outcomes, including patient revenue, operating margin, different revenue source shares, and allowance and discount rate.
  • Health Insurance Marketplaces: Issuer Participation Trends in Non-Metropolitan Places, 2014-22
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis, Rapid Response to Requests for Rural Data Analysis
    Date: 08/2022
    Since the 2014 implementation of Health Insurance Marketplaces (HIMs), considerable changes have been observed in the number of insurance companies offering plans across the United States. This policy brief describes changes in HIM plan issuers over the 2014-2022 period with an emphasis on variation across metropolitan and non-metropolitan places.
  • Medicare Beneficiary Access to Prescription Drugs in Rural Areas
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 08/2022
    Declines in the number of retail pharmacies in rural areas have raised concerns about beneficiary access to prescription medications when their local pharmacy closes. The purpose of this policy brief is to identify the types of pharmacies used by beneficiaries in rural areas with limited or no access to local pharmacies.
  • Rural and Urban Pharmacy Presence – Pharmacy Deserts
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 08/2022
    This policy brief continues the RUPRI Center's ongoing examination of the availability of community pharmacies and their provided services in rural areas of the U.S. The brief also provides a deeper analysis of counties with no retail pharmacies (i.e. pharmacy deserts) based on metropolitan/nonmetropolitan locations.
  • Update on Rural Independently Owned Pharmacy Closures in the United States, 2003-2021
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis, Rapid Response to Requests for Rural Data Analysis
    Date: 08/2022
    Independently owned retail pharmacies in rural areas experienced a higher rate of closure than micropolitan and metropolitan areas. Closures have raised concerns about access to prescription medications as well as pharmacist-provided primary care services, which are often the sole source in rural areas for obtaining health services.
  • Nursing Homes in Rural America: A Chartbook
    Chartbook
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 07/2022
    Closure of nursing homes and hospitals with swing beds in recent years has changed the availability of post-acute and long-term care services in rural areas. This study examines the availability of post-acute and long-term care services as well as characteristics of residents and nursing homes in noncore, micropolitan, and metropolitan counties.
  • Medicare Accountable Care Organization Characteristics Associated With Participation in 2‐Sided Risk
    Journal Article
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 05/2022
    This study examined the associations of accountable care organization (ACO) characteristics with the likelihood of participation in 2-sided risk tracks in the Medicare Shared Savings Program. Small and rural ACOs were found to be less prepared to transition into 2-sided risk tracks than their urban counterparts.

2021

  • Using CPT Charges as an Economic Proxy for Telehealth and Non-Telehealth Emergency Department Utilization
    Policy Brief
    Rural Telehealth Research Center
    Date: 11/2021
    This brief examines economic data on emergency department visits from unrelated rural hospitals. By using the reported Current Procedural Terminology code and associated charge, we explore the characteristics of the resulting dataset in terms of distribution and association with related variables.
  • COVID-19 Cases and Vaccination Rates
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis, Rapid Response to Requests for Rural Data Analysis
    Date: 09/2021
    This data brief examines the relationship between vaccination rates, COVID-19 one-week incidence and metropolitan/nonmetropolitan location. Additional information is provided for Census regions and individual states.
  • Medicare Advantage Enrollment Update 2021
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis, Rapid Response to Requests for Rural Data Analysis
    Date: 09/2021
    The RUPRI Center's annual update on Medicare Advantage (MA) shows that both metropolitan and nonmetropolitan enrollment has continued to grow for more than 10 years. However, between 2020 and 2021 the rate of growth in nonmetropolitan counties was more than twice as large as that in metropolitan counties.
  • Confirmed COVID-19 Cases, Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Counties
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis, Rapid Response to Requests for Rural Data Analysis
    Date: 08/2021
    This data brief shows the spread of COVID-19 confirmed cases across the U.S., highlighting metropolitan and nonmetropolitan counties with confirmed cases of, and deaths from, COVID-19.
  • County-Level 14-Day COVID-19 Case Trajectories
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis, Rapid Response to Requests for Rural Data Analysis
    Date: 08/2021
    Many locations in the U.S. are relaxing their community-level COVID-19 mitigation measures. But one of the key "gating" indicators for doing this is a downward trajectory of new cases during a 14-day period. The rural data brief examines county-level 14-day trajectories for new confirmed COVID-19 cases.
  • COVID-19 Cases and Deaths, Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Counties Over Time (Update)
    Report
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis, Rapid Response to Requests for Rural Data Analysis
    Date: 08/2021
    This data brief compares seven-day moving average COVID-19 incidence and mortality rates between metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore counties in the U.S. The brief is updated twice a month.
  • Medicare Advantage Enrollment Update 2020
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis, Rapid Response to Requests for Rural Data Analysis
    Date: 05/2021
    This annual update on Medicare Advantage (MA) shows that both metropolitan and nonmetropolitan enrollment has continued to grow for more than 10 years. The percent of nonmetropolitan MA enrollees in Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plans has increased every year since 2017. Metropolitan HMO enrollment has decreased every year since 2016.
  • Availability of Supplemental Benefits in Medicare Advantage Plans in Rural and Urban Areas
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 02/2021
    This brief identifies differences in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans that include supplemental benefits available to rural and urban enrollees. By better understanding the variation in MA plan offerings across the country, policymakers can take appropriate action to improve the value of plans available in rural regions.
  • Pharmacy Vaccination Service Availability in Nonmetropolitan Counties
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis, Rapid Response to Requests for Rural Data Analysis
    Date: 02/2021
    Pharmacies will play a role in administering the COVID-19 vaccination to the general public. But there are many rural locations in the U.S. where pharmacy resources are limited. This rural data brief examines the availability of pharmacies capable of delivering COVID-19 vaccinations in nonmetropolitan areas.
  • Trends in Nursing Home Closures in Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Counties in the United States, 2008-2018
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 02/2021
    Nursing home closures have raised concerns about access to long-term services and supports in rural areas. This study examines trends in closures and characteristics of open and closed nursing homes in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan counties. Furthermore, this study identifies metropolitan and nonmetropolitan counties without any nursing homes.
  • HRSA's Evidence-Based Tele-Emergency Network Grant Program: Multi-Site Prospective Cohort Analysis Across Six Rural Emergency Department Telemedicine Networks
    Journal Article
    Rural Telehealth Research Center
    Date: 01/2021
    The Health Resources and Services Administration funded six grantees to provide telehealth services in rural emergency departments (tele-ED) and gather data for the telehealth evidence base. This paper examines trends across multiple tele-ED networks and heterogeneity in processes and outcomes.

2020

  • Medicare Advantage Enrollment Update 2019
    Policy Brief
    Rapid Response to Requests for Rural Data Analysis
    Date: 10/2020
    The annual update on Medicare Advantage (MA) shows that both metropolitan and nonmetropolitan enrollment has continued to grow for more than 10 years. However, the rate of growth has been higher in nonmetropolitan counties for the past two years. Local Preferred Provider Organization plans account for nearly half of nonmetropolitan MA enrollment.
  • Averted Transfers in Rural Emergency Departments Using Telemedicine: Rates and Costs Across Six Networks
    Journal Article
    Rural Telehealth Research Center
    Date: 08/2020
    In a cohort of 4,324 tele-ED cases across 26 months in 65 hospitals in 6 tele-ED networks, 20% were averted transfers, and 43% of those were then routinely discharged rather than being transferred. Averted transfers saved on average $2,673 in avoidable transport costs per patient, with 63.6% of these cost savings accruing to public insurance.
  • Telepharmacy Rules and Statutes: A 3-Year Update for All 50 States
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis, Rapid Response to Requests for Rural Data Analysis
    Date: 07/2020
    This policy brief analyzed administrative rules and legislative statutes governing each state's pharmacy practice. Key features of telepharmacy regulations were investigated for comparative analysis. Twenty-one states currently authorize retail telepharmacy, but between these states the regulatory activity varies considerably.
  • Process of Identifying Measures and Data Elements for the HRSA School-Based Telehealth Network Grant Program
    Policy Brief
    Rural Telehealth Research Center
    Date: 06/2020
    This brief details work to identify measures and develop data elements appropriate to school-based telehealth, create an Excel-based tool, and systematically collect data from grantees in the Health Resources and Services Administration's School-Based Telehealth Network Grant Program.
  • Access to Medicare Part D Plans: A Comparison of Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Areas
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 05/2020
    This policy brief updates previous reports on rural activity in the Medicare Part D program. Comparisons are made across county type, within type of Part D plan (standalone and part of Medicare Advantage plans), and between the types of plans within county classifications.
  • Considerations for Defining Rural Places in Health Policies and Programs
    Report
    RUPRI Health Panel: Rural Policy Analysis and Applications
    Date: 05/2020
    Rural definitions in statute and policy are used to direct resources to underserved people. But changes in population behavior and census processes have led to concern about historic methods of defining rural. This paper identifies key questions, reviews rural definitions, and discusses options for reconsidering rural definitions.
  • Metropolitan/Nonmetropolitan COVID-19 Confirmed Cases and General and ICU Beds
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 05/2020
    The spread of COVID-19 across rural areas has fueled concern about the availability of healthcare resources for dealing with the pandemic. This brief looks at a single measure of healthcare resources – hospital beds – and reports of current COVID-19 cases in a single week to assess the impact on rural facilities.
  • Health Care Professional Workforce Composition Before and After Rural Hospital Closure
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 04/2020
    This policy brief examines the composition of the local healthcare workforce before and after rural hospital closure to reveal any associations with discontinuation of inpatient services in rural communities.
  • Measure and Data Element Identification for the HRSA Evidence-Based Tele-Behavioral Health Network Program and the HRSA Substance Abuse Treatment Telehealth Network Grant Program
    Policy Brief
    Rural Telehealth Research Center
    Date: 04/2020
    This brief details work to identify measures and develop data elements appropriate to tele-behavioral health, create an Excel-based tool, and collect data from grantees in the Health Resources and Services Administration's Evidence-Based Tele-Behavioral Health Network Grant Program and Substance Abuse Treatment Telehealth Network Grant Program.
  • Rural Hospital Participation in Medicare Accountable Care Organizations
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 04/2020
    This policy brief summarizes national and regional rates of rural hospital participation in Medicare Shared Savings Program Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and identifies factors associated with ACO participation.
  • Identifying Measures and Data Elements for the HRSA Evidence-Based Tele-Emergency Network Grant Program
    Policy Brief
    Rural Telehealth Research Center
    Date: 03/2020
    This brief details multi-project work to identify measures and develop data elements appropriate to emergency department-based telehealth, create an Excel-based tool, and systematically collect data from grantees in the Health Resources and Services Administration Evidence-Based Tele-Emergency Network Grant Program.
  • Emergency Department Telemedicine Consults Are Associated With Faster Time-to-ECG and Time-to-Fibrinolysis for Myocardial Infarction Patients
    Journal Article
    Rural Telehealth Research Center
    Date: 02/2020
    Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a common, deadly emergency requiring rapid diagnosis and treatment. In this rural cohort, emergency department-based telemedicine was associated with improved timeliness of electrocardiogram and fibrinolysis. This study adds to evidence that telemedicine can improve timeliness of AMI care in rural hospitals.
  • Provider-to-Provider Telemedicine Improves Adherence to Sepsis Bundle Care in Community Emergency Departments
    Journal Article
    Rural Telehealth Research Center
    Date: 01/2020
    Sepsis is a life-threatening emergency, and timely "bundled" care improves survival. In this rural cohort, telemedicine in the emergency department (tele-ED) improved sepsis bundle adherence, including timely fluid resuscitation and antibiotic administration. Tele-ED may be a scalable intervention to improve sepsis emergency care in rural EDs.

2019

  • Impact of the Medicare Disproportionate Share Hospital Payment Cap on Urban and Rural Hospitals
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 12/2019
    The Medicare Disproportionate Share Hospital payment adjustment is intended to compensate hospitals serving a disproportionate number of low-income patients. This policy brief describes the number and location of urban and rural hospitals affected by a 12% payment cap established by the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003.
  • Strategic Choice in Developing Telemedicine - Observations From Three Organizations
    Report
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 12/2019
    Advances in technology have made it easier to provide telemedicine services, but the actual value of telemedicine programs for health systems providing those services or for patients has not been firmly established. This paper explores organizational motivations of three large health systems for incorporating telemedicine patient care services.
  • Emergency Department Telemedicine Consults Decrease Time to Interpret Computed Tomography of the Head in a Multi-Network Cohort
    Journal Article
    Rural Telehealth Research Center
    Date: 11/2019
    This was a study of emergency telemedicine (tele-ED) for stroke care in four tele-ED networks. Tele-ED was associated with decreased time to diagnostic imaging interpretation and time to thrombolytic medication. The effect of tele-ED varied by network, suggesting network characteristics may influence the realized tele-ED benefit for stroke care.
  • Medicare Advantage Enrollment Update 2018
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 04/2019
    This annual report on Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollment shows growth in the program in nonmetropolitan and metropolitan areas. The rate of metro enrollment is higher than in nonmetro areas, but the growth rate in the nonmetropolitan population is higher. There are also significant differences in metro/nonmetro MA enrollment by plan type.
  • Pediatric Tele-Emergency Care: A Study of Two Delivery Models
    Journal Article
    Rural Telehealth Research Center
    Date: 04/2019
    This study describes two tele-emergency programs that provide care to pediatric populations. Qualitative descriptions of the two tele-emergency department (ED) models and key characteristics of the patient populations served by tele-ED are presented. The study informs others about evaluative measures and how tele-ED works in practice.
  • Primary Care Clinician Participation in the CMS Quality Payment
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 04/2019
    Approximately 10% of primary care clinicians participate in Advanced Alternative Payment Models (A-APMs) and less than 30% of primary care clinicians participate in the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System. Metropolitan primary care clinicians are more likely to participate in A-APMs than nonmetropolitan primary care clinicians.

2018

  • Changes to the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System Pertinent to Small and Rural Practices, 2018
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 11/2018
    This policy brief highlights key regulatory changes to the Merit-based Incentive Payment System that occurred in 2018. It discusses the implications of these changes with an emphasis on how these changes may affect small and rural practices.
  • The Rural Hospital and Health System Affiliation Landscape – A Brief Review
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 11/2018
    The shift from traditional fee-for-service to value-based payment requires major capital investment. In this paper, we examine rural hospital and health system motivations for affiliation and present a non-exhaustive list of common affiliation structures with representative examples.
  • Trends in Hospital System Affiliation, 2007-2016
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 11/2018
    This policy brief updates a RUPRI Center brief published in 2014 and documents the continued growth in system affiliation by both metropolitan and non-metropolitan hospitals.
  • Spread of Medicare Accountable Care Organizations in Rural America
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 08/2018
    This policy brief describes Medicare accountable care organization (ACO) growth in non-metropolitan U.S. counties from 2016 to 2017. This brief, which includes data through December 2017, follows a similar analysis released in October 2016 that described ACO trends from 2013 to 2015.
  • Organizational Attributes Associated With Medicare ACO Quality Performance
    Journal Article
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 07/2018
    Peer-reviewed paper evaluating associations between geographic, structural, and service-provision attributes of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) participating in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) and the ACOs' quality performance.
  • Update: Independently Owned Pharmacy Closures in Rural America, 2003-2018
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 07/2018
    Rural pharmacies play an important role in health service delivery to rural populations. This RUPRI Center brief updates previous findings on the continued decline in the number of independently owned rural pharmacies since the implementation of Medicare Part D. This brief provides follow-up data on rural pharmacy closures through March 2018.
  • Organizational Attributes With Medicare ACO Quality Performance
    Journal Article
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 05/2018
    Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses of Medicare Shared Savings Program Accountable Care Organizations' (ACOs') quality performance found rural ACOs' score was comparable to those in other categories. ACOs with hospital-system sponsorship, larger beneficiary panels, and higher post-hospitalization follow-up rates had better performance.
  • Telepharmacy Rules and Statutes: A 50-State Survey (Journal Article)
    Journal Article
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 05/2018
    Peer-reviewed paper identifying state-enacted regulations and legislation authorizing use of community telepharmacy initiatives and describing implications for patients in underserved rural communities. Also provides a table listing states that permit telepharmacy, and pilot programs and waivers that enable telepharmacy initiatives.
  • Medicare Accountable Care Organization Growth in Rural America, 2014-2016
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 03/2018
    This RUPRI Center data report describes Medicare accountable care organization (ACO) growth in non-metropolitan U.S. counties from 2014 to 2016. ACOs are the most widespread of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) value-based payment programs and demonstrations.

2017

  • Rural-Urban Enrollment in Part D Prescription Drug Plans: June 2017 Update
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 12/2017
    As of June 2017, the percentage of rural enrollment in Part D plans, which include stand-alone prescription drug plans (PDPs) and Medicare Advantage with Prescription Drug (MA-PD) plans, lags urban enrollment despite significant growth overall in the number of Medicare beneficiaries with prescription drug coverage through Medicare Part D plans.
  • Distribution of Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments to Rural and Critical Access Hospitals
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 11/2017
    This policy brief provides information about the potential impact of scheduled changes in Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payment on hospitals in 47 states. We expect variation across states, because of differences in state policies allocating DSH payments, as well as geographic variation by census region.
  • Financial Issues Challenging Sustainability of Rural Pharmacies
    Journal Article
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 08/2017
    Findings from a survey of rural lone community retail pharmacies about issues perceived as a threat to their sustainability. Reimbursement issues were cited as being most immediate and of highest magnitude.
  • Medicare Advantage Enrollment Update 2017
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 08/2017
    Reports on the percentage of rural Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans and other prepaid enrollment plans. Compares national and rural MA enrollment, and variability by state.
  • Issues Confronting Rural Pharmacies After a Decade of Medicare Part D
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 04/2017
    This brief reports on a survey of very rural independent pharmacies designed to assess threats to their sustainability. Major, immediate issues included delays in updates to maximum allowable costs (MACS), charges for remuneration fees, competition from mail order pharmacies; and, status as a "non-preferred pharmacy" for Medicare Part D plans.
  • Telepharmacy Rules and Statutes: A 50-State Survey
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 04/2017
    This is summary analysis reviews administrative rules and legislative statutes governing the practice of telepharmacy in all 50 states. Telepharmacy is specifically authorized in 23 states and 16 states have no rules or legislation authorizing telepharmacy. Other states have pilot programs or waivers that would enable telepharmacy.

2016

  • Medicare Accountable Care Organizations: Quality Performance by Geographic Categories
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 11/2016
    Provides an analysis of the differences in Accountable Care Organization (ACO) performance on the quality measures among the Medicare Shared Saving Program ACOs with varying levels of rural presence. Findings suggest that ACOs with significant rural presence have performed as well as, if not better than, urban ACOs in delivering quality care.
  • Spread of Accountable Care Organizations in Rural America
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 10/2016
    This brief updates a RUPRI Center analysis of the presence of Medicare Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) in rural areas of the US in 2013. Using participation data through 2015, the current brief finds that there has been broad growth in the number of places where ACO participating providers can be found, including rural locations.
  • Medicare Advantage Enrollment Update 2016
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 09/2016
    This annual brief examines Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollment data from March 2015 and March 2016. It shows that enrollment in MA and other prepaid plans increased, both nationally and in non-metropolitan areas, but the rate of growth has slowed compared to previous years.
  • Financial Performance of Rural Medicare ACOs
    Journal Article
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 08/2016
    Assesses the financial performances of rural accountable care organizations (ACOs) based on different levels of rural presence.
  • Medicare Accountable Care Organizations: Beneficiary Assignment Update
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 06/2016
    This brief updates Brief No. 2014-3 and explains changes in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Accountable Care Organization regulations issued in June 2015 pertaining to beneficiary assignment for Medicare Shared Savings Program ACOs. Understanding ACO beneficiary assignment policies is dire in managing ACO providers and beneficiaries.
  • Variation in Primary Care Service Patterns by Rural-Urban Location
    Journal Article
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 03/2016
    Examines primary care physician service patterns by rural-urban location and discusses effect on recruitment strategies for primary care providers in rural communities.
  • Surgical Patient Safety Outcomes in Critical Access Hospitals: How Do They Compare?
    Journal Article
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 02/2016
    Examines how Critical Access Hospitals perform compared to Prospective Payment System hospitals on measures of quality.

2015

  • Rural Bypass for Elective Surgeries
    Journal Article
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 11/2015
    Describes the elective surgical bypass rate, the procedures most commonly bypassed by rural residents, the distribution of volume among Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) that offer elective surgical services, and factors predictive of bypass.
  • Characteristics of Rural Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) - A Survey of Medicare ACOs With Rural Presence
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 05/2015
    In this policy brief, we present the findings of a survey of 27 rural accountable care organizations, focusing on characteristics important to their formation and operation.
  • Characteristics of Rural Communities With a Sole, Independently Owned Pharmacy
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 05/2015
    This brief describes the populations of rural communities with single independently owned pharmacies. About 2.7 million people, more than 25% of whom live below the poverty level, live in 663 rural communities with sole independently owned pharmacies. For about 70% of these rural communities, the next closest pharmacy is more than 10 miles away.
  • A Rural Taxonomy of Population and Health-Resource Characteristics
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 04/2015
    This brief reports the newly developed taxonomy of rural places based on relevant population and health-resource characteristics and discusses how this classification tool can be utilized by policymakers and rural communities.
  • Developmental Strategies and Challenges for Rural Accountable Care Organizations
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 02/2015
    This brief offers insights into the initial strategic decisions and challenges of four accountable care organizations (ACOs) with rural presences. These ACOs were formed as a step toward a value-driven rural delivery system. While several challenges need to be addressed, these insights can inform development of other rural ACOs.
  • Surgical Services in Critical Access Hospitals, 2011
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 02/2015
    This brief describes the types and volume of major surgical services provided in critical access hospitals across four regionally representative states in 2011.

2014

  • The Effect of Medicare Payment Policy Changes on Rural Primary Care Practice Revenue
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 07/2014
    This policy brief describes the impact of recent Medicare payment updates to the Geographic Practice Cost Indices portion of the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule on rural primary care providers' practice revenue from Medicare.
  • Facilitating the Formation of Accountable Care Organizations in Rural Areas
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 07/2014
    This brief shows characteristics contributing to the formation of four accountable care organizations (ACOs) that serve rural Medicare beneficiaries, one each of the four census regions. The findings can help rural providers interested in forming/participating in an ACO assess the status and potential gaps of their core structures and capabilities.
  • Update: Independently Owned Pharmacy Closures in Rural America
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 06/2014
    This brief examines the closure of independently owned rural pharmacies in the United States from 2003 to 2013 and its effects on rural Americans' access to medications and other pharmacy services. This report is an update to past publications from RUPRI.
  • Extent of Telehealth Use in Rural and Urban Hospitals
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 04/2014
    This brief provides discussion with statistics on the use of telehealth in rural hospitals and the opportunities telehealth can bring to supporting healthcare in rural communities.
  • Trends in Hospital Network Participation and System Affiliation, 2007-2012
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 2014
    Network participation and system affiliation are two ways for hospitals to build and/or access necessary capacities to engage in the transformation to an integrated, patient-centered, pay-for-value care delivery model. This brief tracks trends in network participation and system affiliation among U.S. general community hospitals from 2007 to 2012.

2013

2012

  • Stand-Alone Prescription Drug Plans Dominated the Rural Market in 2011
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 09/2012
    This report shows that as of May 2011, 59.1% of rural Medicare beneficiaries were enrolled in Medicare Part D through insurance plans that provide coverage for prescription medications. It also provides further detail, including urban and rural enrollment by type of plan and by state.

2011

2009

  • Loss of Community Pharmacies Since 2006: State Experiences
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 04/2009
    This brief presents the latest data from a continuous monitoring of the status of rural pharmacies by the RUPRI Center. The brief includes a table showing the data by state.

2008

  • Independently Owned Pharmacy Closures in Rural America
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 07/2008
    This brief focuses on rural pharmacy closure because of the potential threat such closures present to access to any local pharmacy services in a community.