Kristin Reiter, PhD

• Current Projects - (1)
• Completed Projects - (5)
• Publications - (7)

---

Current Projects - (1)

• Medicare Advantage and Financial, Hospital, and Community Characteristics of Rural Hospitals
  This project will compare financial, hospital, and community differences among rural hospitals located in areas with lower versus higher rates of Medicare Advantage penetration.
  Research center: North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
  Topics: Hospitals and clinics, Medicare, Medicare Advantage (MA)
  

---

Completed Projects - (5)

• Estimation of the Fixed and Variable Costs of a Rural Emergency Hospital
  This project: 1) informed the design of CMS Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) payment methods, particularly the Medicare monthly additional facility payment; 2) estimated patient break-even volumes for the long-run financial sustainability of REHs; and; 3) provided a tool that rural hospitals can use to estimate the cost of operating a REH.
  Research center: North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
  Topics: Hospitals and clinics, Legislation and regulation, Medicare
  
• Financial Impact of Reimbursing CAH Swing Bed Days at the SNF PPS Rate
  This study assessed the financial impact of changing Critical Access Hospital (CAH) swing bed reimbursement from the cost-based system to the skilled nursing facility (SNF) prospective payment system (PPS).
  Research center: North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
  Topics: Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), Healthcare financing, Long-term care, Medicare, Post-acute care
  
• How Have Changes in Insurance Coverage Under Health Reform Affected Uncompensated Care and Financial Performance in Rural Hospitals?
  This two-year project will explore the effects of changes in insurance coverage under health reform on the following outcomes in rural hospitals: (1) bad debt; (2) charity care; (3) payer mix (Medicare, Medicaid, other); (3) financial performance; and (4) hospital revenue cycle management. Results will inform federal and state agencies, rural providers and communities as to how implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is impacting reimbursement and financial performance of rural hospitals, allowing the Office of Rural Health Policy to identify emerging challenges and develop strategies or policy changes needed to deal with any unintended consequences.
  Research center: North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
  Topics: Health reform, Hospitals and clinics, Private health insurance, Uninsured and underinsured
  
• How Medicare Payment Standardization Affects the Perceived "Cost" of Post-Acute Care Provided in Critical Access Hospital Swing Beds
  Medicare-allowed charges are adjusted for geographic cost differences and payments that support larger Medicare program goals. This study aimed to identify the effects of the payment standardization method on the perceived "cost" of post-acute care provided in Critical Access Hospital swing beds.
  Research center: North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
  Topics: Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), Hospitals and clinics, Medicare, Post-acute care
  
• Rural-Urban Variation in CMS Hierarchical Condition Categories (HCC) Risk Scores
  CMS uses hierarchical condition categories (HCC) to risk-adjust Medicare beneficiaries for multiple conditions. This adjustment is used for multiple programs, but it's unknown whether the adjustment works similarly in rural and urban areas. This project investigated the distribution of beneficiaries' and providers' HCC risk scores across rurality.
  Research center: North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
  Topic: Medicare
  

---

Publications - (7)