Rural Health Information Hub Latest News

Supreme Court to Consider ACA’s Birth Control Requirement

January 24, 2020

The Supreme Court on Friday announced it will hear two cases on whether employer health plans should be allowed religious and moral exemptions from the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirement to cover birth control. The Trump administration in November 2018 issued final rules to allow more employers to opt out of providing no-cost birth control, but federal judges stopped the rules from taking effect. The justices said Friday they would hear the administration’s appeal of lower-court decisions that blocked the rules nationwide. In the case before the court, Pennsylvania and New Jersey sued the administration, arguing that its exemptions would unlawfully deny preventive health care to millions of women. The Supreme Court will decide whether the Trump administration may allow employers to limit women’s access to free birth control under the ACA.

 

Supreme Court to Consider ACA’s Birth Control Requirement

January 24, 2020

The Supreme Court on Friday announced it will hear two cases on whether employer health plans should be allowed religious and moral exemptions from the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirement to cover birth control. The Trump administration in November 2018 issued final rules to allow more employers to opt out of providing no-cost birth control, but federal judges stopped the rules from taking effect. The justices said Friday they would hear the administration’s appeal of lower-court decisions that blocked the rules nationwide. In the case before the court, Pennsylvania and New Jersey sued the administration, arguing that its exemptions would unlawfully deny preventive health care to millions of women. The Supreme Court will decide whether the Trump administration may allow employers to limit women’s access to free birth control under the ACA.

Rural Emergency Medical Services Integration

This resource outlines tools and strategies for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to use when integrating with other healthcare providers. It discusses approaches to the integration of medical direction, medical protocols, quality reviews, training and continuing education, and operations, among other topics. Read more here.

Performance Management/Program Evaluation Guide: Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) Program

This resource offers guidance to state Flex program coordinators to incorporate performance management and evaluation into Flex program operations as required by the Flex Program Cooperative Agreement. It supports the state’s capacity for assessing program activities, making improvements, and establishing if activities are effective. It also defines key terms and concepts, discusses reporting requirements, demonstrates a performance year work plan, covers data collection, and provides examples of goals and measures to be included in the evaluation plan. Read more here.

Medicare Advantage 2020 Spotlight

This resource is an overview of Medicare Advantage plans available in 2020 and changes since 2019. It features statistics including the number of plans available from 2010-2020 and percent of Medicare beneficiaries having access to Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs), local Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs), and regional PPOs, with breakdowns by metro and nonmetro counties, and a county-level map showing numbers of plans available in 2020. Read more here.

Demand for Broadband in Rural Areas: Implications for Universal Access

This resource reports on the characteristics of demand for fixed broadband among households and small businesses in rural areas and how they affect private sector infrastructure investments. It discusses the role of schools and libraries as providers of broadband service and training to rural residents, and how broadband-enabled services, such as telemedicine, may encourage rural households and small businesses to adopt the technology. It also highlights federal programs and policies that may increase or impede broadband demand, and offers options for the U.S. Congress to consider as it addresses rural broadband demand. Read more here.

2019 Rural Emergency Care Integration Summit

This resource provides an overview of the March 2019 Rural Emergency Care Summit convened by the National Rural Health Resource Center. It explores the role of emergency medical services (EMS) as the healthcare system transitions from volume-based to value-based care and addresses challenges to EMS and hospital collaboration and strategies for future integration. It also discusses how Flex Programs could support rural EMS improvements. Read more here.

The Changing Geography of the Opioid Crisis

This article discusses the opioid epidemic in the U.S. and analyzes how death from opioid overdoses has changed geographically over the past few decades. It includes data on opioid overdose mortality rates by county and rurality and describes the differences in type of substances in rural areas versus urban areas. Read more here.

The Hidden Crisis in Rural America

This short documentary covers the lack of access to mental health services in rural counties and addresses how rural Americans with a serious mental illness are more likely to encounter police and live without treatment. Watch it here.