How do we ensure access to affordable, quality health care for our rural citizens? How do we select Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement approaches that help rural health care facilities keep their doors open? How can we attract health care providers to rural communities? Rural health policy is the set of principles and plans of action our government uses to address these and other rural health issues.
Rural health policy takes place at the federal, state and local levels of government. Many people and organizations are involved in the formulation of rural health policy, including lawmakers, government agencies, membership organizations, rural health researchers, rural providers, rural patients and concerned citizens.
These groups work to identify potential improvements to the provision and availability of health care services in rural communities through the implementation of health policy that addresses the specific needs and concerns facing rural areas.
Related Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
Tools
Agri-Pulse: Agriculture News, Farm Policy, and Rural Policy
Web site
Offers updates of farm and rural policy developments via a weekly blog, weekly audio files, and a listing of current and archived news items.
AHA Issues: Rural Health Care
Web site
Information on American Hospital Association (AHA) advocacy activities related to rural hospitals. Includes news and resources.
AHA Section for Small or Rural Hospitals
Web site
Information on American Hospital Association (AHA) advocacy activities on behalf of small and rural hospitals. Includes information about the Section, advocacy activities, and publications.
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
Web site
Codification of the general and permanent rules published in the Federal Register by the executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government. It is divided into 50 titles that represent broad areas subject to Federal regulation. Each volume of the CFR is updated once each calendar year and is issued on a quarterly basis.
Code of Federal Regulations: Title 42 Public Health
Web site
Provides access to Code of Federal Regulations' health related provisions, including Medicare and Medicare.
Daily Health Policy Report
Web site
Daily news stories on a variety of health policy issues. Includes a searchable archive.
Directory of Rural Health Contacts: Congressional Committees and Advisory Bodies
Web site
Contact information for Congressional committees and advisory bodies of interest to the rural health community.
Directory of Rural Health Contacts: House Rural Health Care Coalition
Web site
Contact information for members of the U.S. House of Representatives' Rural Health Care Coalition.
Directory of Rural Health Contacts: Senate Rural Health Caucus
Web site
Contact information for U.S. Senators who are members of the Senate Rural Health Caucus.
Health Policy Picks
Web site
Monthly selection of recent publications, such as technical reports, conference proceedings, and other material produced by organizations and government agencies that conduct health care policy analysis and research.
Health Reform Fact Sheets
Web site
Offers customized fact sheets for each state, together with a directory of topics providing background information on the impacts health reform may have on the states and D.C.
Health Reform Resources
Web site
Offers quick access to the Commonwealth Fund research and analysis that informs the health care policy debate.
Health Reform Source
Web site
Serves as a center of information produced by Kaiser on health reform. Site includes an interactive tool for comparing major health reform proposals and characteristics, plus videos and Webcasts of Kaiser briefings, public opinion results, and a timeline listing congressional and White House events related to the health reform debate.
KaiserEDU
Web site
Presents resource lists and tutorials on health policy and public health topics, with links to publications, data, and organizations. Topics covered include Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP, the uninsured, quality of care, and more. Designed for health policy students and faculty.
Maternal and Child Health Library: Rural Health Resource Brief
Web site
Lists and describes federal agency and professional organization websites containing fact sheets, data and research findings, reports, news, policy briefs, toolkits, presentations, databases, and multimedia sources on rural health programs, policy developments, and state rural health research centers. Provides links to state and federal agencies and organizations that focus on rural-health-related issues and best practices.
NRHA Policy and Advocacy Overview
Web site
Information concerning the current National Rural Health Association's advocacy efforts to support rural health.
Office of Rural Health Policy: Policy Overview
Web site
Provides information and resources from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy related to ORHP's rural health policy work.
Official NRHA Policy Documents & Statements
Web site
Links to NRHA member approved and adopted positions and official documents of interest to the rural health community.
Regulations.gov
Web site
Supports public participation in the Federal decision-making process by allowing users to view and submit comments on proposed and final regulations.
Research on Health Care for Rural People
Web site
Presents various reports related to the Affordable Care Act to help people in rural areas better understand the new law.
Rural Health Disparities Topic Guide
Web site
Lists research, websites, and frequently asked questions related to rural health disparities.
Rural Health Research Centers
Web site
Explains the purpose of the rural health research centers program, including information on ORHP-funded research centers, projects and research.
Rural Health Research Gateway
Web site
Provides access to all of the research and findings of the Office of Rural Health Policy's Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Centers. Covers current and completed research projects and publications resulting from those projects. Includes information about the research centers and individual researchers.
Rural Health Voices
Web site
This blog, sponsored by the National Rural Health Association (NRHA), offers news and opinion postings related to health care in rural America.
Rural Training Track Technical Assistance Program (RTT-TAP)
Technical assistance
A demonstration program that seeks to improve fill rates of rural training track (RTT) family medicine residency programs, increase the sustainability of existing RTT programs, and help new RTT programs get started.
Side-by-Side Comparison of Major Health Care Reform Proposals
Web site
Provides interactive summaries of the Affordable Care Act, as well as other proposals put forward during the year-long reform debate in Congress.
State Health Facts Online
Database
Contains state-level data on demographics, household income, health status, and health policy, including health coverage, access, financing, and state legislation. Individual state profiles and 50-state comparisons. Includes statistics by state on medical malpractice and Medicare.
Maps & Map Collections
North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Cartographic Archive
Geographic coverage: United States
A list of maps in PDF that define rural and characterize rural America. Thematic maps cover demographics, frontier counties, health status, critical access hospitals, rural hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and health workforce supply.
Date: 2011
Regulations, Forms & Other Useful Documents
2010 Report to the Secretary: Rural Health and Human Service Issues
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
Report to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on issues related to rural America. Topics for this year include: home and community based care for rural seniors, rural primary care workforce, and rural health care provider integration.
Date: 05 / 2010
Advancing the Health and Well-Being of Rural Communities
Author(s): Keith Mueller
Sponsoring organization: American Public Human Services Association
Discusses the future of health care delivery for rural America that includes access, community health and wellness.
Date: 10 / 2009
Are Electronic Medical Records Helpful for Care Coordination? Experiences of Physician Practices
Author(s): Ann S. O’Malley, Joy M. Grossman, Genna R. Cohen, Nicole M. Kemper
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
Provides a summary of a study of small- and medium-sized physician practices found that electronic medical record (EMR) systems can help coordinate patient care within practice offices.
Date: 12 / 2009
Bridging Rural Health Research and Policy: Dissemination Strategies
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller, Timothy D. McBride, Andrew F. Coburn, Rebecca T. Slifkin, Mary K. Wakefield, A. Clinton MacKinney
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
Describes five strategies for effective dissemination and expanded use of rural health
services research and discusses the infrastructure needed to enhance rural health research dissemination.
Date: 08 / 2007
Burden of Poverty in Rural America
Author(s): Beth Landon
Sponsoring organization: American Public Human Services Association
Discusses how poverty impacts health. Identifies key rural economic development areas and how they may strengthen the health and wellness of rural communities.
Date: 10 / 2009
Choosing Rural Definitions: Implications for Health Policy
Author(s): Andrew F. Coburn, A. Clinton MacKinney, Timothy D. McBride, Keith J. Mueller, Rebecca T. Slifkin, Mary K. Wakefield
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
Provides an overview of rural definitions and their policy implications. Discusses the factors that should be considered in selecting among rural definitions.
Date: 03 / 2007
CMS Value-Based Purchasing Program and Critical Access Hospitals
Author(s): Andrew F. Coburn, A. Clinton MacKinney, Timothy D. McBride, Keith J. Mueller, Rebecca T. Slifkin, Mary K. Wakefield
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
Addresses the implications of value-based purchasing (VBP) for the cost-based reimbursement that CAHs receive. Describes the Rural Health Panel's recommendations for action.
Date: 01 / 2009
Country Doctor
Sponsoring organization: American Medical Association
Journal issue focused on rural physicians. First half examines patient-physician relationship dilemmas encountered in rural medicine and second half discusses policy initiatives undertaken on national and state levels, and new strategies in medical education, to increase rural physician workforce.
Journal citation: Virtual Mentor
Date: 05 / 2011
Coverage and Cost Impacts of Expanding Medicaid
Author(s): Bowen Garrett, John Holahan, Allison Cook, Irene Headen, Aaron Lucas
Sponsoring organization: Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured
Estimates that 49 million Americans were uninsured in 2009 and analyzes several options of expanding Medicaid to cover more low-income uninsured populations.
Date: 05 / 2009
Disseminating Rural Health Research to Community, State and National Audiences: A Communications Toolkit for Health Researchers
Author(s): Wendy Opsahl, Amanda Scurry, Alex McEllistrem-Evenson, Holly Gabriel, Patricia Moulton
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Research Gateway
Includes approaches for both developing various research-related documents and disseminating research results.
Date: 01 / 2010
Dynamics of Sustainability: A Primer for Rural Health Organizations
Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
Provides information and case studies on sustainability for rural organizations that are starting new programs.
Date: 02 / 2012
Evidence-based Falls Prevention in Critical Access Hospitals
Author(s): Karen B. Pearson, Andrew F. Coburn,
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
Policy brief identifying and assessing evidence-based patient safety and quality improvement interventions appropriate for use by state Flex Programs and CAHs.
Date: 12 / 2011
Expanding Health Coverage for Low-Income Adults: Filling the Gaps in Medicaid Eligibility
Sponsoring organization: Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured
Reviews coverage of non-elderly low-income adults and discusses the implications of broadening their coverage by filling gaps in Medicaid eligibility.
Date: 05 / 2009
Finding Resources for Health Reform and Bending the Health Care Cost Curve
Author(s): Rachel Nuzum, Stephanie Mika, Cathy Schoen, Karen Davis
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
Presents a menu of health reform options, along with impact estimates, to help policy leaders identify the resources required to make health coverage for all and improved health system performance a reality. Covers the Path option, which can assist small practices and rural areas in implementing effective Health Information Technology (HIT).
Date: 06 / 2009
Health Care Shortage Designations: HPSA, MUA, and TBD
Author(s): Eileen Salinsky
Sponsoring organization: National Health Policy Forum
Reviews the methodologies utilized in the Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) and the Medically Underserved Area (MUA) designations, identifies federal programs that use these designations to allocate resources, describes proposals to consolidate and improve these designations, and discusses the Affordable Care Act provision to harmonize the two designations.
Date: 06 / 2010
Health Reform: The Cost of Failure
Author(s): John Holahan, Bowen Garrett, Irene Headen, Aaron Lucas
Sponsoring organization: Urban Institute
This report uses the Health Insurance Policy Simulation Model (HIPSM) to quantify the intermediate and longer-term implications if America’s health care system is not significantly overhauled.
Date: 05 / 2009
Healthy Indian Country Initiative Promising Prevention Practices Resource Guide: Promoting Innovative Tribal Prevention Programs
Sponsoring organization: National Indian Health Board
Highlights promising prevention programs within Indian Country. Guide begins the process of identifying, developing, and looking at Tribal community promising prevention practices with the intent to allow other communities to replicate these practices.
Date: 12 / 2009
Hospital and Physician Capacity Update
Author(s): David C. Goodman, Elliott S. Fisher, Kristen K. Bronner
Sponsoring organization: Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice
Reports on the distribution of health care resources due to regional variation in hospital and physician capacity and how this distribution can influence an affordable health care system.
Date: 03 / 2009
Improving Knowledge Transfer Among Health Researchers and Decisionmakers at the Border: An Expert Meeting
Sponsoring organization: Office of Rural Health Policy
Summarizes a June 26, 2007 meeting to identify ways to improve the translation and dissemination of U.S.-Mexico border health research produced in the United States so as to maximize its use by decisionmakers in health policy and practice.
Date: 06 / 2007
Knowing What Works in Health Care: A Roadmap for the Nation
Sponsoring organization: Institute of Medicine
Results of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation request that the Institute of Medicine convene a committee to recommend methods to better identify the most effective health care services. This report provides a blueprint for a national clinical effective assessment program.
Date: 2008
March to Accountable Care Organizations—How Will Rural Fare?
Author(s): A. Clinton MacKinney, Keith J. Mueller, Timothy D. McBride
Describes a strategy for rural providers, communities, and policy makers to support or establish accountable care organizations (ACOs).
Journal citation: Journal of Rural Health Volume 27 Pages: 131-137
Date: 2011
Medicare Advantage Plans in Rural America
Author(s): Andrew F. Coburn, A. Clinton MacKinney, Timothy D. McBride, Keith J. Mueller, Rebecca T. Slifkin, Mary K. Wakefield
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
Identifies key policy issues and questions concerning the impact of Medicare
Advantage (MA) in rural areas.
Date: 10 / 2007
MedPAC Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy, 2011
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
Annual review of Medicare payment policies, with recommendations to Congress. Discussions of rural aspects of Medicare payment policies are included throughout the report.
Date: 03 / 2011
MedPAC Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy, 2012
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
Annual review of Medicare payment policies, with recommendations to Congress. Discussions of rural aspects of Medicare payment policies are included throughout the report.
Date: 03 / 2012
MedPAC Report to the Congress: Promoting Greater Efficiency in Medicare
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
Describes the changing beneficiary profile
in Medicare and its implications for the program. Examines approaches to promote greater efficiency
in the Medicare program. Includes discussion of Medicare Advantage (MA), the wage index, and Medicare coverage of drugs.
Date: 06 / 2007
MedPAC Report to the Congress: Reforming the Delivery System
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
Describes a direction for Medicare payment and delivery system reform, makes recommendations to promote primary care, and examines hospital–physician collaborative relationships.
Date: 06 / 2008
National Indian Health Board’s Guide to Congress for 2009
Sponsoring organization: National Indian Health Board
Provides information advocates of Indian health would need to help influence the future of Indian health care. The guide explains types of legislation, tips for calling or writing Congress and how to write an effective letter.
Date: 2009
National Rural Assembly 2008 Final Report
The Assembly, now in its second year, serves as an event where rural issues and policy are discussed and acted upon to promote positive change. This year's report describes how the Assembly is moving forward in four policy areas—health, natural resources, education, and community investment.
Date: 06 / 2008
Negotiated Rulemaking Committee on the Designation of Medically Underserved Populations and Health Professional Shortage Areas: Appendices and Addenda
Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
Represents the views of certain members of the Negotiated Rulemaking (NRM) Committee with information in support of several key Committee decisions related to the designation process presented in the full Committee report.
Date: 10 / 2011
Negotiated Rulemaking Committee on the Designation of Medically Underserved Populations and Health Professional Shortage Areas: Appendices and Addenda: Attachments
Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
Contains supportive material for developing recommendations and influencing methodologies used to determine medically underserved populations (MUPs) and health professional shortage areas (HPSAs) as presented in the full Negotiated Rulemaking (NRM) Committee report.
Date: 10 / 2011
Negotiated Rulemaking Committee on the Designation of Medically Underserved Populations and Health Professional Shortage Areas: Final Report to the Secretary
Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
Contains recommendations and documentation of the Negotiated Rulemaking (NRM) Committee to influence methodologies used to determine medically underserved populations (MUPs) and health professional shortage areas (HPSAs).
Date: 10 / 2011
NRHA 2011 Legislative and Regulatory Agenda
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
Outlines rural health care policy issues in order to promote legislative and regulatory issues for action by Congress, federal regulatory agencies, the White House, states, and the health care industry.
Date: 2011
Office of Rural Health Policy 2009 Annual Report
Sponsoring organization: Office of Rural Health Policy
Summarizes activities of the Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP) in terms of budget, policies, and grants.
Date: 02 / 2011
Paying a Fair Share for Health Coverage and Care
Author(s): Jill Bernstein
Sponsoring organization: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Provides a framework of different ways that
people can pay for health coverage and care, drawing on research and illustrations from existing private and public sector programs and other industrialized nations.
Date: 01 / 2009
Place-based Policies and Public Health: The Road to Healthy Rural People and Places
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller, A. Clinton MacKinney, Mario Gutierrez, Jocelyn Richgels
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
Identifies how the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA) can influence the determinants of health and contribute to the prosperity, equity, sustainability, and livability of rural places.
Date: 03 / 2011
Rural Health Care: Innovations in Policy and Practice
Sponsoring organization: Grantmakers in Health
Discusses strategies being used to build capacity and improve health care access in rural areas.
Date: 03 / 2009
Rural Health Issues: Implication for Rural Healthy People 2020
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
Outlines NRHA's main rural health concerns for the next decade as they prepare to draft the Rural Healthy People 2020 companion document to Healthy People 2020.
Rural Implications of Key Primary Care Provisions In the Affordable Care Act
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
Highlights specific ACA provisions and provides recommendations for program and policy changes that would help HHS address concerns in rural communities.
Date: 09 / 2011
Rural Perspective/Commentary Regarding "Expanding Health Care Coverage to All Americans" (Full Report)
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller, Andrew F. Coburn, A. Clinton MacKinney, Timothy D. McBride, Rebecca T. Slifkin
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
Provides commentary from the Rural Health Panel on proposed options for expanding health care coverage that have a special, significant meaning for rural areas.
Date: 06 / 2009
Rural Perspective/Commentary Regarding "Transforming the Health Care Delivery System: Proposals to Improve Patient Care and Reduce Health Care Costs" (Full Report)
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller, Andrew F. Coburn, A. Clinton MacKinney, Timothy D. McBride, Rebecca T. Slifkin
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
Outlines the potential impact on rural America of the proposed policy reform options from the Senate Finance Committee in this full report of the RUPRI Health Panel.
Date: 05 / 2009
Securing High Quality Health Care in Rural America: The Impetus for Change in the Affordable Care Act
Author(s): A. Clinton MacKinney, Jennifer P. Lundblad, Andrew F. Coburn, Timothy D. McBride, Keith J. Mueller
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
The ACA calls for the development of a National Health Care Quality Strategy and Plan (National Quality Strategy) that will affect health care that is delivered to millions of Americans who live in rural areas and thousands of health care providers who care for them. The goal of this paper is to answer the question, “What rural considerations should be addressed in a National Quality Strategy?”
Date: 12 / 2010
Snapshots from the Kitchen Table: Family Budgets and Health Care
Author(s): Michael Perry, Julia Cummings, Julia Paradise, Tanya Schwartz
Sponsoring organization: Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured
Reports on a study based on in-depth interviews with low- and middle-income working families about their financial and health care challenges.
Date: 02 / 2009
Too Great A Burden: Americans Face Rising Health Care Costs
Sponsoring organization: Families USA
An analysis of data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Census Bureau revealing how many American face high health care costs.
Date: 04 / 2009
Top 10 Rural Issues for Health Care Reform
Author(s): Jon M. Bailey
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Affairs
Examines the health care issues and challenges facing rural America including: increased heath care costs, large numbers of uninsured and underinsured, and an overextended health care infrastructure.
Date: 03 / 2009
Training Physicians for Rural Practice: Capitalizing on Local Expertise to Strengthen Rural Primary Care
Author(s): Davis G. Patterson, Randall Longenecker, David Schmitz, Susan M. Skillman, Mark P. Doescher
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
Reports that medical residents who train in rural settings are more likely to practice in a rural area. Rural Training Track (RTT) programs play an important role in increasing rural practice placements, thus reducing primary care shortages. Describes the new Rural Training Track Technical Assistance (RTT-TA) program.
Date: 01 / 2011
Trends in Health Care Costs and Spending
Sponsoring organization: Kaiser Family Foundation
Presents key statistics about the level and growth of health care costs and spending in the
U.S. Includes links to additional resources.
Date: 03 / 2009
Journals
Health Affairs
Peer-reviewed publication focusing on U.S. health policy and health care. Content is available free online after three years.
Journal of Rural Health
Offers research of projects to improve rural health, statistics, and mathematical models. Provides summaries of recently published rural health research. Provides links to author, subject and abstract indexes.
Kaiser Health News (KHN)
An independent news service, to report on the nation's health care system and the political and policy debates surrounding it.
NRHA eNews
Electronic newsletter sent monthly to NRHA members, providing updates on government affairs and on funding and educational opportunities related to rural America.
Rural Roads
NRHA magazine focusing on human-interest stories and successful rural programs.
Organizations
AcademyHealth
Academic/Research
Promotes interaction across the health research and policy arenas by bringing together a broad spectrum of players to share their perspectives, learn from each other, and strengthen their working relationships.
American Hospital Association (AHA)
National organization
Represents and serves all types of hospitals, health care networks, patients and communities.
Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO)
National organization
National nonprofit organization representing the state and territorial public health agencies of the United States, the U.S. Territories, and the District of Columbia. ASTHO's members are dedicated to formulating and influencing sound public health policy, and to assuring excellence in state-based public health practice.
Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC)
National organization
Informs policy makers and private decision makers about how local and national changes in the financing and delivery of health care affect people.
Government Accountability Office (GAO)
Federal government
The audit, evaluation, and investigative arm of Congress.
Jefferson School of Population Health (JSPH)
Academic/Research
Provides graduate academic programming, continuing education courses and conferences, and research in areas of health policy, population health, healthcare quality and safety, and chronic care management.
Maine Rural Health Research Center (MRHC)
Academic/Research
One of six Rural Health Research Centers currently funded by the Office of Rural Health Policy. Works to inform health care policymaking and the delivery of rural health services, focusing on rural health care financing and system reform, rural long term care, and rural mental health.
Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC)
Federal government
Consists of an independent federal body that advises the U.S. Congress on issues affecting the Medicare program. Analyzes access to care, quality of care, and other issues affecting Medicare.
National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP)
National organization
Works to help states achieve excellence in health policy and practice. Conducts policy analysis, provides training and technical assistance to states, and convenes state, regional, and national forums.
National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services (NACRHHS)
Federal government
21-member citizens' panel of nationally recognized rural health experts that provides recommendations on rural issues to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC)
National organization
Provides services and technical assistance to community, migrant, and homeless health centers.
National Association of Rural Health Clinics (NARHC)
National organization
Works to improve the delivery of quality, cost-effective health care in rural underserved areas through the Rural Health Clinics (RHC) Program.
National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL)
National organization
National organization for state lawmakers and legislative staff members.
National Governor's Association (NGA)
National organization
Provides governors and their senior staff members with services including representing states on Capitol Hill and before the Administration, developing policy reports on innovative state programs and hosting networking seminars for state government executive branch officials.
National Health Policy Forum (NHPF)
National organization
A non-partisan health policy information exchange program that works to foster more informed government decision-making. NHPF primarily serves the senior staff in Congress, the executive branch and congressional support agencies.
National Indian Health Board (NIHB)
Tribal organization
Works to strength tribal management capabilities in health and human service delivery.
National Institute for Health Care Reform (NIHCR)
National organization
Conducts research, analyzes policy, and informs policy makers on issues related to the delivery, financing, and organization of health care.
National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH)
National organization
Works to foster and promote legislation, information exchange, education, and liaison activities with all State Offices of Rural Health, the federal Office of Rural Health Policy, the National Rural Health Association, and other organizations.
National Rural Assembly
National organization
Through a series of activities and partnerships, they aim at building better policies and more opportunities that may help build a stronger, more vibrant and sustainable rural America.
National Rural Health Association (NRHA)
National organization
Promotes leadership, ideas, information, communication, education, research, advocacy, and methods to improve rural health. Composed of individual and organizational members who share a common interest in rural health.
National Rural Network (NRN)
National organization
Works to create awareness and understanding of those public policies which enhance the viability of Rural America.
NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
Academic/Research
Focuses on changes in Medicare payments to rural providers, access to care for rural residents, and rural public health infrastructure.
North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center (NC RHR & PAC)
Academic/Research
One of six Rural Health Research Centers currently funded by the Office of Rural Health Policy. Works to identify rural health problems through policy-relevant analyses, geographic and graphical presentation of data, and information dissemination. Focuses on rural hospitals and healthcare delivery organizations and access.
Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Federal government
Coordinates activities related to rural health care within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Part of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Focuses on matters affecting rural hospitals and health care, coordinating activities within the department that relate to rural health care, and maintaining a national information clearinghouse.
RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
Academic/Research
One of six Rural Health Research Centers currently funded by the Office of Rural Health Policy. Focuses on rural health care financing/system reform, rural systems building, and meeting the health care needs of special rural populations.
Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI)
Academic/Research
Conducts policy-relevant research and facilitates public dialogue to assist policymakers in understanding the rural impacts of public policies and programs.
Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel (RUPRI)
Academic/Research
Provides decision-makers with timely, objective, and expert analysis of the implications of policy for rural health.
South Carolina Rural Health Research Center (SCRHRC)
Academic/Research
One of six Rural Health Research Centers currently funded by the Office of Rural Health Policy. Focuses on investigating persistent inequities in health status within the population of the rural U.S., with an emphasis on inequities stemming from socioeconomic status, race and ethnicity, and access to healthcare services.
Upper Midwest Rural Health Research Center (UMRHRC)
Academic/Research
One of six Rural Health Research Centers currently funded by the Office of Rural Health Policy. Undertakes national projects focusing on quality of rural health care and other rural health issues by combining expertise with the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center and the University of North Dakota Center for Rural Health.
West Virginia Rural Health Research Center (WVRHRC)
Academic/Research
One of six Rural Health Research Centers currently funded by the Office of Rural Health Policy. Conducts policy-relevant research on environmental health in rural populations and other topics.
WWAMI Rural Health Research Center (WWAMI RHRC)
Academic/Research
One of six Rural Health Research Centers currently funded by the Office of Rural Health Policy. Focuses on training and supply of rural health care providers, availability and quality of care for rural women and children, and access to high-quality care for vulnerable and minority rural populations. Based in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine.
Terms & Acronyms
Advocacy Communication and action taken by an individual or organization in support of an issue or cause.
Final Rule The final version of a regulation issued by a regulatory agency to implement some aspect of a law and published in the Federal Register.
Grey Literature A field in library and information science that deals with the production, distribution, and access to multiple document types produced on all levels of government, academics, business, and organization in electronic and print formats not controlled by commercial publishing i.e. where publishing is not the primary activity of the producing body.
Health Policy Principles and plans of action to address issues of concern to the provision and availability of health care services.
Membership Organization A group of individuals or organizations that works together to achieve goals relevant to the concerns and needs of the membership.
Policy Principles and plans of action that a government uses to address an issue and achieve specific goals.
Proposed Rule A draft version of a regulation issued by a regulatory agency that will be used to implement some aspect of a law. Proposed rules are published in the Federal Register along with a request for comments from interested parties.
Regulatory Agency A government agency that is assigned to enforce laws passed by the government, often by issuing and enforcing specific rules related to those laws.
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