by RUPRI Rural Health Panel

Value-based purchasing (VBP) represents a collection of new Medicare payment programs designed to improve clinical quality and patient experience while reducing cost inflation. In this paper, the authors discuss several forces leading to the design and implementation of Medicare VBP programs. Key conclusions include: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services should actively include rural providers in new VBP program opportunities; Rural provider inability to take advantage of efficiencies of scale (volume) in a fee-for-service payment environment should not become a compounding disadvantage during VBP program participation; VBP programs should be aligned across health care provider types; VBP performance measures should be pertinent to the services provided by rural providers.

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2012-10-15 - On the blog: Democratic arts
• How does rural theater contribute to democracy? Read about it on our blog this week.

2012-10-15 - The Impact of Health Care Reform on Rural Communities
• Presented by RUPRI Rural Health Panel Chair Keith Mueller to the 2012 Avera Rural Health Conference in Sioux Falls, SD. Click here to view presentation.

2012-10-01 - On the blog: Local Food in OH
• The 30 Mile Meal is a local food value chain in action. Read about it here.

2012-09-04 - On the blog: One year
• The Rural Futures Lab is celebrating one year of blog posts. Click here to read about the ideas, resources, and issues our guest bloggers have shared.

2012-08-13 - The American Community Survey and Rural Data Analysis
• Article written by RUPRI Program Director Kathy Miller for the Association of Public Data Users August Newsletter.  Click here to open the article.

2012-08-06 - RUPRI Presentation to the Senate Rural Health Caucus
• The Future of Rural Health, presented by Dr. Keith Mueller, chair of RUPRI's Rural Health Panel, to the Senate Rural Health Caucus.  Click here to open.

Quick Links >>

• RUPRI Rural Health Panel
• RUPRI State Profile Series
• RUPRI Human Services Panel
• RUPRI Rural Futures Lab
• Rural Futures Lab blog

Legislative Update - more updates >>
WH Rural Council Announces Three New Initiatives
The White House Rural Council announces three new initiatives to leverage existing programs and funding to drive economic growth in rural communities.
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Items of Interest - more items >>
Small Main Street Businesses Revitalize Rural MS Town
New York Times higlights the work of four entrepreneurial women to revitalize rural Water Valley, Mississippi.
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