NASHP, Mathematica, and the Rural Health Redesign Center (RHRC) are collaborating on a new project funded by Arnold Ventures to support states interested in pursuing payment reforms that ensure high quality, sustainable access to health care in rural areas.  

There is increasing interest in adopting value-based payment in rural areas that promotes good health outcomes and isn’t based on volume, like more traditional fee-for-service payments. Also, to ensure access for critical health care services in rural areas, providers and hospitals need some level of predictable payment. At the same time, state budgets are tight, health insurance premiums are climbing, and overall health care affordability is a significant challenge. As a result, states are striving to reform payment across public and private insurance to meet the needs of rural populations without adding more expenses to the overall system. States that want to explore these approaches are encouraged to participate in our new project.

Throughout the next year, this project will include information-sharing provided through different activities, some of which are available to all who are interested and others that will be targeted to specific state partner teams. The activities include: 

• Webinars for all state officials, and their key rural health partners, including providers, hospitals, provider/hospital associations, health plans, etc. to discuss key foundational steps to move towards reforming payment in rural areas.  

• Gap analysis comparing activities and investment within select states’ Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) work with the Future of Rural Health framework to provide state rural health teams with actionable steps to align their RHTP to this framework that includes payment reform. 

• Analytic profiles for all participating states to bring together disparate data sources into a comprehensive profile to support evidence-based payment transformation. 

• Issue briefs that will be available to all that share the early lessons from the work with states and their partners to move toward reforming rural payment. 

• A blueprint for rural payment reform that will summarize key considerations, alternative payment pathways, implementation strategies, etc.   

This webinar is open to all, but best for: 

• State officials focusing on and responsible for rural health access,  

• Rural providers, hospitals and their associations, and  

• Payers – both public and commercial health insurance representatives. 

Participants will learn more about the project and begin discussions about how to consider RHTP investments and activities already underway with building momentum toward sustainable payment reform – even if that was not an explicit goal in your state RHTP application.