Rural Health
Funding by Topic: Medicare

Minority Research Grant Program
Grants to to encourage innovative health services research that can directly contribute to the improvement of health outcomes for people from all minority populations, which includes racial and ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with limited English proficiency, rural populations, and individuals adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality.

States Advancing All-Payer Health Equity Approaches and Development (AHEAD) Model
A state total cost of care (TCOC) model that works to drive state and regional healthcare transformation and multi-payer alignment, with the goal of improving the total health of a state population and lowering costs. The AHEAD Model will provide participating states with funding and other tools to address rising healthcare costs and support health equity.

Quality Payment Program Exceptions
The opportunity to apply for exceptions to meeting Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) program requirements. The 2 exceptions include extreme and uncontrollable circumstances and promoting interoperability hardship.

Medicare Incentive Payments in Health Professional Shortage Areas
Medicare bonus payments to physicians in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs).

Quality Reporting and Peer Review Assistance for Critical Access Hospitals in Oklahoma
Customized technical assistance for hospitals in Oklahoma in the areas of evaluation, healthcare improvement, data, and reporting.

340B Drug Pricing Program Inactive
Allows certain facilities, such as Critical Access Hospitals and Federally Qualified Health Centers and FQHC look-alikes, to purchase prescription and non-prescription medications at reduced cost.

NCOA Grants for New Benefits Enrollment Centers Inactive
Grants to community-based nonprofits to serve as Benefits Enrollment Centers that work to find and enroll eligible adults in 5 core federal benefit programs. Focuses on serving certain target population groups, including people living in rural areas.

Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program Hardship Exception Application Inactive
CMS eligible hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) may be exempted from the Medicare Promoting Interoperability payment adjustment if they can show that compliance with the requirement for being a meaningful EHR user would result in a significant hardship. Eligible hospitals and CAHs may submit a hardship exception application each year for a maximum of 5 years.

Medicare Shared Savings Program Advance Investment Payments Inactive
The Medicare Shared Savings Program offers providers and suppliers an opportunity to create an Accountable Care Organization that is held accountable for the quality, cost, and experience of care of an assigned Medicare fee-for-service beneficiary population through different payment models. A new payment option in 2023 is the Advance Investment Payments designed to encourage healthcare providers in rural and underserved areas to join together to form an Accountable Care Organizations.

Primary Care: Expanding Access and Advancing Racial Health Equity in New York Inactive
Grants for projects in New York that work to expand access to primary care and/or advance racial health equity through primary care. Priority is given to communities of color and rural areas.