Fierce Healthcare June 16, 2021
Rural Medicare beneficiaries had fewer evaluation and management encounters in 2018 compared to their urban counterparts, a new analysis found.
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission released the analysis on Tuesday as part of a mandated report to Congress. The report explored changes in rural health services and factors behind a trend in hospital closures.
“Rural beneficiaries’ lower [evaluation and management] use was mainly attributable to fewer visits with specialist physicians, which may, in turn, be related to the longer distances rural beneficiaries travel to access specialists,” the report found.
Rural beneficiaries had greater use of hospital outpatient services in 2018 compared to urban counterparts. This change was likely that rural residents got more services like imaging done in a hospital...
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