The CMS has identified 10 rural hospitals in Montana, Nevada and North Dakota that will participate in a new demonstration aimed at serving Medicare beneficiaries who live in remote locations.
People in these areas sometimes travel hundreds of miles to see a doctor. That can add to costs and discourage beneficiaries from seeking treatment, said Dr. Patrick Conway, CMS' chief medical officer and deputy administrator for innovation and quality. Rural hospitals also have been some of the hardest hit by a preponderance of low-paying Medicare, Medicaid and uninsured patients.
Hospitals involved in the demonstration, known as the Frontier Community Health Integration Project, will receive additional Medicare reimbursement to pay for new services that make getting healthcare more convenient. New offerings include skilled nursing care, telemedicine and ambulance services.
Participating hospitals and health systems include Dahl Memorial Healthcare, McCone County Health Center, Roosevelt Medical Center, Battle Mountain General Hospital, Grover C. Dils Medical Center, Mount Grant General Hospital, Pershing General Hospital, Jacobson Memorial Hospital Care Center, McKenzie County Healthcare Systems, and Southwest Healthcare Services.
