Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Access To Health Care Services For Adults In Maine [Report], Erika C. Ziller Phd

Access / Insurance

On October 17, 2016, the Maine Health Access Foundation (MeHAF) released a new research brief developed with the University of Southern Maine that found significant inequality in the ability of people in Maine to access quality health care. The authors, Barbara Leonard from MeHAF and Erika Ziller from the USM Muskie School, found that income, age and education are all closely associated with Maine people’s ability to receive appropriate and timely health care. Specifically, they found that among Maine adults 18 and older, those with family incomes less than $25,000 a year, young adults, racial and ethnic minorities, and people …

Health Insurance Co-Ops: Product Availability And Premiums In Rural Counties, Erika C. Ziller Phd, Zachariah T. Croll Ba, Andrew F. Coburn Phd

Access / Insurance

Created by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Consumer Operated and Oriented Plans (CO-OPs) are private, non-profit health insurers that were designed to increase insurance plan choice and lower premiums in the Health Insurance Marketplaces. Early analyses of the ACA suggested that CO-OPs may be particularly beneficial for rural communities, where fewer individual and small group health insurance options have traditionally been available.

This Research and Policy Brief, authored by research staff at the Maine Rural Health Research Center, explores the early availability and role of CO-OPs in rural and urban counties. We describe the regional distribution and market prevalence of …

Are Rural Older Adults Benefitting From Increased State Spending On Medicaid Home And Community-Based Services?, Andrew F. Coburn Phd, Eileen Griffin Jd, Deborah Thayer Mba, Zachariah T. Croll Mph, Erika C. Ziller Phd

Long Term Services and Supports

In a shift away from institutional long term services and supports (LTSS), the federal government and states have pursued an array of strategies for expanding access to home and community-based services (HCBS) over the past few decades. Yet, little is known about variations in the availability or use of Medicaid HCBS within states, across rural and urban areas. This study used the national Medicaid Analytical Extract claims data file (2008) to examine differences in HCBS use and expenditures among rural and urban older adult Medicaid beneficiaries receiving LTSS. The study found that rural Medicaid LTSS users were less likely to …

Health Information Exchange: A Strategy For Improving Access For Rural Veterans In The Maine Flex Rural Veterans Health Access, Karen B. Pearson Mlis, Ma, Amanda Burgess Mppm, John A. Gale Ms, Andrew F. Coburn Phd, Anush Yousefian Hansen Ms, Ma

Access / Insurance

This paper reports on the design and implementation of a first-in-the nation project to expand rural veterans’ access to healthcare by establishing a bi-directional connection between Maine’s statewide health information exchange (HIE) and Veterans Administration facilities and centers. The paper reviews key factors that have contributed to implementation challenges and successes and lessons relevant to efforts to create interoperable health IT systems across multiple, complex organizational settings.

Rural Opioid Abuse: Prevalence And User Characteristics, Jennifer D. Lenardson Mhs, John A. Gale Ms, Erika C. Ziller Phd

Mental Health / Substance Use Disorders

This study examined the prevalence of non-medical use of pain relievers and heroin in the past year in rural and urban areas and the socio-demographic and economic characteristics associated with their use. Additionally, we examined opioid use by age at first use as well as dependence and abuse; treatment history and perceived need for treatment; use of alcohol and other drugs; perceived risk of using drugs and availability of drugs; problems resulting from the use of drugs; driving under the influence; and illegal activities and arrest records.