How risk adjustment payments could help complex conditions in rural areas. Featuring Tammy Huff.

Tammy Huff, MD discusses how rural health disparities are driven by many logistical challenges in remote and underserved areas, where limited public transport and hospital closures make access to care increasingly difficult. Bundled payments may be adding to these challenges by asking providers to carry more risk. Low health literacy, high medical co-morbidities and risk factors such as tobacco use are more prevalent in these rural areas, making many patients care management more complex. Are these factors increasing disparities by making surgeons more cautious about proceeding with procedures? Can different payment models mitigate these problems? With Bill Finerfrock.