
CMS and State regulatory agencies are implementing policies that can negatively impact accreditation and licensure for hospitals, nursing facilities, and health plans who fail to achieve at least a 3-star rating. Non-teaching hospitals and rural facilities with less access to capital are less likely to earn this 3-star rating. What does this mean for access to healthcare for rural Americans? Propose a means of modifying the policy-framework to account for the lower scores in rural areas. Provide an example to justify your plan.