Full Transcript for A Once-in-a-Generation Moment for Rural Healthcare

to care. 00:05:09.360 --> 00:05:16.959 We know rural health communities can struggle a little bit with access, people often driving 50 or so miles to their nearest provider. 00:05:17.040 --> 00:05:20.639 And that's even more so the case for specialties in healthcare. 00:05:20.800 --> 00:05:24.800 Being able to increase access to care was a big focus. 00:05:25.040 --> 00:05:28.959 And along with access, we also like to talk about health outcomes. 00:05:29.199 --> 00:05:32.160 That was another pillar of this particular program. 00:05:32.480 --> 00:05:40.480 How can we adopt technology and innovative workflows to improve health outcomes for the rural population? 00:05:40.879 --> 00:05:45.360 And then, third, the first couple boxes focused specifically on patients. 00:05:45.519 --> 00:06:00.720 The third key focus area was around providers and being able to support the workforce and enable workforce retention programs, as well as other innovative approaches to essentially address the shortage in healthcare providers that exists around the country. 00:06:00.879 --> 00:06:08.079 So to call out an example, Delaware as a state is using its funding to create and start a new medical school. 00:06:08.240 --> 00:06:21.279 So everything from those sorts of really innovative and big large-scale ideas all the way down to how can we help support each organization in incentives to retain their provider workforce. 00:06:21.439 --> 00:06:32.480 So those are a few of the key goals of the program and the ways in which states are now beginning to implement this funding is across several of those areas. 00:06:32.879 --> 00:06:46.480 But the key idea of this funding remains around transformation using innovation and different initiatives that haven't yet had the chance to be executed on, primarily due to a lack of funding. 00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:59.199 So that's where I think at Mooter Health and in our conversations with several states, we're really excited about the potential for technology to be adopted, using budgets that previously didn't exist. 00:06:59.360 --> 00:07:07.839 We're also really excited around the shift happening across the country in adopting new payment models, particularly value-based care. 00:07:08.079 --> 00:07:15.519 And this particular program is really helping to bolster the adoption of value-based care payment models around the country. 00:07:15.680 --> 00:07:20.240 And then also be able to create these coalitions and partnerships. 00:07:20.399 --> 00:07:22.160 So no one lives in a silo. 00:07:22.399 --> 00:07:35.279 All of these organizations, particularly on the provider side, have diverse sets of needs, be it technology, be it workforce solutions, be it workforce support, as or administrative and logistical solutions. 00:07:35.439 --> 00:07:49.439 So being able to create partnerships and different coalitions that can essentially meet these organizations where they are with the types of solutions and initiatives that help them make the most

out of this rural health transformation program. 00:07:49.839 --> 00:07:50.000 Okay. 00:07:50.160 --> 00:07:52.079 So there's a lot that goes into this for sure. 00:07:52.319 --> 00:07:55.680 You hit goals, you hit focus areas, you hit partnerships. 00:07:55.920 --> 00:08:02.319 As far as even some of the shifts towards value-based care, there's a significant amount to this. 00:08:02.480 --> 00:08:04.319 You mentioned that there's 10 areas. 00:08:04.480 --> 00:08:11.839 I know that we've talked amongst ourselves that Mooter Health, where we work, checks off at least eight of those boxes right there. 00:08:12.160 --> 00:08:22.000 So all of the 50 states applied for these funds late last year, late 2025, to support telehealth, value-based care, sustainable health models. 00:08:22.480 --> 00:08:30.079 Arya, what do external partners, when you're meeting with them, often seem to misunderstand about RHTP and the execution? 00:08:30.480 --> 00:08:32.080 Yeah, that's another great question, Jim. 00:08:32.240 --> 00:08:44.320 Like we have already hit on today, this program is so large that there it creates a lot of different narratives and storylines around how this funding is supposed to be used. 00:08:44.480 --> 00:08:47.600 Unfortunately, the federal government did lay some guidelines out. 00:08:47.840 --> 00:09:03.120 However, I think one thing that is misunderstood is the tremendous flexibility that states at the state level have to use these funds to impact, be it health outcomes, access to care, technology, or their workforce. 00:09:03.279 --> 00:09:08.080 There is an extraordinary amount of flexibility for each of these states. 00:09:08.320 --> 00:09:14.559 That then leads states to wanting to, the natural intuition is we have XYZ budget deficits. 00:09:14.720 --> 00:09:16.879 Let's use this funding to plug in those holes. 00:09:16.960 --> 00:09:37.840 And I think that's a key misunderstanding that the federal government, as well as state states who have applied for this funding, have come to realize is rural health transformation is not meant to be a vehicle that balances state budgets, but rather it's a vehicle for enacting the types of change that lead to long-term sustainability and success for these states. 00:09:38.159 --> 00:09:53.840 I think the most critical factor for anyone involved in this program to be able to understand is that this is not simply a, as we say, a point solution for one specific budget balance, but balancing of the budgets to occur. 00:09:54.000 --> 00:09:57.679 But rather, it's a real vehicle for the types of long-term change. 00:09:57.840 --> 00:10:18.240 I suspect that over the next six months, where the initial year of funds are going to be deployed across the United States, the states that have the most success in the long run will be implementing these funds on some of the initiatives that will be able to deliver more of that longer-term success and sustainability. 00:10:18.399 --> 00:10:21.679 We've talked a little about value-based care already. 00:10:21.919 --> 00:10:38.639 That's a big focus within most states' action plans for rural health transformation funding because it requires a little bit of a lift to move away from a traditional fee-for-service model to more of a value-based care model requires an initial investment in which the part of it is technology. 00:10:38.799 --> 00:10:42.960 Do we have the right tools to be able to deploy a value-based care model? 00:10:43.200 --> 00:10:56.399 Part of it is the executive buy-in and the administrative logistics that need to occur with being able to receive value-based care payments and being able to show specific outcomes that you move the needle on. 00:10:56.559 --> 00:11:12.159 And then part of it is, quite frankly, just the fact that this funding now exists and unlocking those first two challenges, we're starting to see states be able to adopt and implement additional value-based care initiatives due to this funding existing. 00:11:12.240 --> 00:11:22.559 And what we'll see over time, and as a lot of health economists point out, that should lead to a more sustainable healthcare system and even at the organization level. 00:11:22.879 --> 00:11:57.360 So that's, I think, just going back to your original question, misunderstanding is that this is not the rural health transformation program, is not meant to solve for individual one-off budget or financial challenges, but rather it's to enable states to take a step back and identify the key three to five initiatives that will truly move the needle in the long run and will create a more sustainable and equitable healthcare system for all of the, not just rural health, but all of the state's residents and being able to apply this funding towards those areas that they see having the greatest potential for impact. 00:11:57.759 --> 00:12:20.559 When reflecting on the last podcast we had with Avery Mews and Jen Wendell from the Muse Group, and as far as executive leaders in an IT capacity across government entities throughout their career, I believe it was Jen that was talking about the rural systems can have unique balancing act challenges. 00:12:20.879 --> 00:12:41.440 So from a national approach to fund these sorts of efforts, let's say, you get consistency and you get proven playbooks, but they don't necessarily effectively make change in these rural settings because the rural settings, I know that you and I both heard have different regulations and different community realities. 00:12:41.600 --> 00:12:44.799 To your point of a few moments ago, somebody driving 50 miles. 00:12:44.960 --> 00:12:46.720 Imagine driving three hours. 00:12:47.039 --> 00:12:50.799 Whether it's 50 miles or three hours, the wait times are real. 00:12:51.039 --> 00:13:07.279 So this is a program that is ideally set up so that people can have innovative ideas and start to address those rural challenges to healthcare, like workforce shortages you've mentioned, access gaps, cyber

risk, infrastructure constraints. 00:13:07.600 --> 00:13:09.360 So there is a lot coming for sure. 00:13:09.440 --> 00:13:15.440 And I think that we're likely to see some great ideas in pockets of the country. 00:13:15.519 --> 00:13:20.799 And hopefully that transcends then and spreads across the country so that great ideas can be shared. 00:13:21.120 --> 00:13:31.440 The rural health transformation program supports rural patients, clinicians, and health systems accessing high-quality technology-enabled care. 00:13:31.600 --> 00:13:37.360 So, Arya, what does readiness actually mean in the context of the RHTP? 00:13:37.679 --> 00:13:42.000 Yeah, I so readiness, I think it comes down to a few key areas. 00:13:42.159 --> 00:13:49.840 Number one is understanding the timeline associated with the rural health transformation programs and the disbursement of these funds. 00:13:50.080 --> 00:13:58.720 Unlike a lot of the larger multi-billion dollar initiatives that the federal government has come out in the past, this one has a really condensed timeline. 00:13:58.879 --> 00:14:02.080 So today is it we're in the middle of April. 00:14:02.320 --> 00:14:09.519 These states really only have until the end of September into October to be able to deploy these funds into their first year. 00:14:09.679 --> 00:14:16.399 And if they are not able to deploy all of those funds, it goes back into a shared pool for other states to utilize. 00:14:16.559 --> 00:14:24.240 So what that means is that we've got roughly six months to be able to identify where this funding is going at the state level. 00:14:24.320 --> 00:14:33.440 And I think that puts an enormous time pressure that really hasn't existed with any other program that we've seen in the past, especially one of this magnitude. 00:14:33.679 --> 00:14:38.159 So the first one, the first part of readiness is understanding that there's a real time constraint here. 00:14:38.320 --> 00:14:54.879 So that means that each step needs to be a careful, measured step in terms of where this, where these funds are going to be deployed, where the greatest potential for a return on investment is for different states and the organizations applying at the for the funding at the state level. 00:14:55.120 --> 00:15:07.919 I think the second part of it then comes down to how deep of an understanding do we have of the needs that each respective organization has related to the categories for this funding to be applied. 00:15:08.080 --> 00:15:30.240 So in a needs assessment, if most organizations do have done a needs assessment for these types of programs in the past, but I think that is more apparent than ever before that being able to measure the areas for this funding to have the greatest impact compared to all of the potential areas that these funds can be deployed requires some evaluation at the organization level. 00:15:30.399 --> 00:15:36.799 So that's a great place to start for any organization that is looking to move forward and be able to apply for this funding. 00:15:36.960 --> 00:15:56.639 And then I think just along that evaluation timeline and along the steps required for decisions to be made, really looking at the categories that the federal government has put out, but each state in their application outlined somewhere between five to ten key initiatives that they wanted to push forward. 00:15:56.720 --> 00:16:08.720 And at the state level, those are the initiatives that an RHTP director for West Virginia or for the state of Minnesota is looking at when they're considering any applications that organizations are putting in. 00:16:08.879 --> 00:16:14.240 So when the readiness question, Jim, it comes down to number one, do we understand the timeline? 00:16:14.480 --> 00:16:18.320 Number two, do we understand our own organization's internal needs? 00:16:18.480 --> 00:16:28.159 And then number three, how do we look at matching our provider or our organization's needs to the action plans that a state has put forward? 00:16:28.320 --> 00:16:49.120 And that's where a lot of this, I think a lot of the magic is really going to occur is, for example, a federally qualified health center to look at their state's RHTP application and say, we know that in investing in value-based care for hard-to-reach populations like patients with substance use disorder is a key initiative that our state wants to move forward. 00:16:49.279 --> 00:17:02.320 These are a few of the areas that we can apply that funding to truly move the needle at an organization level that will then feed data back to the states to report to the federal government on the success of their individual rural health transformation program. 00:17:02.720 --> 00:17:12.480 So it sounds like there's a balancing act here then of not just rural health priorities and then applying for the funding to offset that. 00:17:12.799 --> 00:17:24.960 But all of this does seem like it's coalescing around improving access, resilience, outcomes, workforce, innovation, some pretty, pretty large buckets there. 00:17:25.359 --> 00:17:40.240 So what sorts of macro pressures then, aside from timing and understanding that timeline, what sort of macro pressures are you seeing are pushing organizations to pursue this funding before they even have internal alignment as to what their priorities are? 00:17:40.559 --> 00:17:49.759 Yeah, I I so I I think you know, part of this comes down to the reality of why the rural health transformation program exists. 00:17:50.000 --> 00:18:14.400 And what we know is that for decades, not just recent years, but for far longer than just the last few years, rural organizations have been struggling from a financial and operational standpoint for many of the reasons that this program exists: workforce development and retention, being able to create a sustainable model for patient outcomes and access to care. 00:18:14.640 --> 00:18:20.079 And that's led to many of these rural health organizations being at risk of or

already closing. 00:18:20.240 --> 00:18:26.960 The last report that I read said that there were over 400 rural hospitals at risk of closure in this coming year. 00:18:27.119 --> 00:18:32.640 So there, from a macro standpoint, there is a tremendous amount of financial pressure on these organizations. 00:18:32.880 --> 00:18:52.000 And the rural health transformation program was created to be able to supplement some of the funding and some of the opportunities that exist in moving all of these organizations collectively to hopefully a more sustainable and successful model of care, particularly from a financial standpoint. 00:18:52.319 --> 00:18:54.799 So that's one of the macro pressures. 00:18:54.960 --> 00:19:05.359 The other is part of the same bill that created the rural health transformation program resulted in roughly$900 billion in cuts to Medicaid across the country. 00:19:05.440 --> 00:19:13.759 And we know that Medicaid is the largest, or if not the largest, the second largest after Medicare payer in most rural markets. 00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:27.200 And the rural health transformation program, one of the reports that I read was that for every dollar that was cut on paper to Medicaid funding, rural health transformation only really brings back 37 cents. 00:19:27.440 --> 00:19:42.240 So that puts all the more pressure on being able to identify the areas that have the greatest potential for impact, again, primarily from a financial standpoint, to offset some of the cuts and the other macro pressures that exist for these rural organizations. 00:19:42.559 --> 00:19:48.000 It's a big reason why one of the spaces that Mooter Health does work in is supporting the perenatal population. 00:19:48.160 --> 00:19:50.480 Maternal mental health is a big focus of ours. 00:19:50.640 --> 00:20:14.559 And what we are seeing in particularly in Appalachia, but all across the country, is that a lot of labor and delivery units are at risk of closure for the same reasons that federally qualified health centers and other rural providers are at risk for closure, which is that we haven't created the most sustainable model from a financial standpoint for these different types of organizations. 00:20:14.720 --> 00:20:24.640 So that's again a big focus of the rural health is placing this investment into the areas that we see the greatest potential for impact and return on investment. 00:20:24.960 --> 00:20:40.559 So as far as that shakeup and the time and the high wire of walking the funding application into the right categories, if a team at a health system determines they're not fully ready, there's that timeline you talked about. 00:20:40.720 --> 00:20:45.839 What practical steps do you think they should be at least taking before applying? 00:20:46.160 --> 00:20:48.079 And maybe Mooter could help. 00:20:48.480 --> 00:20:57.519 This program is so new that it creates a lot of opportunities for organizations to move quickly from identifying needs to planning to then procurement. 00:20:57.680 --> 00:21:08.240 There, we still have several months left, and it's truly not too late to begin the process of moving forward to apply for rural health transformation funding, is the first thing that I'll start with. 00:21:08.480 --> 00:21:11.839 Most states really only released their plans a few months ago. 00:21:12.079 --> 00:21:16.720 No one is really behind the ball just quite yet, but it's important to move with some urgency. 00:21:16.880 --> 00:21:28.880 This the second area is if you're if an organization feels like they're not quite ready to apply, there are a lot of different types of groups, and I mentioned earlier coalitions that can really help. 00:21:29.039 --> 00:21:41.039 If you're a federally qualified health center, odds are your state's primary care association is already planning and has already put out a strategy around the RHTP funds and helping secure procurement. 00:21:41.279 --> 00:21:55.359 If you're not a part of an organization or an association like that, there are also lots of groups out there who are working directly with organizations to help identify needs, to help them with the planning process for applying for these funds and moving into procurement. 00:21:55.519 --> 00:21:59.759 I'll call out the last podcast, and I think it was really fruitful with Avery Mew. 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:05.759 And Jen Wendell and the work that Mooter Health is doing is really helping organizations plan for this funding. 00:22:05.920 --> 00:22:20.480 It exists, it's out there, and odds are a lot of organizations are dealing with so many different types of challenges and different situations that RHCP may not be top of mind, but really can make a huge impact for these organizations. 00:22:20.720 --> 00:22:22.160 So we want to work with you. 00:22:22.240 --> 00:22:30.960 We want to help support your own application and be able to align your needs with this funding that exists to help address those exact needs. 00:22:31.279 --> 00:22:32.000 Fantastic. 00:22:32.240 --> 00:22:43.200 So it sounds absolutely like MooterHealth helps systems and care centers apply the funding into ready-to-deploy solutions with your outcomes. 00:22:43.519 --> 00:22:46.960 Can you speak a minute about you said that there were 10 categories? 00:22:47.119 --> 00:22:52.880 And if we look at where MooterHealth can actually lean in, which are the areas that maybe you're most excited about? 00:22:53.039 --> 00:22:55.119 Is it expanding access to care? 00:22:55.359 --> 00:22:57.839 Is it reduced clinician burden? 00:22:58.160 --> 00:23:01.440 Is it sustainable results for a health system? 00:23:01.759 --> 00:23:04.640 Which areas really get you excited to be part of this? 00:23:05.039 --> 00:23:05.920 Can I say all? 00:23:06.160 --> 00:23:22.400 I think this that part of why we are so excited about this program is number one, it directly discusses and plans for the same challenges that we're hearing in with every organization that we speak

with, Jim, as you very well know. 00:23:23.279 --> 00:23:42.240 Everything from impacting outcomes to every single state in their action plans have put forth a proposal for technology adoption, which I'd guess, I'd suspect that's really never happened with any previous healthcare initiative that the federal government or even most state governments have released. 00:23:42.400 --> 00:23:56.240 There is a carve-out for adopt for the adoption of technology that can help drive some of the categories that you mentioned, be it healthcare outcomes, reduced administrative burden, or even support for the existing healthcare workforce. 00:23:56.480 --> 00:24:14.559 So certainly what excites me most about the rural health transformation program is the very fact that it is designed to solve a lot of the day-to-day challenges that some of the organizations, particularly those dealing with rural health communities, are trying to work through. 00:24:14.640 --> 00:24:21.200 And it creates a structure to support the resolution or at least several steps forward in addressing those challenges. 00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:30.880 So that is one of the areas that excites me at a personal level most is that there are a lot, lots of programs that come out that may not really get at the heart of a core solution. 00:24:30.960 --> 00:24:32.480 It's like putting a band-aid on it. 00:24:32.640 --> 00:24:40.720 But this one, it really enables organizations to solve the underlying challenges that lead to some of the downstream impacts that they're working through. 00:24:40.799 --> 00:24:56.079 So I would say if I had to pick one, it would likely be the fact that technology budgets exist for organizations that have historically not had a very large technology budget, especially outside of their EMR, which can only do so much. 00:24:56.240 --> 00:25:04.160 So that's the one that I would say excites me the most, and also is what we're hearing from organizations that we're speaking to. 00:25:04.480 --> 00:25:07.920 We've I said at the beginning of this session, we've got a lot to unpack here. 00:25:08.079 --> 00:25:11.440 I don't know that we can hit it all, but we have time for one more question. 00:25:11.519 --> 00:25:14.960 And I'm curious, Aria, you've talked a lot about the program. 00:25:15.200 --> 00:25:17.759 You've mentioned several things about Mooter Health. 00:25:18.079 --> 00:25:21.839 What other thing would you like our guests to know about the program? 00:25:22.240 --> 00:25:23.759 And why Mooter Health? 00:25:23.839 --> 00:25:26.640 Why is Mooter Health even talking about this? 00:25:26.960 --> 00:25:28.400 Yeah, absolutely, Jim. 00:25:28.480 --> 00:25:29.359 Thanks for that question. 00:25:29.519 --> 00:25:31.039 I think I'll state the obvious. 00:25:31.279 --> 00:25:37.839 Rural health transformation and this program that has been created is a fantastic program, but it's not perfect. 00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:39.119 No program is. 00:25:39.359 --> 00:25:53.039 And so I think it's really exciting, though, to see this level of funding and attention given to some of the technology forward initiatives that various states have. 00:25:53.200 --> 00:26:06.559 So, as we've said in the past, this is a much larger pool of money than several years ago, a couple decades ago almost now, that the federal government devoted to the adoption of electronic medical record systems. 00:26:06.799 --> 00:26:13.119 So we're way beyond really any program that has been created in the past to support organizations. 00:26:13.200 --> 00:26:20.799 And what excites us most is the fact that this is going towards supporting rural health communities that truly need this level of support. 00:26:20.960 --> 00:26:32.480 So we view it as truly a once-in-a-generation moment in which timing is aligned, the funding is aligned, and we recognize that the need is certainly there. 00:26:32.720 --> 00:26:36.000 So that's what I would say about the rural health transformation program. 00:26:36.400 --> 00:26:39.440 The question isn't whether the need is there or the money is there. 00:26:39.599 --> 00:26:50.400 It's whether the organizations closest to rural communities, be it hospitals, health centers, behavioral health providers, or the state agencies doing this work. 00:26:50.640 --> 00:27:04.319 The question is whether those organizations can move fast enough and partner in really smartly with different sorts of solutions and coalitions to be able to take advantage of the funding that exists to address the needs that they have. 00:27:04.480 --> 00:27:20.000 And that I will tie back to why we are so excited and aligned with this program at Mooter Health, because when we speak with rural health organizations and other provider groups on a daily basis, the first and only question that matters to us is what is your need? 00:27:20.400 --> 00:27:29.519 The great part about this program is that whatever that need is, it's likely that the initiatives and the funding to help address that need now exists. 00:27:29.599 --> 00:27:38.640 And we can certainly help get you to that point and create this far greater model of success for serving rural health communities. 00:27:39.039 --> 00:27:43.279 Speak a moment about, I said that was the last question, but this is a tag on. 00:27:43.440 --> 00:27:51.119 Speak a moment about how you feel Mooter Health is uniquely positioned to lean in to this sort of an initiative. 00:27:51.279 --> 00:27:52.480 Why Mooter Health? 00:27:52.880 --> 00:27:54.000 Yeah, absolutely. 00:27:54.160 --> 00:27:57.680 There are a few different areas that we see the most amount of alignment towards. 00:27:57.920 --> 00:28:00.640 I'll start with focusing on the people. 00:28:00.880 --> 00:28:05.440 So supporting different sorts of hard-to-reach patient populations. 00:28:06.160 --> 00:28:29.200 Historically, that has been patients with behavioral health conditions, particularly substance use disorder, perenatal, maternal mental health, a few of

these really challenging and what are, again, historically deemed as high-risk populations, Motor Health helps engage and activate those individuals to then bring them into the continuity of the care that they're receiving. 00:28:29.359 --> 00:28:43.440 And what we see far too often is that organizations are attempting to do that work today via telephonic outreach, via having large teams who help navigate the patient journey and help with deal with care coordination. 00:28:43.680 --> 00:28:55.839 But Mooter Health is uniquely and very specifically designed to support that work in an intelligent way that takes a lot of the burden off of the care teams doing that work. 00:28:56.000 --> 00:29:00.960 So I'll share a little bit more about what that means for organizations. 00:29:01.200 --> 00:29:14.559 Number one, the ability to go from a care coordinator supporting 20 to 30 patients with a response rate of 10 to 20%, to then being able to quite literally 10x that. 00:29:14.640 --> 00:29:25.599 So that same team is able to support a far greater volume of patients, but is also able to maintain greater contact and greater continuity with those same patients. 00:29:25.759 --> 00:29:34.880 And what we have seen thus far is that really helps drive the downstream outcomes while relieving the administrative burden that care teams face. 00:29:35.119 --> 00:29:38.400 We're able to impact the total cost of care. 00:29:38.559 --> 00:29:44.559 We're able to impact the capture of reimbursements and other revenue potential for patient populations. 00:29:44.640 --> 00:29:49.759 And then most importantly, we're able to impact the outcomes that those patient populations have. 00:29:49.920 --> 00:29:52.640 And we're able to bridge all of these different pieces together. 00:29:52.720 --> 00:29:58.559 And Jim, as you pointed out earlier, the rural health transformation program has a few specific categories. 00:29:58.720 --> 00:30:07.200 And this is a solution that was built out of the need of rural health communities in West Virginia and has since expanded to Appalachia. 00:30:07.359 --> 00:30:17.279 So that uniquely positions us to be able to, number one, address this the very, very deep needs that organizations working to support rural health communities have. 00:30:17.440 --> 00:30:29.359 But also what excites us is that there now is funding to be able to fund the implementation and adoption of those solutions to then show just how sustainable and successful it can be in the long run. 00:30:30.160 --> 00:30:30.880 Fantastic. 00:30:31.039 --> 00:30:43.599 I'm reminded of a recent article from Healthcare Dive, which reported that CMS, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, had finalized a major overhaul of the Medicare Advantage STAR rating system. 00:30:43.920 --> 00:30:51.359 And if you dig into that, you'll see that the recent rule change, it still rewards consistently high ratings. 00:30:51.599 --> 00:31:00.640 So, and rural populations are often those communities that hold down those ratings due to access issues, simply tied to access. 00:31:01.359 --> 00:31:04.400 Mooter, I know, can be positioned as the safety net. 00:31:04.559 --> 00:31:14.960 I said that at the beginning of this podcast, but it can be positioned as the safety net that prevents rural members from falling out of care, thereby protecting the plan's overall star rating. 00:31:15.200 --> 00:31:29.680 So by focusing on engagement, reducing wait times for behavioral health services, or those other conditions that you called out as being areas that we excel at, Mooter supports the quality benchmarks defined by NCQA health plan ratings. 00:31:29.920 --> 00:31:32.799 So, Arya, there's so much more that we could dig into. 00:31:32.960 --> 00:31:36.079 We've just really scratched the tip of the iceberg here. 00:31:36.319 --> 00:31:39.839 I'm really appreciative that you carved out some time for us to get together today. 00:31:40.000 --> 00:31:40.720 Thank you. 00:31:40.960 --> 00:31:46.720 And we welcome questions from our guests as well as those that come in and visit our podcasts. 00:31:46.960 --> 00:31:49.200 It helps drive what our next podcast will be about. 00:31:49.359 --> 00:31:56.480 I encourage anybody to leave a comment, let us know how we're doing, let us know if these podcasts are hitting the subjects that matter most to you. 00:31:56.640 --> 00:31:57.599 Thank you, Arya. 00:31:58.160 --> 00:31:59.359 Thank you, Jim.