- Colorectal Cancer Is Rising among Younger Adults. Some States Want to Boost Awareness.
- Rural Hospitals Built During Baby Boom Now Face Baby Bust
- Food Stamps Go Further in Rural Areas — Until You Add Transportation Costs
- CMS Announces Resources and Flexibilities to Assist with the Public Health Emergency in the State of Texas
- CMS Proposes New Payments for Digital Health Under CY2025 PFS Draft Rule
- Improving Public Health by Strengthening Community Infrastructure
- Biden Harris Administration Proposes Policies to Reduce Maternal Mortality, Advance Health Equity, and Support Underserved Communities
- Nearly Half of U.S. Counties Don't Have a Single Cardiologist
- Randolph County, Ill. Turns Unused Part of Nursing Home Into State-Of-The-Art Behavioral Health Center
- Safe and Stable Housing Is a Foundation of Successful Recovery
- Rural RPM Program Is a Lifeline for Pregnant Women
- Expert: Rural Hospitals Are Particularly Vulnerable to Increasing Cyberattacks Targeting Healthcare Facilities
- Biden-Harris Administration Invests Over $200 Million to Help Primary Care Doctors, Nurses, and Other Health Care Providers Improve Care for Older Adults
- AJPH Call for Papers Special Section on Intersections of Public Health And Primary Care
- NIH HEAL Initiative Turns Attention to Pragmatic Trials in Rural Communities
Need Help with Health Insurance or Benefits in the Midst of the Crisis? PHAN Can Help!
Need help with health insurance or benefits in the midst of the crisis?
Call PHAN’s Helpline at 877-570-3642
The response to COVID-19 is changing rapidly. Many counties in our state are requiring tele-working, closing childcare centers, and more. All K-12 schools are closed, and Governor Wolf recently ordered the closing of all non-essential businesses for the next two weeks.
This means that many Pennsylvania residents will start to worry about things like health insurance, paychecks, utilities, housing, bills, and other things that could affect our families’ health and financial well-being. That’s why PHAN is offering their helpline to make sure folks get connected with appropriate programs:
Call PHAN’S Helpline at 877-570-3642 with questions!
National Rural Health Association Announces Resources
The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) is here to be responsive to the needs of their members during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their commitment is to provide their members with the latest information and resources available to help them provide care for the patients of rural America. Additionally, NRHA’s advocacy team continues to fight to make sure that members have the resources and abilities needed to control and manage this pandemic. NRHA will continue to:
- Provide access to the latest COVID-19 federal information fact sheets, and resources. They have launched a COVID 19 Resource page linked here;
- Continue their advocacy fight with the Administration and Congress to ensure rural providers have the resources needed to both provide patient care and protect their workforce. Here is what NRHA is fighting for (also attached via Connect);
- Provide an open-forum on NRHA Connect to allow real-time discussions of best practices, open concerns and shared information; and
- Be the rural voice. NRHA continues to work with federal leadership, as well as national, state and local media to outline the needs of their members, in this unprecedented time.
NRHA’s online Grassroots Forum has generated quite a bit of feedback on issues relevant theiro you, our members. In summary, the thread included these topics:
- Section 1135 waiver process
- Waiver of the 72-hour rule (does it apply to Swing Beds?)
- Rural Health Clinics (RHC) as an originating site for virtual E&M visits and billing for same?
- Emergency licensure of physicians and other health care professionals to meet workforce needs for a growing demand for services
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) availability, stock outs of essential supplies
National Extension System Provides COVID-19 Resources for Ag Community
Before you share information about COVID19, make sure you are getting your information from reliable sources. For information about the disease, symptoms and resources, the best source is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Their website is located at https:// www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html.
eXtension is providing the Extension Response to COVID19 and Resources for Extension Professionals Working Online. The purpose of this website is to provide a means through which Extension educators and administrators can share with their Cooperative Extension colleagues various resources and guides about teaching and working virtually, and provide a listing of current institutional responses to COVID-19. The current list of resources is just a beginning; it needs your additional contributions and expertise. Visit their website at https://virtual.extension.org/?utm_source=eXtension%20People%20Directory%20List&utm_campaign=0e60f19b34-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_10_8_2018_16_31_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ce656dc9a5-0e60f19b34-53497099.
Webinar: What Ag Producers Need to Know about COVID19
Coronavirus has gained attention worldwide as an emerging infectious disease. This webinar is intended to share evidence-based information about COVID19 and to help agricultural producers identify strategies for responding on their farm. Thursday, April 2nd at 12:00 PM—1:00 PM CDT. Click HERE to register.
Most Aggressive States Against the Coronavirus – WalletHub Study
With states taking actions such as closing bars and restaurants or banning large gatherings to fight the spread of the coronavirus, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on the Most Aggressive States Against the Coronavirus as well as accompanying videos.
To identify which states are taking the largest actions to combat coronavirus, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 35 key metrics. The data set ranges from tested cases of COVID-19 per capita and state legislation on the pandemic to the uninsured population and share of the workforce in affected industries. Below, you can see highlights from WalletHub’s report, along with a Q&A with WalletHub analysts.
|
States with Most Aggressive Measures |
States with Least Aggressive Measures |
| 1. Rhode Island | 42. Indiana |
| 2. Connecticut | 43. Tennessee |
| 3. Maryland | 44. Kansas |
| 4. New York | 45. Hawaii |
| 5. Washington | 46. Missouri |
| 6. Massachusetts | 47. Oklahoma |
| 7. New Jersey | 48. Nevada |
| 8. Minnesota | 49. Texas |
| 9. Vermont | 50. Mississippi |
| 10. District of Columbia | 51. Wyoming |
Note: Rankings reflect data available as of 5 p.m. ET on March 16, 2020.
To view the full report and your state or the District’s rank, please visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/most-aggressive-states-against-coronavirus/72307/
“Low Income Levels” Used for Various Health Professions and Nursing Programs Authorized in Titles III, VII, and VIII of the Public Health Service Act
February 24, 2020
SUMMARY:
HRSA is updating income levels used to identify a “low income family” for the purpose of determining eligibility for programs that provide health professions and nursing training to individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. These various programs are authorized in Titles III, VII, and VIII of the Public Health Service Act.
Medicare FFS Response to COVID-19
The HHS Secretary declared a public health emergency, which allows for CMS programmatic waivers based on Section 1135 of the Social Security Act. An MLN Matters Special Edition Article SE20011 on Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) Response to the Public Health Emergency on the Coronavirus is available. Learn about blanket waivers issued by CMS. These waivers prevent gaps in access to care for beneficiaries impacted by the emergency.
See the press release outlining our announcement.
Want to help a loved one with addiction? This therapy starts by helping you first.
February 25, 2020
Newly available in Alaska, CRAFT is a unique therapy that aims to help people with substance use disorders by first helping the people who love them.
Child and Maternal Health in Rural Areas Lags the Nation, Highlighting Barriers to Access
February 25, 2020
One in five Americans lives in a rural area, including about 18 million women of reproductive age, but key indicators, including mortality figures, show that the health of mothers and children in these communities lags behind that of their urban peers and is worsening. Nationwide, child mortality rates have declined over the past decade, but recent research shows that improvement among infants and young children has been much slower in rural areas. To reverse these disparities and improve overall outcomes, government agencies at all levels, as well as health providers, policymakers, and communities, must combine their expertise and resources to identify effective solutions that address the complex drivers of health and well-being among mothers and their children.
When a Rural Maternity Unit Closes, Alternatives are Hard to Come By
Since 2013, at least nine maternity units across the state have closed and a 10th is slated to shutter in the coming months. Addressing this growing crisis requires a systems approach, providers in western and eastern North Carolina say.
Nursing Home Closures and Trends, June 2015–June 2019
Provides an overview of the causes and implications of 500 nursing home closures between June 2015 and June 2019. Examines the geographic distribution of these closures, including states in which closures are concentrated in rural areas. Explores nursing home closures in relation to occupancy rates, quality ratings, tax status, and the impact of Medicaid payment policies. Offers recommendations for policymakers and nursing homes.
Sponsoring organization: LeadingAge
Date: 02/2020