- 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
Comments Requested: Proposed Updates for FY2021 Medicare Inpatient and Long-term Care Hospital Payments – July 10
On May 11, 2020, CMS released proposed policies and payment updates for acute care and long-term care hospitals for the 2021 Federal fiscal year. In recognition of the significant impact of the COVID-19 public health emergency, CMS has limited annual rulemaking required by statute to focus primarily on essential policies. Of note to rural hospitals, CMS has decided to delay a proposed update to the Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating methodology in recognition of the significant impact of the COVID-19 public health emergency. CMS noted its intention to return to this topic in future rulemaking. CMS is also proposing to expand the definition of displaced resident under the Graduate Medical Education policy to provide greater flexibility. Find more information here.
Considerations for Defining Rural Places in Health Policies and Programs
Rural definitions used to direct resources for federal and state policies mostly rely on a combination of population density and economic integration with urbanized areas. This paper from the Rural Policy Research Institute examines the methods that have been used for defining rural areas and presents a number of options for adjustment. Read more here.
Most Rural Hospitals Have Little Cash Going into COVID
Days cash on hand is an estimate of the number of days an organization could operate if no cash were collected or received. Many rural hospitals have a history of low cash levels and other short-term assets and are therefore ill-prepared for the loss of revenue during the pandemic. Read more here.
Rural Response to Coronavirus Disease 2019
The Rural Health Information Hub has created a guide to help you learn about activities underway to address COVID-19. Find more information here.
Confirmed COVID-19 Cases, Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Counties
The RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis provides up-to-date data and maps on rural and urban confirmed cases throughout the United States. An animated map shows the progression of cases beginning January 21. Find more reports here.
CDC COVID-19 Updates
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides daily updates and guidance. New the week of May 14: Guidance for Certifying Deaths Due to Coronavirus was the subject of a recent webinar for clinicians, part of ongoing Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA). Read more updates here.
COVID-19 FAQs and Funding for HRSA Programs
Find all funding and frequently asked questions for programs administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) here.
Federal Office of Rural Health Policy FAQs for COVID-19
A set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) from HRSA grantees and stakeholders, updated regularly. Find more information here.
Request for Comments: BPC Behavioral Health Integration
The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) is a think tank combining ideas and solutions from both parties. The organization’s Behavioral Health Integration Task Force is inviting comments for solutions that support improving the bi-directional integration of primary care and behavioral health care. Find more information here.
USDA on Extreme Poverty Counties Found Solely in Rural Areas
The Economic Research Service at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) studies trends in poverty using the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. For the most recent year studied, 2018, there were 664 high poverty counties in which an average of 20 percent or more of the population had lived below the Federal poverty level since 2014. Read more here.