- The Biden-Harris Administration Supports Rural Health Care
- Biden-Harris Administration Announces $52 Million Investment for Health Centers to Provide Care for People Reentering the Community after Incarceration
- On National Rural Health Day, Reps. Sewell and Miller Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Support Rural Hospitals
- Terri Sewell Cosponsors Bill Reauthoring Program to Support Rural Hospitals
- HRSA: Inclusion of Terrain Factors in the Definition of Rural Area for Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Grants
- Celebrating National Rural Health Day
- DEA, HHS: Third Temporary Extension of COVID-19 Telemedicine Flexibilities for Prescription of Controlled Medications
- Talking Rural Health Care with U of M
- Public Inspection: DEA, HHS: Third Temporary Extension of COVID-19 Telemedicine Flexibilities for Prescription of Controlled Medications
- CDC Presents a Five-Year Plan for Rural Healthcare
- Kansas Faith Leaders 'Well Positioned' To Help Fill Mental Health Care Gaps in Rural Areas
- The CDC Wants More Kansas Farm Workers to Get Their Flu Shots This Season
- Study: Rural Residents More Likely to Struggle With Medical Debt
- Deaths From Cardiovascular Disease Increased Among Younger U.S Adults in Rural Areas
- VA Proposes to Eliminate Copays for Telehealth, Expand Access to Telehealth for Rural Veterans
Covid-19 Epidemic Severely Undermines Access to Substance Abuse Help in Rural America
From The Daily Yonder:
With lockdowns, self-quarantining, and financial strains on local healthcare providers, many rural residents with substance abuse problems face a sudden disappearance of their support systems. Read the article here.
Under Covid Cloud, Prisons in Rural America Threaten to Choke Rural Hospitals
From The Daily Yonder:
A rural Montana county with only 5,000 residents lays claim to the state’s highest Covid-19 infection rate. A private prison could put the county’s healthcare capacity under greater strain. Read the article here.
Under Social Distancing, Rural Regions Push For More Broadband
From The Daily Yonder:
Rural America sees a chance to build out its broadband infrastructure using the momentum of coronavirus federal aid. Read the article here.
CMS Modifies Ambulance Services: Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System
CMS is modifying the data collection period and data reporting period, as defined at 42 CFR § 414.626(a), for ground ambulance organizations (as defined at 42 CFR § 414.605) that were selected by CMS under 42 CFR § 414.626(c) to collect data beginning between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020 (year 1) for purposes of complying with the data reporting requirements described at 42 CFR § 414.626. Under this modification, these ground ambulance organizations can select a new continuous 12-month data collection period that begins between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021, collect data necessary to complete the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection Instrument during their selected data collection period, and submit a completed Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection Instrument during the data reporting period that corresponds to their selected data collection period. CMS is modifying this data collection and reporting period to increase flexibilities for ground ambulance organizations that would otherwise be required to collect data in 2020- 2021 so that they can focus on their operations and patient care. As a result of this modification, ground ambulance organizations selected for year 1 data collection and reporting will collect and report data during the same period of time that will apply to ground ambulance organizations selected by CMS under 42 CFR § 414.626(c) to collect data beginning between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021 (year 2) for purposes of complying with the data reporting requirements described at 42 CFR § 414.626.
MATRC Telehealth COVID-19 Toolkit
The Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center (MATRC) provides technical assistance and other resources to advance the adoption and utilization of telehealth within the mid-Atlantic region and works collaboratively with the other federally funded Telehealth Resource Centers to accomplish the same nationally. Check out the Telehealth Resources for COVID-19 Toolkit for best practices for conducting a telehealth visit, resources to help patients understand telehealth and even a specific section on telehealth and FQHCs. FAQs and new resources are updated frequently.
New I-9 Policies Due to COVID-19
The United States Immigration and Customs Services (USICS) has announced several measures to extend time frames and loosen its requirements. COVID-19 social distancing, government agency closures and remote work requirements have made it impossible for employers to comply with the normal I-9 and E-Verify regulations. These measures include the suspension of the I-9 requirement to review physical documents and acceptance of expired documents for new hires who are unable to update driver licenses and state IDs. Read the release from USICS or check out this blog post by Valentine Brown with Duane Morris LLP.
Merritt-Hawkins Survey Shows Impact of COVID-19 on Physician Workforce
The Merritt Hawkins & the Physicians Foundation pulse survey, conducted in mid-April, showed that 14 percent of physicians plan to change practice settings because of COVID-19, six percent plan to get out of direct patient care, and five percent plan to retire. The survey, completed by about 800 physicians, also demonstrated the growth of telemedicine. Almost 50 percent are now treating patients via telemedicine, compared to 18 percent in 2018. Read the entire survey report.
Health Spending Accounts Get 10% Boost in Rollover
The federal government caps yearly rollover of unspent dollars in a Health-Flexible Spending Account (H-FSAs) at $500. Internal Revenue Service Notice 2020-33 increases the amount that can be carried over from one plan year to the next to $550. This increase reflects indexing for inflation and parallels the indexing applicable to the limit on H-FSA salary reduction contributions ($500 reflected 20% of the initial maximum salary reduction election of $2,500). Please be advised that your Cafeteria Plan must be drafted to reflect that the $500 carryover amount will increase automatically if indexed. If it is not written in that way, then an amendment to increase the carryover limit must be adopted on or before the last day of your plan year. This means that 2020 Cafeteria Plans must be amended before the last day of their 2020 plan year to allow increased carryovers to a 2021 plan year.
New Report Finds Health Insurance Is Another COVID-19 Casualty
Roughly 27 million people have likely lost job-based health coverage since the coronavirus shocked the economy, according to new estimates from the Kaiser Family Foundation. While most of these people will be able to sign up for other sources of coverage, millions will be uninsured during this pandemic. For the 27 million people who are losing their job-based coverage, about 80% have other options, according to the lead author of the report, with roughly half eligible for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program and another third eligible for subsidized health plans on the Affordable Care Act’s marketplaces. The remaining 20% are pretty much out of luck because they live in a state that did not expand Medicaid or are ineligible for other kinds of subsidized coverage.
Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) Update
In recent news from the Small Business Administration (SBA), Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) have now been capped at $150,000 and the SBA has also announced that they will only be accepting new applications for EIDL funds from agricultural interests due to the unprecedented number of applications already received. Applicants who have already submitted their applications will continue to be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information click here.