- 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
- Rural RPM Program Is a Lifeline for Pregnant Women
- Safe and Stable Housing Is a Foundation of Successful Recovery
- 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
- Limited Continuing-Care Options in Rural Virginia Create Challenges for an Aging Population
Stark Law and Anti-Kickback Statute Changes Finalized
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finalized changes to two rules that will allow healthcare providers to participate in care coordination activities and value-based arrangements without violating laws. The first rule creates exceptions to the Physician Self-Referral law (aka the Stark Law), which prohibits a physician from referring a patient to any entity with which they have a financial relationship. The second rule adds safe harbors to the Anti-Kickback Statute, which imposes criminal penalties when someone solicits, pays, or receives a reward in exchange for referrals.
Waiver to Provide Acute Hospital Care At Home
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is accepting requests for hospitals to waive certain Medicare Conditions and Participation (CoPs) in order to provide acute care hospital services in a patient’s home.
Accountable Health Communities (AHC) Model – Two Rural Participants’ Experiences
This Rural Health Value Rural Innovation Profile describes the successes and challenges of two AHCs serving rural populations. The CMS Innovation Center Accountable Health Communities (AHC) Model seeks to identify and address health-related social needs of Medicare, Medicaid, and dual-eligible beneficiaries.
Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for 2021
This week the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the final policy, payment, and quality updates for the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, the Medicare Shared Savings Program, the Quality Payment Program, and the Diabetes Prevention Program for calendar year 2021. In addition to payment updates, it adds new services to the telehealth list, updates the scope of practice policies to allow teaching physicians to use interactive, real-time audio/video to interact with residents, and finalizes billing codes for Principal Care Management (PCM) services for Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers.
Comments Requested: Paperwork Reduction for the FCC – December 24
As part of its Measuring Broadband America Program, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) seeks input from the public on the types of information that should be collected to determine the speed and performance of broadband connections. Specifically, the FCC would like to receive comments on how they might “further reduce the information collection burden for small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees.” Currently, there are software-based tools and online tools that can test consumers’ broadband connections. However, these tools track speeds experienced by consumers, rather than speeds delivered directly to a consumer by an internet service provider. The Measuring Broadband America Program will focus on the broadband performance delivered.
HHS Request for Information on Best Practices in Response to COVID-19 – December 24
There are a number of innovative programs, policies, and best practices that prevent and mitigate the consequences of COVID–19 in urban and rural areas, while also preserving access to healthcare services for non-COVID-19 medical conditions. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) requests information on these innovative approaches and best practices in health care for both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 conditions to inform and improve HHS priorities and programs.
HHS Request for Information on Redundant, Overlapping, or Inconsistent Regulations – December 21
On November 27, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking input from the public to improve existing regulations, and eliminate unnecessary or duplicative regulations, through future exercise of rulemaking authority. As this RFI seeks input on regulations issued by any HHS office or agency, those responding may consider addressing regulatory issues of particular interest to rural health.
Updated Provider Relief Funds FAQs
In support of the national response to COVID-19, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is distributing $175 billion from the CARES Act Provider Relief Fund (PRF) to hospitals and healthcare providers. The PRF Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) provide guidance to recipients regarding terms and conditions, attestation, reporting and auditing requirements, and the general and targeted distributions. On November 18, new questions were added under the headings Use of Funds and Miscellaneous.
Informing Health Care Policy by Leveraging Data
The National Governors Association released a toolkit based on lessons learned during a policy academy on health workforce data. The publication highlights:
- The types of questions states can address with data,
- Information about data sources,
- Key stakeholders to engage, and
- Examples from states that have maximized their data.
The toolkit was developed as part of HRSA’s cooperative agreement with National Organizations of State and Local Officials (NOSLO).
Requests for Nominations for Voting Members on the Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines (ACCV)
HRSA requests nominations for voting members to serve on the Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines (ACCV). The HHS Secretary appoints nine voting members to the ACCV and they cannot be employees of the U.S. Government.
E-mail the nominee’s resume or curricula vitae to Andrea Herzog or mail the nominee’s resume or curricula vitae to:
Director, Division of Injury Compensation Programs
Healthcare Systems Bureau
Health Resources and Services Administration
5600 Fishers Lane
Room 08N146B
Rockville, MD 20857
For more information, read the Federal Register notice (PDF – 194 KB) and Frequently Asked Questions (PDF – 195 KB). Contact Andrea Herzog, Principal Staff Liaison at 301-443-6634.