- 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
President Biden Nominates Brooks-LaSure to be CMS Administrator
President Joe Biden announced his nomination of Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to serve as Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Brooks-LaSure previously served as a policy official with the Obama Administration and played an instrumental role in guiding the Affordable Care Act (ACA) through passage and implementation. If her nomination is confirmed by the Senate, Brooks-LaSure will take the helm of arguably the country’s most influential healthcare agency, and she will have the opportunity to make decisions that will greatly impact rural health.
Indian Health Service Child and Sexual Abuse Hotline
The toll-free telephone line is staffed by individuals trained to receive, document, and respond to or relay child abuse reports to law enforcement in a timely manner. A message may be left by the caller during overnight and weekend hours.
Comments Requested: Proposed Changes to the Census Bureau Definition of Urban – May 20
The Bureau of the Census seeks public input on their proposals to change the criteria for defining urban areas based on the results of the 2020 Decennial Census. There are several significant changes for consideration, including defining urban areas based on housing unit density instead of population density and increasing the minimum population required to form the core of an urban area from 2,500, which was established over a century ago, to 10,000. The definition of ‘rural’, areas that are not urban, is not proposed to change. Read more here.
Opioid-Related Visits to Rural Emergency Departments
This study from the Maine Rural Health Research Center compared rural and urban opioid-related visits (ORVs) to the emergency departments and the outcomes of these visits. One finding was that rural ORVs were more likely than those in urban areas to be by patients 65 and older and to involve concurrent use of benzodiazepines.
Trends in Nursing Home Closures in Nonmetropolitan and Metropolitan Counties in the United States, 2008-2018
This paper from the RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis documents trends over time and compares the characteristics of open and closed nursing homes in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan counties. It also identifies counties without any nursing homes and describes the population characteristics in these places.
Share Your Thoughts and Opinions on Health – Respond by March 15
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is seeking English-speaking people living in rural areas to participate in virtual discussions about health. The purpose of these discussions is to obtain consumer feedback on newly developed health materials. HRSA is open to speaking with individuals from diverse backgrounds. Sessions will be held in March and May via Zoom and will last approximately 90 minutes. All who participate will receive monetary token of appreciation. If you or someone you know may be interested, please have them contact Heidi.Palacios@
Mapping Climate Risks by County and Community
The American Communities Project is a nonpartisan nonprofit that uses a range of data, from consumer surveys to polling, to categorize 15 types of counties across the U.S. This report assesses risk for extreme rainfall, drought, and heat stress in each county and describes the impact on public health.
AARP/RAND Corporation on Mobility for Older Adults
The RAND Corporation is a non-partisan, nonprofit organization that researches and analyzes public policy. In this collaboration with the AARP, researchers consider the challenges in rural areas as they examine how the use of automated vehicles and shared mobility options such as car-sharing and ride-hailing may benefit or harm older adults.
Indigenous Community Leadership in Response to COVID-19
The nonprofit Native Americans in Philanthropy analyzes philanthropic donations to response efforts led by, or partnered with, Indigenous people between March and October of 2020. Read more here.
CDC: Care Outcomes Among African Americans Diagnosed with HIV
In the February 19th Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that rural Black persons received a higher percentage of late-stage diagnosis than those in urban and metropolitan areas during 2018. Linkage to care within one month of diagnosis was similar across geographic areas, but viral suppression within six months of diagnosis was highest in metropolitan areas.