- Helene Exacerbated Rise in Homelessness Across Western North Carolina
- 'It's a Crisis': How the Shortage of Mental Health Counselors Is Affecting the Rural Northwest
- FCC Launches New Maternal Health Mapping Platform
- How Mobile Clinics Are Transforming Rural Health Access for Cochise County Farmworkers
- Struggling to Adapt
- Rural Governments Often Fail To Communicate With Residents Who Aren't Proficient in English
- Mental Health Association Launches Hub To Help Rural Residents
- Prescription Delivery in Missouri Faces Delays under USPS Rural Service Plan
- Getting Rural Parents Started On Their Breastfeeding Journey
- USDA Announces New Federal Order, Begins National Milk Testing Strategy to Address H5N1 in Dairy Herds
- Creating a Clearer Path to Rural Heart Health
- Number of U.S. Hospitals Offering Obstetric Care Is Declining
- NRHA Announces 2025 Rural Health Fellows
- New RSV Drug Delivers Promising Results in Alaska's Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta
- Lack of Civic Infrastructure Drives Rural Health Disparities
Bipartisan Save America’s Rural Hospitals Act Introduced
Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06) and Congressman Jared Huffman (CA-02) introduced the bipartisan Save America’s Rural Hospitals Act to rescue rural hospitals on the brink of bankruptcy and help put these critical care providers back on solid ground.
“This isn’t a new problem. Our rural hospitals have been struggling to keep their doors open to patients for years,” said Graves.“But, the COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly made this crisis worse, as many critical access hospitals are facing severe workforce shortages and skyrocketing expenses while reimbursement rates fall behind. This legislation reverses disastrous Medicare cuts that have hamstrung our rural hospitals for years and will help many of them get back on track. There’s no better time to get this done.”
“For years, rural hospitals have faced seemingly insurmountable odds: a raging pandemic, provider consolidation, and ever-increasing costs have piled challenge after challenge at their doors. And now, they’re facing added pressures brought on by the Omicron variant—leaving many hanging on by a thread,” said Rep. Huffman. “Rural hospitals and health centers, like the many in my district that have stepped up to care for our community, need legislative action and they need it now. My bill with Rep. Graves takes the steps necessary to help keep rural hospitals afloat and protect access to high-quality care, regardless of where folks live. By offering greater Medicare reimbursement, we can provide a much-needed lifeline to facilities on the edge of collapse—and save lives in the process.”
The Save America’s Rural Hospitals Act comes at a time when rural hospitals and health centers are facing unprecedented challenges. Since 2005, more than 170 rural hospitals across the country have closed their doors—forcing patients to travel further to get the care they need and leaving others to put off necessary healthcare. This problem has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and today 453 rural hospitals are currently operating at levels similar to those that have shut down over the last decade.
The Save America’s Rural Hospitals Act will reverse this dangerous trend by:
- Eliminating Medicare sequestration for rural hospitals
- Making Medicare telehealth service enhancements permanent for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs)
- Extending increased Medicare payments for rural ground ambulance services currently set to expire December 31, 2022
The bill was applauded by the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health and the National Rural Health Association.
“The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) applauds Rep. Graves and Rep. Huffman for introducing this comprehensive rural health bill. This comes at a critical time for rural communities and rural health providers as our nation continues to deal with the Public Health Emergency. We call on House members from both sides of the aisle to support and advance this important piece of legislation in 2022.” – Teryl Eisinger, Executive Director of National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH).
“The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) applauds Representatives Graves and Huffman for introducing the Save America’s Rural Hospitals Act. Since 2010, 137 rural hospitals have closed their doors, leaving the majority of those communities without access to a health care provider. The provisions in this important legislation will ensure that the more-than-60 million Americans who reside in rural America will maintain access to the care they need. NRHA believes passing the Save America’s Rural Hospitals Act will improve and expand access to health care in rural America.” – Alan Morgan, Chief Executive Officer of the National Rural Health Association.
You can read the bill here.
You can read highlights of the bill here.
Delayed & Missed Child Preventive Checkups During the Pandemic
A new study from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) found that more than 1 in 4 households have delayed or missed children’s preventive checkups due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The study, “Missed and Delayed Preventive Health Care Visits Among U.S. Children Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic,” was published by Public Health Reports and uses data collected in April and May of 2021.
Primary Care and Oral Health Integration
A new article, “What Primary Care Innovation Teaches Us About Oral Health Integration” emphasizes the role of primary care and oral health integration in improving population health and addressing health inequities. The article was published in the in the January 2022 issue of the American Medical Association (AMA) Journal of Ethics. The article offers five lessons from the patient-centered medical home movement to inform primary and oral health care integration.
Biden-Harris Administration Requires Insurance Companies and Group Health Plans to Cover the Cost of At-Home COVID-19 Tests, Increasing Access to Free Tests
As part of its ongoing efforts across many channels to expand Americans’ access to free testing, the Biden-Harris Administration is requiring insurance companies and group health plans to cover the cost of over-the-counter, at-home COVID-19 tests, so people with private health coverage can get them for free starting January 15. The new coverage requirement means that most consumers with private health coverage can go online or to a pharmacy or store, buy a test, and either get it paid for up front by their health plan, or get reimbursed for the cost by submitting a claim to their plan. This requirement incentivizes insurers to cover these costs up front and ensures individuals do not need an order from their health care provider to access these tests for free.
Beginning January 15, 2022, individuals with private health insurance coverage or covered by a group health plan who purchase an over-the-counter COVID-19 diagnostic test authorized, cleared, or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will be able to have those test costs covered by their plan or insurance. Insurance companies and health plans are required to cover 8 free over-the-counter at-home tests per covered individual per month. That means a family of four, all on the same plan, would be able to get up to 32 of these tests covered by their health plan per month. There is no limit on the number of tests, including at-home tests, that are covered if ordered or administered by a health care provider following an individualized clinical assessment, including for those who may need them due to underlying medical conditions.
“Under President Biden’s leadership, we are requiring insurers and group health plans to make tests free for millions of Americans. This is all part of our overall strategy to ramp-up access to easy-to-use, at-home tests at no cost,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “Since we took office, we have more than tripled the number of sites where people can get COVID-19 tests for free, and we’re also purchasing half a billion at-home, rapid tests to send for free to Americans who need them. By requiring private health plans to cover people’s at-home tests, we are further expanding Americans’ ability to get tests for free when they need them.”
Over-the-counter test purchases will be covered in the commercial market without the need for a health care provider’s order or individualized clinical assessment, and without any cost-sharing requirements such as deductibles, co-payments or coinsurance, prior authorization, or other medical management requirements.
As part of the requirement, the Administration is incentivizing insurers and group health plans to set up programs that allow people to get the over-the-counter tests directly through preferred pharmacies, retailers or other entities with no out-of-pocket costs. Insurers and plans would cover the costs upfront, eliminating the need for consumers to submit a claim for reimbursement. When plans and insurers make tests available for upfront coverage through preferred pharmacies or retailers, they are still required to reimburse tests purchased by consumers outside of that network, at a rate of up to $12 per individual test (or the cost of the test, if less than $12). For example, if an individual has a plan that offers direct coverage through their preferred pharmacy but that individual instead purchases tests through an online retailer, the plan is still required to reimburse them up to $12 per individual test. Consumers can find out more information from their plan about how their plan or insurer will cover over-the-counter tests.
“Testing is critically important to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, as well as to quickly diagnose COVID-19 so that it can be effectively treated. Today’s action further removes financial barriers and expands access to COVID-19 tests for millions of people,” said CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure.
State Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) programs are currently required to cover FDA-authorized at-home COVID-19 tests without cost-sharing. In 2021, the Biden-Harris Administration issued guidance explaining that State Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) programs must cover all types of FDA-authorized COVID-19 tests without cost sharing under CMS’s interpretation of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2019 (ARP). Medicare pays for COVID-19 diagnostic tests performed by a laboratory, such as PCR and antigen tests, with no beneficiary cost sharing when the test is ordered by a physician, non-physician practitioner, pharmacist, or other authorized health care professional. People enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan should check with their plan to see if their plan offers coverage and payment for at-home over-the-counter COVID-19 tests.
This effort is in addition to a number of actions the Biden Administration is taking to expand access to testing for all Americans. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is providing up to 50 million free, at-home tests to community health centers and Medicare-certified health clinics for distribution at no cost to patients and community members. The program is intended to ensure COVID-19 tests are made available to populations and settings in need of testing. HHS also has established more than 10,000 free community-based pharmacy testing sites around the country. To respond to the Omicron surge, HHS and FEMA are creating surge testing sites in states across the nation.
For more information, please see these Frequently Asked Questions, https://www.cms.gov/files/document/11022-faqs-otc-testing-guidance.pdf
For additional details on the requirements, visit https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/EBSA/about-ebsa/our-activities/resource-center/faqs/aca-part-51.pdf
Efforts to help Expand Nationwide Access and Coverage for High-quality Maternal Health Services
As part of Vice President Kamala Harris’s Call to Action to Reduce Maternal Mortality and Morbidity, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), is taking steps to improve maternal health and support the delivery of equitable, high-quality care for pregnancy and postpartum care. CMS intends to propose a “Birthing-Friendly” designation to drive improvements in perinatal health outcomes and maternal health equity. The designation would initially identify hospitals that provide perinatal care, are participating in a maternity care quality improvement collaborative, and have implemented recommended patient safety practices.
In addition, CMS is encouraging states to take advantage of the American Rescue Plan’s (ARP’s) option to provide 12 months postpartum coverage to pregnant individuals who are enrolled in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). This follows the release of a report by HHS’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) showing the dramatic impact if states extended Medicaid postpartum coverage to 12 months. If every state adopted an extension — as proposed in the Build Back Better Act — then the number of Americans getting coverage for a full year postpartum would roughly double, extending coverage for an estimated 720,000 in a given year.
Medicaid and CHIP cover over 42 percent of births in the nation: https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/quality-of-care/downloads/mih-beneficiary-profile.pdf nearly half of which are to Black, Hispanic, or American Indian/Alaskan Native individuals. Extending the postpartum coverage period can improve health outcomes during the postpartum period and mitigate health disparities for individuals served by Medicaid and CHIP. Continue reading “Efforts to help Expand Nationwide Access and Coverage for High-quality Maternal Health Services”
Annual State of Child Welfare in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children (PPFC) released their 12th annual State of Child Welfare report https://www.papartnerships.org/report/report-2021-state-of-child-welfare-navigating-the-uncertainty-of-the-pandemic-to-strengthen-the-system/?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=31ba293f-8d07-4541-a0eb-67412a0bc948, which raises concerns about the need to strengthen the child welfare system as it uses data from 2020 – only the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic – that shows decreases in child protective services reporting and the number of children placed in foster care statewide.
In 2020 there were 32,919 CPS reports, which was a 22% decline in reports from 2019, but the substantiation of reports was the highest in the last five years, with 14% of reports being investigated and found to be true. Notably, stay-at-home orders, moving to virtual learning, and less contact with medical professionals created a significant decrease in mandated reporting trends during the year for which the most recent data is available.
While substantiation rates did increase, data from 2021 will be significant to see how trends shift as schools resumed in-person instruction. There was subsequently more interaction between mandated reporters, such as teachers, with children and families. We anticipate the 2021 data will show an increase in referrals and a potential decrease in substantiation as the system struggles to respond to the needs of children experiencing abuse and neglect during an unprecedented time of crisis.
In 2020, 21,689 children were served in the Pennsylvania foster care system, a 12% decrease in the total population from the prior year.
With overall reductions in placement, one could assume this translates to better interventions on the front-end of an investigation and correspondingly stabilizes families. However, when we look at the totality of the data from the start of an investigation through placement, the overall reduction correlates to the challenges we know were present due to the pandemic. Again, fewer referrals being made by mandated reporters means fewer occasions to identify abuse leading to placement.
See the complete list of policy recommendations in the 2021 State of Child Welfare: Navigating the Uncertainty of the Pandemic to Strengthen the System: https://online.flippingbook.com/view/781504134/2-3/?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=31ba293f-8d07-4541-a0eb-67412a0bc948
Efforts to Help Expand Nationwide Access and Coverage for High-quality Maternal Health Services
As part of Vice President Kamala Harris’s Call to Action to Reduce Maternal Mortality and Morbidity, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), is taking steps to improve maternal health and support the delivery of equitable, high-quality care for pregnancy and postpartum care. Click the link to learn more: https://aspe.hhs.gov/reports/potential-state-level-effects-extending-postpartum-coverage
USDA Invests $1 Million in Climate-Smart and Resilient Infrastructure
On December 3, 2021, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the Department is investing $1 million to reduce the impacts of climate change on rural communities in Pennsylvania. As part of the Build Back Better agenda, the Biden-Harris Administration has made investing in rural communities, creating good-paying jobs and combatting the climate crisis top priorities.
“Rural America is on the front lines of climate change, and our communities deserve investments that will strengthen all of our resilience,” Vilsack said. “President Biden has created a roadmap for how we can tackle the climate crisis and expand access to renewable energy infrastructure, all while creating good-paying jobs and saving people money on their energy costs. With the Build Back Better agenda, USDA will be able to fund more and more critical projects like those announced today in the coming months and years.”
The announcement was made at Saubel’s Market in York County, Pa. The local grocery store was one of 22 projects receiving Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/rural-energy-america-program-renewable-energy-systems-energy-efficiency/pa or Community Facilities Disaster Grants https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/community-facilities/community-facilities-direct-loan-grant-programin Pennsylvania.
Saubel’s Market will receive a $102,413 USDA REAP grant. With this funding, the small business will install solar panels on the roof of their family-owned grocery store that has been in business since the 1960s. This project is expected to save $30,852 per year and will replace 395,539 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, which is enough energy to power 36 homes annually.
Critical Access Hospitals’ Initial Response to COVID-19
The Flex Monitoring Team (FMT) has released a new data report, Critical Access Hospitals’ Initial Response to COVID-19 by System Affiliation. This report presents data on the initial response to COVID-19 in system-affiliated and independent Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). The data come from a survey of CAH CEOs in eight states about their response to COVID-19 from February to August 2020, and findings include information on COVID-19 case volume, personal protective equipment (PPE) supply, and the perceived impact of being a system-affiliated or independent CAH on their overall response to COVID-19.
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) released this new Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) announcement to increase the number of qualified nursing faculty nationwide. The completion of up to four years of post-graduation full-time nurse faculty employment in an accredited school of nursing, the program authorizes cancellation of up to 85 percent of the original student Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP) provides funding to accredited schools of nursing to establish and operate a student loan fund and provide loans to students enrolled in advanced education nursing degree programs who are committed to becoming nurse faculty. In exchange for loan amount (plus interest thereon).
Through these efforts, the NFLP will build upon HRSA’s existing health workforce development investments, increasing access to a skilled health workforce.
HRSA anticipates to award up to 80 grantees with a total of approximately $26.5 million to support training of advanced education nursing students who will serve as nurse faculty upon graduation, with a focus on doctorate preparation.
Visit Grants.gov to apply.