- 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
CMS Releases FAQs on Agent and Broker Compensation for Special Enrollment Periods
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) posted Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding compensation paid by issuers to agents and brokers who assist consumers with enrollment during a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) or during Open Enrollment
Periods (OEPs). The Biden-Harris Administration has made it a priority to provide those who are uninsured and underinsured with quality, affordable health care coverage and recognizes that agents and brokers play a vital role in helping consumers enroll in coverage that best fits their needs and budget.
CMS has become aware that some issuers in the individual market, who commonly use agents and brokers as part of their marketing and sales distribution channels, have reduced or eliminated commissions and other forms of compensation to agents and brokers for enrollments during an
SEP. Today’s FAQs provide guidance that paying differential compensation to agents and brokers for coverage in the same benefit year based on whether the enrollment is completed during an SEP or during the OEP is prohibited under federal law. These practices violate the guaranteed availability protections afforded to these individuals under the Affordable Care Act.
To read the FAQs visit https://www.cms.gov/CCIIO/Resources/Fact-Sheets-and-FAQs#Health_Market_Reforms.
3RNET Annual Report Released
Access to Rural Behavioral Health Through Medicaid Map Launched
An interactive map from the National Academy for State Health Policy links to available contracts with Medicaid-managed care organizations showing how each state determines an adequate network of providers and accessibility of services, including through telemedicine.
Chartbook Released on Community Characteristics and Financial and Operational Performance of Rural Health Clinics in the United States
This chartbook from the Maine Rural Health Research Center provides an overview of Rural Health Clinic (RHC) characteristics and issues and will be useful to policymakers and others interested in the performance of RHCs nationally.
The HRSA News Round-Up for May Published
Last week, HRSA and leaders across the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services issued a joint letter to states, tribes, and jurisdictions encouraging them to maximize their efforts to strengthen children’s mental health and well-being. Earlier in the month, our Maternal and Child Health Bureau launched a new, toll-free hotline for expecting and new moms experiencing mental health challenges. The Office for the Advancement of Telehealth convened its first National Telehealth Conference. See all News & Announcements on HRSA.gov
2020 Census: Growing Racial Diversity in Rural America
The most recent Census count revealed that, between 2010 and 2020, the rural population declined to just 14 percent of the U.S. total, the smallest percentage of the population to reside in rural areas in U.S. history. At the same time, racial diversity increased with Hispanics representing 9 percent of the rural population, followed by non-Hispanic Black people, representing 7.7 percent. Nearly one-third of all rural children (32.5 percent) come from racial or ethnic minority populations, compared to 28.1 percent in 2010. More about these changes can be found in the report from the University of New Hampshire Carsey School of Public Policy.
Rural America Placemaking Toolkit Announced
A collaborative community process to define a town by what it offers the people who live there is the short way to describe the work of placemaking. This digital toolkit from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the University of Kentucky’s Community and Economic Development Initiative includes examples of rural placemaking projects along with technical assistance providers, funders, and guides to resources.
Clarifying Information: HRSA’s Community Health Worker Training Program Begins
HRSA’s Bureau of Health Workforce (BHW) issued new information for applicants for this funding opportunity. Through the Community Health Worker Training Program, HRSA will provide funding to health professions schools, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and community-based organizations to train 13,000 community health workers for underserved communities. See BHW’s website for more help with applications due on June 14.
Pennsylvania Governor’s Administration Highlights Summer Food Assistance Programs, Summer Options Available for Children
The Pennsylvania Departments of Agriculture and Education today reminded Pennsylvanians to take advantage of the many summer food assistance programs for students and caretakers across the commonwealth. State and local options are available to Pennsylvania families facing food insecurity this summer.
“No matter the time of year, we cannot grow young minds on empty stomachs,” said Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. “School feeding programs ensure students have nutritious meals during the school year, but when the school year ends, summer options are available to both children and their caretakers. Food is a necessity we all deserve equal access to, but this is especially true for our youngest and most vulnerable populations.”
According to 2019 food insecurity data provided by Feeding America, 10.6% of Pennsylvanians — or 1,353,730 people — did not always know where their next meal was coming from. That number included 383,500 children, 14.6% of all children in the state. When school-based meals end with the school year, addressing child food insecurity can become an even greater challenge.
“At the Department of Education, we work tirelessly to ensure that students are healthy and cared for both in and out of the classroom,” said Education Secretary Eric Hagarty. “Fortunately, assistance is available no matter which city or town you call home, and at no cost to you. We encourage Pennsylvanians in need to take advantage of these critical resources throughout the summer months.”
Options for Pennsylvania caretakers and children experiencing food insecurity include:
- The Seamless Summer Option, which provides nutritious meals to children when school is not in session.
- The Summer Food Service Program for children participating in enrichment, recreational, or activity programs over the summer.
- Many food banks have backpack programs available during both the school year and summer months. Food banks and food pantries can be found using this map.
- The WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Programs which provide vouchers to qualifying individuals to be spent at participating farmers markets in the commonwealth.
- The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, provides benefits to purchase food at grocery stores and supermarkets.
- The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides vouchers to be redeemed at grocery stores for specific food items.
- The Emergency Food Assistance and State Food Purchase programs, which recently expanded assistance eligibility for Pennsylvanians facing food insecurity.
Seniors and seniors taking care of children also may be eligible for the following:
- The Pennsylvania Senior Food Box Program, which provides eligible seniors with a monthly box of food to supplement regular groceries, the box can be delivered by DoorDash in select areas.
- Congregate and home-delivered meals available to Pennsylvanians 60 years of age or older. Meals are directly delivered to eligible individuals’ homes through County Area Agencies on Aging.
Learn more about the Wolf Administration’s commitment to reduce food insecurity in Pennsylvania at agriculture.pa.gov/foodsecurity.
A Final Recommendation Statement: Screening for Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recently released a final recommendation statement on screening for primary open-angle glaucoma. The Task Force concluded that more research is needed on screening for people who have not reported concerns with their vision. To view the recommendation, the evidence on which it is based, and a summary for clinicians, please go here. The final recommendation statement can also be found in the May 24, 2022, online issue of JAMA.