- Gaps in Mental Health Training, Rural Access to Care Compound Az's Maternal Mortality Crisis
- Enticing Rural Residents to Practice Where They Train
- New Round of Federal Funding Open for Rural Health Initiatives
- UAA Training for Health Care Providers Keeps Victims of Violent Crimes from Falling Through the Cracks
- 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
New Strategic Plan for Aging in Pennsylvania Launched: Aging Our Way, PA
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and the Department of Aging Secretary Jason Kavulich unveiled a new blueprint for enhancing services targeted at the state’s elderly population. The plan, “Aging Our Way, PA,” is a ten-year strategic plan aimed to transform how state, regional, and local agencies work together to meet the needs of Pennsylvania’s fast-growing senior population and improve their quality of life.
Pennsylvania Announces Medicaid Program Dental Fee Schedule Changes
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) announced updates to the Medical Assistance (MA) Program Fee Schedule based upon the 2024 Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) updates and based on clinical review. MAB 99-24-03 issued on May 28th can be reviewed in full on the Office of Medical Assistance Program website. See below for dental procedure codes that have been added.
- D2991 – refers to the application of hydroxyapatite
- D0190 – refers to screening of a patient
- D0191 – refers to assessment of a patient
Center of Excellence for Telehealth and Aging: Creating Access to Care in Rural America
A recording of a May 2024 webinar describing how CAMC Greenbrier Valley Medical Center utilized telemedicine hubs to ensure access to care in rural West Virginia communities. The presentation discusses lessons learned, development of the program, and future plans. There’s also a panel discussion with telehealth, geriatric care, and rural health experts on improving healthcare delivery in rural areas. The Center for Excellence in Telehealth and Aging is a collaboration that includes the HRSA-supported Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center.
With New EMS Quality Measures, Florida Aims to Have a National Impact on Rural Care
A feature article in The Rural Monitor features the Feasible, Actionable, Impactful and Relevant (FAIR) EMS Measurement Project, an initiative by the Florida Department of Health which developed rural-relevant EMS quality measures for use in the state and nationally.
Preparing Behavioral Health Clinicians for Success and Retention in Rural Safety Net Practices
A study published by the Journal of Rural Health assesses how training in rural communities relates to confidence in skills important in their work settings, successes in jobs and communities, and anticipated retention. Here, a summary of the study is provided by 3RNET, a national nonprofit that helps rural practices expand their reach for posting job vacancies.
CMS is Extending Medicaid Unwinding Data Reporting
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued this letter to inform Medicaid agencies that CMS is extending current state reporting requirements for certain metrics contained in the Unwinding Data Report. Monthly state reporting about renewal actions occurring on or after July 1, 2024, and fair hearing requests that have been pending for more than 90 days, will continue on an ongoing basis. CMS will continue reporting data publicly to maintain transparency into Medicaid and CHIP renewal outcomes at the national and state levels. Medicaid is an important source of insurance coverage in rural areas. The unwinding of the continuous Medicaid coverage provision has resulted in over 22 million enrollees being disenrolled as of May 23, 2024 and over 49 million have had their coverage renewed.
Rural/Urban Differences in Housing Quality and Adequacy Released: Findings From the American Housing Survey, 2019
Among the key findings in this policy brief from the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center:
- Rural housing units had higher rates of several specific housing quality issues, including heating problems, utility interruptions, missing roofing or external building materials, and broken windows.
- Urban housing units had higher rates of flush toilet breakdowns, electric wiring problems, and indoor water leakage, compared to rural units.
- The prevalence of signs of mice or rats inside homes in rural areas was approximately double that observed in urban clusters and urbanized areas.
New Occupations Added to Guide for Licensure Portability
The Multi-Discipline Licensure Resource Project is an effort supported by HRSA to improve licensure portability for health care professions working between states and for people who are geographically isolated. Previously, the site provided guidance for four disciplines: Psychology, Social Work, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy. New disciplines have been added: Counseling, Dentistry, Dietitians, Emergency Medical Services, Physician Assistants, Nursing, Advanced Practice Nursing, and School Psychologists.
Apply for Medicare ACO Primary Care Flex Model Request for Applications
Deadline August 1. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is now accepting applications for the ACO Primary Care Flex Model (ACO PC Flex Model). This voluntary model focuses on improving primary care delivery in the Medicare Shared Savings Program. Accountable Care Organizations (ACO)s participating in the ACO PC Flex model will receive monthly prospective primary care payments, replacing traditional fee-for-service reimbursement, for primary care services for all participating primary care providers, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and Rural Health Clinics. They will also receive an upfront Advanced Shared Savings Payment of $250,000. Organizations interested in participating must first apply to the Shared Savings Program by June 17 then submit a supplemental ACO PC Flex application questionnaire. CMS will host a webinar TODAY, June 6 at 2:00 pm Eastern to provide an overview of the ACO PC Flex Model’s application process.
CMS CDO Application Open Season – Now Live & Available Year-Round!
CMS is pleased to announce the Certified Application Counselor Designated Organization (CDO) Application web form is now live and will remain available year-round!
CDOs are a vital component of the assister community. In states with a Federally-facilitated Marketplace (FFM), CDOs oversee Certified Application Counselors (CACs), who are annually trained and able to help consumers seeking health coverage options through the Marketplace.
Help us spread the word – the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) invites new applicant organizations who want to become CDOs to apply.
This announcement applies only to organizations that:
- Wish to apply to the CDO program operating in an FFM state, and
- Do not currently have an active CMS-CDO agreement with CMS
Organizations with an active CMS-CDO agreement should disregard this message. If you are unsure if your organization has an active CMS-CDO agreement with CMS, please contact us at CACQuestions@cms.hhs.gov.
Only organizations that complete the two steps below and receive a CDO ID from CMS can certify staff or volunteers as CACs in an FFM state to provide enrollment assistance services.
To apply to become a CDO:
- Access and complete the CDO Application at https://mats.secure.force.com/CDOApplication/. CMS will review your application and send a determination email with your application status. Please allow up to 10 business days for this review.
- If CMS approves your application, your leadership contacts will receive a Preliminary Approval email.
- Your Organization Senior Official (OSO) listed on your application will receive an email from DocuSign containing directions and a link to your CMS-CDO Agreement and must sign using DocuSign.
- Please be sure to check your spam/junk folder and add cacquestions@cms.hhs.gov and DocuSign email dse@Docusign.net to your approved senders list.
- CMS will then review your signed agreement and send your leadership contacts a determination email. If CMS approves your agreement, you will receive a Welcome Packet email with a unique CDO ID and next steps. Please allow up to 5 business days for this review.
Resources for CDO Applicants
For an overview of the CDO Program and resources that walk users through the CDO application, please visit:
- CDO Application Information – information about who should apply and how to apply.
- CDO Program Information – information about who can become a CDO and CDO role responsibilities.
For questions or updates, you can email CACQuestions@cms.hhs.gov. Please include your organization’s name and address in the body of your email.