- 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
HRSA Updates HPSA Designations
HRSA’s Bureau of Health Workforce has released the current list of Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) – which can be geographic areas, populations, or facilities – that have a shortage of primary, dental, or mental health care providers. The designations are used to determine eligibility for federal programs that support the health workforce, such as the National Health Service Corps, as well as safety net programs such as HRSA’s Health Centers and CMS’s Rural Health Clinics. For more details on the information used to determine HPSAs, visit the HRSA Data Warehouse.
Assessing Value-Based Payment Policies for Rural Areas
In 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a goal to have all Original Medicare (fee-for-service) beneficiaries in care relationships with health care providers that are accountable for the beneficiaries’ total cost of care and quality by 2030. This policy paper from the Rural Health Value team discusses the challenges that are particular to rural areas as well as potential opportunities.
CMS’ Proposed Rule Addresses Appeals Rights for Certain Changes in Patient Status
The proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is in response to a federal court ruling that affects Medicare beneficiaries who received “observation services” in a hospital as outpatients. The case of Alexander v. Azar in the U.S. District Court of Connecticut was decided by a federal judge in March 2020 and requires that beneficiaries who are initially admitted as hospital inpatients, but are subsequently reclassified as outpatients (resulting in a denial of coverage for the hospital stay under Medicare Part A), are entitled to an appeals process if they meet other eligibility criteria. CMS is requesting comment from the public on this proposal to create a standardized notice advising beneficiaries of their rights to three types of appeal – expedited, standard, or retrospective – depending on the patient’s current status.
Comment by February 22
Expanded Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy Begins
In compliance with the Inflation Reduction Act, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Low-Income Subsidy Program (also known as Extra Help) will provide full financial assistance to beneficiaries enrolled in the Medicare Part D program with incomes up to 150% of the federal poverty level. Medicare beneficiaries who are eligible and enroll in Medicare Savings Programs are automatically eligible for full low-income subsidies, the payment of Medicare Parts A and B premiums, and cost-sharing. Other Medicare beneficiaries must apply for the Extra Help program via the Social Security Administration to obtain these subsidies.
The U.S. Playbook Announced to Address Social Determinants of Health
The plan sets the stage for structural changes – from the federal to state and community levels, both inside and outside of government – that are meant to address the social needs affecting health outcomes and hindering health equity. Three pillars would form the initial scaffolding for a nationwide effort: 1) data gathering and sharing; 2) flexible funding for social needs; and 3) support for community-based organizations. Among the federal-level contributions is a collaboration between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that began in 2015. PLACES – Population-level Analysis and Community Estimates of Health – is the first initiative to connect county, place, and Census tract data with the CDC’s surveillance data to develop and implement targeted preventions.
Study Examines Why Early-Career Physicians Leave First Jobs
Hint: It’s not the money. A joint study conducted in the fall of 2023 by MGMA and Jackson Physician Search sought physicians’ and medical group administrators’ views on the top factors influencing residents and fellows to accept and stay in their first jobs. Not surprisingly, the study confirms that compensation is the number one factor driving first-job decisions. However, when physicians were asked what made them leave their first jobs, the most cited reason was the “practice ownership/ governance model.” The report concludes that new physicians may be following the money without fully understanding how their new organization will be managed – and how that may impact their job satisfaction. Read the report: The Surprising Reason Early-Career Physicians Leave Their First Jobs – And What Employers Can Do About It.
Pennsylvania Medical School Celebrates Anniversary and Impact
The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. LECOM is the largest medical school in the country where they train future doctors, pharmacists, dentists, and podiatrists. The college is the core of the nation’s only osteopathic academic health center, and LECOM maintains one of the lowest tuitions among medical schools in the country. According to the college, LECOM’s total impact on the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 2022 approached nearly $1.2 billion. Learn more.
Number of Pennsylvanians Getting SNAP Benefits Increasing Despite Record Low Unemployment
In October, the number of Pennsylvanians enrolled in the food stamp program topped 2 million for the first time even as the state reported record unemployment. The number of people receiving Supplement Nutritional Assistance Program benefits in October stood at 2,016,298 in October, according to data posted on the state’s open data website. The state’s unemployment rate in November remained at 3.4%, the lowest it’s been since at least the 1970s. The number of people enrolled in SNAP in Pennsylvania has been relatively stable for the last decade, but it’s begun to tick up since the pandemic. The number of people receiving SNAP benefits increased 4.4% from September 2022 to September 2023.
More Patients are Losing Their Doctors – and Their Trust in the Primary Care System
An NPR story noted that workforce shortages stir labor unrest. The story focused on how community health centers are the medical safety net of last resort, serving the uninsured, the underinsured, and other vulnerable people. NPR noted that there are more than 1,400 community health centers nationwide, and 67% of them lost between 5% and 25% of their workforce during a six-month period in 2022, according to a report by the National Association of Community Health Centers. Read the story.
Pennsylvania Launches New Webpage Dedicated to Health Insurance
Pennsylvanians now have a one-stop webpage to access all of Pennsylvania’s health insurance options. www.pa.gov/Healthcare provides links to:
- Pennie, Pennsylvania’s Health Insurance Marketplace
- The Department of Human Services COMPASS website for Medicaid and CHIP Enrollment
- Department of Aging’s webpage for access to Medicare and PA MEDI
- And the United States Department of Veteran’s Affairs for VA Benefits
This is part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s guide to needed human service resources including mental health, employment, and personal services.