- Dental Therapists, Who Can Fill Cavities and Check Teeth, Get the OK in More States
- Colorectal Cancer Is Rising among Younger Adults. Some States Want to Boost Awareness.
- 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
- Safe and Stable Housing Is a Foundation of Successful Recovery
- Rural RPM Program Is a Lifeline for Pregnant Women
- 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
CMS Telehealth Services Expansion
On Oct. 14, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced expansion of the list of telehealth services that Medicare will reimburse at fee-for-service levels during the public health emergency (PHE). To further this goal, there is increased support for state Medicaid/CHIP agencies, including this CMS State Medicaid and CHIP Telehealth Toolkit. CMS guidance related to distant site telehealth services at FQHCs states any service approved under the Physician Fee Schedule can be furnished by any health care practitioner working within their scope of practice and delivered from any location. Payment to FQHCs for a distant site telehealth service is set at $92. See FQHC/RHC-specific guidance from CMS on telehealth coverage during the PHE here.
State Begins Distribution of COVID-19 Rapid Tests
The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) has shared that states are now receiving the Abbott BinaxNOW antigen test cards and PA DOH would like to distribute some of these cards to any FQHCs who are interested and currently have a CLIA certificate. For more on this rapid test, see Pennsylvania Health Alert 532 – 10/08/20 – ADV – Point of Care Antigen Test Use and Interpretation or review the Abbott training toolkit. According to DOH, the tests demonstrate a 98% accuracy for positives and have about a 30% false negative rate. There is no cost to providers or patients for the tests. The form to order the test cards can be accessed here: Health Care Rapid Antigen Tests. DOH is processing the requests already received by region based on rates of positivity in the region.
House & Senate Go on Recess Despite No New COVID-19 Relief
The Senate adjourned and began their October Recess, despite the lack of a new COVID-19 relief package. Their recess is expected to last until November 9th. With the House also in recess until Nov. 16th, it is unlikely that another COVID-19 relief bill will pass soon. Yet, rural providers and patients across the country are in dire need of relief. Some rural counties are experiencing their greatest spikes in COVID-19 cases to date, and rural hospital beds are filling quickly, while the rural health workforce is being stretched thin.
HHS Expands Relief Fund Eligibility and Updates Reporting Requirements
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released an updated Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document regarding the Provider Relief Fund (PRF). Additionally, last week, HHS expanded the types of providers that are eligible for Phase 3 of the PRF to include behavioral health providers and residential treatment facilities, physician assistants and advanced practice nursing providers, and oral health providers, amongst others. Providers may submit applications until November 6, 2020. NRHA is analyzing the updated FAQ document to understand if there are outstanding questions HHS needs to answer.
Court Case Threatens Future of Rural Health Care during Pandemic, Sebelius Says
By Tim Marema
The Covid-19 pandemic in rural America is “a nightmare waiting to happen, and we are seeing it play out right now in the United States,” says the former Kansas governor and secretary of Health and Human Services.
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Commentary: A Historic Moment for Rural Recruitment
By Stephen V. Smith
The pandemic offers a chance for a new generation of residents to call rural America home. Taking advantage of the opportunity requires bandwidth and more.
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Preparing for a Community Surge in COVID-19 Cases
This web portal, housed on the Rural Health Information Hub, aims to provide the most up-to-date and critical resources for rural health care systems preparing for and responding to a COVID-19 surge. It was developed by the COVID-19 Healthcare Resilience Working Group, a partnership with the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and other federal agencies to support health care delivery during the pandemic.
CMS Announces Fourth COVID-19 Interim Final Rule with Comment Period
On October 28, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued its fourth Interim Final Rule with Comment Period (IFC) in response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). Highlights of interest to rural stakeholders in this rule include vaccine-related provisions; flexibilities for states maintaining Medicaid enrollment during the COVID‑19 PHE; enhanced Medicare payments for new COVID-19 treatments; and price transparency for COVID-19 tests. Comments will be due 60 days after the date of display in the Federal Register.
New Telehealth Platform to Mobilize Health Care Workforce During COVID-19
ProviderBridge.org was created by the Federation of State Medical Boards through the CARES Act and the FORHP-supported Licensure Portability Program. The site provides up-to-date information on emergency regulation and licensing by state as well as a provider portal to connect volunteer health care professionals to state agencies and health care entities.
CRS: Medicaid Telehealth Policies in Response to COVID-19
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) provides objective policy and legal analysis to committees and members of the U.S. House and Senate. For this report, researchers examined how states have increased the number of services, provider types, and other telehealth options under Medicaid.