- Request for Information (RFI): Evolving the Network of the National Library of Medicine
- 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
FAQs Published on SEP for Consumers Losing Medicaid Coverage due to Medicaid Unwinding
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced a Marketplace Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for qualified individuals and their families who are losing Medicaid coverage due to the end of the “continuous enrollment condition” – also known as “unwinding.”*
This SEP, referred to as the “Unwinding SEP,” will allow individuals and families in states served by HealthCare.gov and who are impacted by unwinding, to enroll in Marketplace coverage. CMS will update Marketplace enrollment platforms (HealthCare.gov and Direct Enrollment/Enhanced Direct Enrollment pathways) so that Marketplace-eligible consumers who submit a new application or update an existing application between March 31, 2023 and July 31, 2024 and attest that they have lost Medicaid or CHIP coverage at any point during this time period are eligible for this Unwinding SEP. Consumers who are eligible for the Unwinding SEP will have 60 days after they submit or update their application to select a plan with coverage that starts the first day of the month after they select a plan. For example, if someone selects a plan on August 20, their coverage will start on September 1.
To read the FAQs about this new SEP, click the link. Medicaid Unwinding SEP FAQs
As a reminder, millions of consumers may soon be eligible for Marketplace coverage, and you should be ready to assist them! Many consumers who lose Medicaid coverage will be directed to apply for coverage through the Marketplace. Redeterminations can begin as early as February 1 with the first terminations effective April 1. People who receive advance notice of an April 1 termination may start enrolling in Marketplace coverage immediately to ensure continuity of coverage.
The Marketplace will continue to share updates and information for assisters throughout the coming months regarding the Unwinding Period. To learn more, see this CMS Informational Bulletin.
New CAH Coordination of Care Brief Released
The Flex Monitoring Team released a new policy brief, Care Coordination and Community Partnerships for Cancer Care in Critical Access Hospitals. This brief presents data from a survey of 135 CAHs across the U.S. and provides specific data on care coordination services provided in CAHs and staff providing these services, as well as information related to CAH partnerships with community organizations in community cancer initiatives.
Data Updates Announced by the Pennsylvania Data Center
New Brief Highlights Changes to Urban Areas in Pennsylvania
The U.S. Census Bureau released an updated list of urban areas, boundary maps and other related material this month. Read more on our Research Briefs page or click here to go straight to the brief.
Census Bureau Updates
- American Community Survey 2017-2021 5-Year Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) Released
The 2017-2021 ACS 5-year PUMS were released this month. PUMS files allow data users to create custom estimates and tables that are not available through ACS pretabulated data products. Click here to explore options for accessing the latest data.
- New ACS Data Products Available for the 118th Congress
The Census Bureau released new social, economic, housing, and demographic statistics for the 118th Congress. The four Data Profiles are available for all 435 congressional districts and are available in the Census Bureau’s FTP site and through a web-based lookup tool on the ACS website.
- American Community Survey Migration Flows
The U.S. Census Bureau released new data tables from the 2016-2020 American Community Survey (ACS) highlighting the geographic mobility of people. Click here to learn more.
- Census Bureau and AmeriCorps Released the Civic Engagement and Volunteering Supplement
Click here to access the 2021 Current Population Survey (CPS), Civic Engagement and Volunteering (CVC) Supplement Microdata File. This is the most robust longitudinal survey about volunteerism and other forms of civic engagement in the United States.
Federal Administration Proposes New Rules to Expand Access to Birth Control Coverage Under the Affordable Care Act
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) and the Departments of Labor and the Treasury (Departments) proposed a rule to strengthen access to birth control coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Under the ACA, most plans are required to offer coverage of birth control with no out-of-pocket cost. To date, millions of women have benefited from this coverage. Today’s rule proposes to expand and strengthen access to this coverage so that all women who need or want birth control are able to obtain it. The action is the latest effort by the Biden-Harris Administration to bolster access to birth control at no cost.
The ACA and its implementing regulations guarantee coverage of women’s preventive services, including birth control and contraceptive counseling, at no cost for women who are enrolled in group health plans or individual health insurance coverage.
The proposed rules are part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to ensuring access to reproductive health care and follows earlier action to expand access to birth control and family planning services. HHS, the Department of Labor, and the Department of the Treasury previously convened a meeting with health insurers and called on the industry to commit to meeting their obligations to provide contraceptive coverage as required by the ACA. The Departments also issued guidance to clarify protections for birth control coverage under the ACA following multiple states’ efforts to restrict access to contraception in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. HHS also announced nearly $3 million in new funding to bolster training and technical assistance for the nationwide network of Title X family planning providers.
- To review or comment on the proposed rules during its 60-day public comment period, visit the Federal Register.
- For more information on the proposed rules, consult the fact sheet available at https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/coverage-certain-preventive-services-under-affordable-care-act-proposed-rules.
- In addition, HHS also recently released a report entitled: “Marking the 50th Anniversary of Roe: Biden-Harris Administration Efforts to Protect Reproductive Health Care,” which outlines the actions HHS has taken in the face of the health crisis precipitated by the Dobbs decision.
The full report can be read at https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/roe-report.pdf – PDF.
Look at the New Redesigned of RuralCenter.org
The FORHP-supported Rural Health Resource Center provides ongoing technical assistance to health providers nationwide through reports, webinars, podcasts, toolkits, and other media. Responding to feedback from stakeholders, they’ve redesigned their website to make it easier to navigate and use.
Read About the Variations in Affordability of Health Care by Non-Metropolitan/Metropolitan and Race/Ethnicity Status across Eight Geographically Dispersed States
Among the findings in this brief from the Rural & Minority Health Research Center: Hispanic adults had the lowest health insurance rates; non-Hispanic Black individuals reported higher levels of forgoing medical care due to cost; non-metropolitan individuals ages 18-64 were more likely to report forgoing medication due to cost.
Federal Awards Given Out to Support Education in High-Needs Communities.
Last week, the U.S. Department of Education announced more than $35 million in grants awarded for projects that support “cradle-to-career” solutions for low-income students through the Department’s Promise Neighborhoods program. The national nonprofit Partners for Rural Impact is one of the newest Promise Neighborhood grantees, supporting two schools in Hazard, Kentucky, where the U.S. Secretary of Education made the announcement.
HRSA is Request for Information in Order to Updating the Healthy Start Initiative
To inform future planning, HRSA’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) seeks perspectives on the federal program that aims to reduce disparities for mothers and babies. Respondents need not answer every question in the Request for Information, but MCHB would like to know about both challenges and innovations in rural areas. Respond by February 3.
HHS Publishes the Poverty Guidelines for 2023
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) published the household income data that determines eligibility for Medicaid and a number of other Federal programs.
Medicare Graduate Medical Education (GME) Residency Have Positions Available
Hospitals interested in residency slots that will be supported by Medicare in Fiscal Year 2024 must apply through the Medicare Electronic Application Request Information (MEARIS™) by March 31. This is the second of five rounds of awards; the first 200 slots were awarded earlier this month. Rural hospitals are among the facility types eligible to establish new programs or expand existing residency programs. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will prioritize training sites located in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), and Tribal facilities located outside of a HPSA. For more information, see the Frequently Asked Questions and the application submission process guide. Applications are Due March 31.