Rural Health Information Hub Latest News

CDC Update for Rural Communities on the COVID-19 Disease Response

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has put together a special program for RURAL providers and stakeholders for an update on the COVID-19 response. Registration is required by linking here.

Date: Monday, March 23, 2020
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Presenter: Dr. Jay Butler (Deputy Director for Infectious Diseases)

Dr. Butler will share guidance with partners, public health practitioners, healthcare providers, and others working to protect the health of rural communities. He will describe what CDC knows at this point and what CDC is doing in response to this outbreak. We will also have time for questions and answers.

Please email eocevent337@cdc.gov to submit questions in advance and indicate that questions are for the 3/23 call.

This event will be recorded. Questions not answered during it may be sent to ruralhealth@cdc.gov

REGISTER HERE:
zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_etqFB-z0Tjyp-_WGI8jfzw

Need Help with Health Insurance or Benefits in the Midst of the Crisis? PHAN Can Help!

Need help with health insurance or benefits in the midst of the crisis?

Call PHAN’s Helpline at 877-570-3642

The response to COVID-19 is changing rapidly. Many counties in our state are requiring tele-working, closing childcare centers, and more. All K-12 schools are closed, and Governor Wolf recently ordered the closing of all non-essential businesses for the next two weeks.

This means that many Pennsylvania residents will start to worry about things like health insurance, paychecks, utilities, housing, bills, and other things that could affect our families’ health and financial well-being.  That’s why PHAN is offering their helpline to make sure folks get connected with appropriate programs:

Call PHAN’S Helpline at 877-570-3642 with questions!

“Low Income Levels” Used for Various Health Professions and Nursing Programs Authorized in Titles III, VII, and VIII of the Public Health Service Act

February 24, 2020

SUMMARY:

HRSA is updating income levels used to identify a “low income family” for the purpose of determining eligibility for programs that provide health professions and nursing training to individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. These various programs are authorized in Titles III, VII, and VIII of the Public Health Service Act.

Read more

What’s the bare-minimum income a Pennsylvania household of four needs to survive? Try nearly $60,000 a year.

To survive in Pennsylvania, a family of four needs to make $59,340 a year — a hard-to-fathom, sticker-shock number that shows how expensive life has become.

That’s the finding of a recently released report by Harrisburg-based United Way of Pennsylvania.

Continue reading “What’s the bare-minimum income a Pennsylvania household of four needs to survive? Try nearly $60,000 a year.”

Comments Requested: PTAC Proposal on Remote Specialist Care

Comments Requested:  PTAC Proposal on Remote Specialist Care – October 1.  ThePhysician-Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee (PTAC) requests public comment on a proposal for a new payment model that would create either Regional Referral Centers (RRCs) or a single National Referral Center (NRC) to provide remote specialists and experts for most health issues. The specialists would support field providers such as visiting nurses, community providers, PCPs, or hospital doctors and would serve any geographic location. Comments can be emailed to PTAC@hhs.gov with the subject line “Public Comment – [name of document].”

Read the document here:

https://aspe.hhs.gov/system/files/pdf/261881/ProposalSobel.pdf

 

Good Oral Health a Positive Part of the Ageing Process

The world’s population is ageing, and experts predict that by 2050, 25% of the world’s population – 2 billion people – will be over 60 years old. A fifth of these – 400 million – will be over 80 years old. Epidemiological studies show that older persons are particularly affected by poor oral health, with negative consequences on their general health. Oral conditions such as dental caries, periodontal disease, tooth loss, dry mouth or oral cancer affect their chewing function and nutritional intake, as well as their ability to interact socially.

Continue reading “Good Oral Health a Positive Part of the Ageing Process”

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Awards $9 Million to Develop New Models to Improve Obstetrics Care in Rural Communities

Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), awarded nearly $9 million to launch the Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies (RMOMS) program. Recipients from three states, Missouri, New Mexico and Texas, will receive up to $600,000 in a planning year and up to $800,000 in three implementation years to pilot, test, and develop models that improve access to and continuity of maternal obstetrics care in rural communities. Continue reading “U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Awards $9 Million to Develop New Models to Improve Obstetrics Care in Rural Communities”