Rural Health Information Hub Latest News

CMS to Host Patient-Focused Listening Sessions this Fall 

CMS will host a series of Patient-Focused Listening Sessions this fall as part of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program. The virtual public Listening Sessions will provide an opportunity for patients, beneficiaries, caregivers, consumer and patient organizations, and other interested parties to share input relevant to the drugs selected for the first round of negotiations.

CMS is interested in patient-focused input, including information related to therapeutic alternatives of the selected drugs and how the selected drugs address unmet need, as well as how the selected drugs impact specific populations. The sessions will be listen-only; CMS will not be responding to feedback during the sessions.

Dates: The Listening Sessions will be held October 30 – November 15, 2023. Speaker registration is open September 1 – October 2, 2023.

Attendance: The public does not need to register to attend. All sessions will be livestreamed here.

Public Input Opportunities: There are two ways the public can share feedback and input to CMS related to the selected drugs and their therapeutic alternatives:

  1. Public Statement: Those who wish to make a brief live, public statement should register for the chance to speak at a Listening Session. Each session can accommodate approximately 20 speakers. Additional information for speakers and registration to speak can be found here.
  2. Submitted Statement: Because there are limited speaking opportunities during the live Listening Sessions, CMS encourages the public to submit written input, if interested, in response to the 2023 CMS request for information about selected drugs and evidence about alternative treatments. Information can be submitted here.

The deadline for both public input opportunities is October 2, 2023 at 11:59 PM PDT.

The Listening Sessions are subject to change, including postponement and/or cancellation.

Additional information on the public Listening Sessions can be found here.

Additional information about the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program can be found here.

Rural Recruitment Academy Enrollment Now Open

Employer registration for the 2023 3RNET (National Rural Recruitment and Retention Network) Academy is now open.  The six-session Academy is free to Pennsylvania-based health centers, rural health clinics, rural hospitals, and other safety net facilities thanks to the sponsorship of the Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers.

When you register and/or complete the program, you receive:

  • Access to six live 90 minute webinars featuring national experts on rural/underserved retention
  • Password protected portal to gain access to the webinar recordings, session materials, & more
  • Ability to ask questions to other Academy attendees and 3RNET members via the Academy listserv
  • A certificate of completion

Go to this custom page for Pennsylvania to find more information and to register. You will find the promo code to insert while checking out after registering.

For more information contact Judd Mellinger-Blouch.

CMS to Launch New Version of CMS.gov

During the week of September  4, 2023, CMS will launch a new version of CMS.gov. The new version of the site will feature an updated information architecture and streamlined navigation, as well as a refreshed home page. We worked with stakeholders throughout the development of these website improvements and this input is reflected in the new website navigation.

Here are some important things to keep in mind with regards to the new version of CMS.gov:

  • Once the new site goes live, if you are still seeing the old site, please try refreshing the page, closing and re-opening your browser window, or opening a different browser.
  • Redirects
    • All pages will automatically redirect to the new URLs
    • All redirects will remain in place indefinitely
    • For anyone who has pages or files bookmarked, those links will continue to work properly
    • All links from existing materials such as documents and press releases will continue to work properly
    • All links from external websites will continue to work properly
    • All links from search engines such as Google will continue to work properly
  • Marketplace.cms.gov and Innovation.cms.gov
    • These two domains will be migrated into the www.cms.gov website and retired as standalone websites
    • All of the content from these domains has been migrated into the new information architecture on CMS.gov
    • All of the above information about redirects applies to these two sites as well
    • Once the new version of CMS.gov launches, you can navigate to Innovation Center content by going to cms.gov/innovation, and you can navigate to Marketplace content by going to cms.gov/marketplace
    • It will take a day or two for the Innovation and Marketplace content to be indexed by our site search

New Z Code Infographic Now Available from CMS

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health (CMS OMH) released a new Z code infographic entitled: Improving the Collection of Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Data with ICD-10-CM Z Codes (2023). This resource aims to assist providers with understanding and using Z codes to improve the quality and collection of health equity data. Using social determinants of health, Z codes can enhance quality improvement activities, track factors that influence people’s health, and provide further insight into existing health inequities.

Z codes are a set of ICD-10-CM codes used to report social, economic, and environmental determinants known to affect health and health-related outcomes. Nine broad categories of Z codes represent various hazardous socioeconomic, and environmental conditions. Z codes can be used in any health setting and by any provider as a tool for identifying a range of issues related to education and literacy, employment, housing, ability to obtain adequate amounts of food or safe drinking water, and occupational exposure to toxic agents, dust, or radiation.

Looking for more information about Z codes? Review the journey map: Using SDOH Z Codes Can Enhance Your Quality Improvement Initiatives, which provides step-by-step instructions for healthcare professionals on how to use Z codes.

For more CMS OMH health equity-focused resources, visit: go.cms.gov/omh.

Resources

HRSA Launches New Educational Materials on Living Organ Donation

The Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Health Systems Bureau (HSB) developed a set of English and Spanish language materials on living organ donation. It includes web content, donor and recipient fact sheets, videos, and an infographic.

We designed these materials to raise awareness. They describe the benefits, risks, and considerations that come with living organ donation.

Organ donation professionals, people working in public outreach, and people interested in living donation can use these materials to learn more and educate others.

What is living donation?

A living donation takes place when a person who is alive donates part of their liver,  kidney, or certain other organs and tissues. Doctors transplant their organ into someone who needs it.

Is living donation safe?

Living donation is typically safe for the donor. A donor’s hospital stay is between two and five days after donation. They resume normal activities within a few weeks. Most living donors go on to live active, healthy lives and can see the positive impact of their donation.

Why is living donation important?

About 6,500 living donation transplants take place each year, but more than 100,000 people are waiting for an organ transplant. More than 95% of people on the National Transplant Waiting List need a kidney or part of a liver. These are organs living people can donate. Unlike deceased organ donors, living organ donors can choose who to donate their organs to. This shortens recipients’ wait time for a transplant.

How can I learn more and help others?

Download and share these living organ donation outreach materials today.

What does HSB do?

HSB manages the nation’s Organ Donation and Transplantation program. This program works to extend and enhance the lives of people with end-stage organ failure.  An organ transplant is the most appropriate treatment for these people.

CMS Launching Population Health-focused Payment Model for States, Hospitals

From Becker’s Healthcare

CMS is launching a new population health-focused payment model aimed at addressing chronic disease, behavioral health and overall improvement of care management for states’ populations.

The agency said in a September 5 news release that it would award as many as eight states up to $12 million each to implement the States Advancing All-Payer Health Equity Approaches and Development Model, which is the next iteration of the CMS Innovation Center’s multipayer total cost of care models.

States participating in the AHEAD model will be accountable for quality and population health outcomes, along with reducing avoidable spending. Participants will partner with providers and leverage existing relationships to recruit hospitals — participating hospitals will receive an annual fixed payment.

Payments would be for Medicare and Medicaid, and other insurers could also pay participating hospitals for enrolled populations or specific patient groups.

Interested states can apply during two application periods and can participate in one of three groups with staggered start dates and performance years. Specific funding and application information will be released in late fall. States will have 90 calendar days to apply during the first application period. The second application period is expected to open in the spring with a 60-day application period.

Pre-implementation for the first cohort is scheduled for summer 2024. The performance period is scheduled for January 2026 or January 2027, depending on the cohort, and the model will conclude for all participants in December 2034.

More information is available here.

WellSpan Health First in Pennsylvania to Earn Health Equity Accreditation

WellSpan Health has received accreditation for addressing health equity by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).  WellSpan is the first in the state and one of three nationally to receive the Health Equity Accreditation.  NCQA awards accreditation to organizations that are leaders in addressing health equity, analyzing clinical performance and consumer experience through a comprehensive framework, according to WellSpan. 

HRSA Invests More Than $80 Million to Help Rural Communities Respond to Fentanyl and Other Opioid Overdose Risks

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced more than $80 million in awards to rural communities in 39 states to support key strategies to respond to the overdose risk from fentanyl and other opioids. These awards help advance President Biden’s commitment to beat the opioid epidemic as part of his Unity Agenda for the nation.

HRSA funding will support interventions such as distributing the lifesaving overdose reversal drug naloxone to prevent overdose; creating and expanding treatment sites in rural areas to provide medications to treat opioid use disorder; expanding access to behavioral health care for young people in rural communities; and, caring for infants in rural areas who are at-risk for opioid exposure or experiencing symptoms related to opioid exposure.

“Far too many rural families have faced the devastation of overdose, and these deaths are felt deeply across rural communities – where often everyone knows someone lost too soon,” said HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson. “At the Health Resources and Services Administration, we know that funding based on population size or other broad-based rubrics can miss the vital treatment and response needs of rural communities. That’s why the investments we are announcing today are targeted to rural communities and tailored to the unique challenges of helping rural health care leaders expand access to treatment and build recovery pathways to prevent overdose.”

More than 100,000 people die each year from overdose. Individuals who call rural communities home and who are experiencing opioid use disorder – including from fentanyl, heroin or other opioids – can face challenges in accessing treatment and recovery services. Geographic isolation and transportation barriers can make finding treatment particularly challenging and limited mental health and substance use disorder health care providers in the community can further complicate access. The stigmatization of substance use disorder and its treatments are additional barriers to access. HRSA’s funding is targeted to helping communities address these critical needs and expand access to services.

The announcement includes the following investments:

  • Expanding Access to Medication to Treat Opioid Use Disorder: $24 million will support 26 awards to rural communities to establish treatment sites for individuals to access medications to treat opioid use disorder. The use of medication to manage opioid use disorder is the standard of care, but not always readily available.
  • Supporting Rural Communities in Preventing and Responding to Overdoses: $14 million will support 47 awards to help rural communities respond to their specific and immediate needs, including the distribution of life-saving opioid overdose reversal medications.
  • Meeting the Behavioral Health Needs of Young People: Nearly $9 million will support 9 awards to focus on building, strengthening and expanding mental health and substance use disorder services for young people in rural communities to expand treatment and help prevent overdose.
  • Preventing and Addressing Neonatal Exposure: Nearly $20 million will support 41 awards to develop and implement interventions in rural communities to prevent, treat and care for opioid exposed infants by focusing on systems of care, family supports, and social determinants of health.
  • Investing in and Disseminating Best Practices: $10 million will support three Rural Centers of Excellence on Substance Use Disorders to disseminate treatment and prevention best practices to help inform rural communities’ response strategies, and $5 million will support evaluation of this overall initiative.

To view the full list of awardees, see https://www.hrsa.gov/rural-health/opioid-response/fy2023-rcorp-awards-overview.

To learn more about the RCORP program, visit the RCORP Webpage.

Additional resources

See other HRSA news & announcements.

Medicaid and CHIP: Help Keep Children and Families Covered

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is asking for help to prevent children and families from losing Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program coverage as a result of the end of the Federal Public Health Emergency.

Ways Your Organization Can Help 

  • Partner with your State Medicaid agency to spread the word about renewals. You can find contact information on your State Medicaid agencies here.
  • Use CMS’s Communications Toolkit, available in multiple languages, including English and Spanish.
  • Promote social media content and graphics pulled from CMS’s toolkit on your social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.
  • Share HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra’s video (in English and Spanish) on Medicaid renewals across your social media channels.

Visit CMS’s website for more resources.

Notice of Changes to Eligible Area Maps for USDA Rural Development Housing Programs

USDA Rural Development has completed its 2020 decennial United States census review for all areas under its jurisdiction to identify areas that no longer qualify as rural for USDA Rural Housing programs.  Based on the review of the areas within the state of Pennsylvania, using 2020 US census data, and rural area guidance located in Handbook HB-1-3550, Chapter 5, the rural eligibility designation has changed for the following areas:

Areas whose rural eligibility designations is changing from ineligible to eligible (these areas now qualify as rural for USDA Housing Programs):

  • Williamsport, Lycoming County, – Minor line adjustments in the area above Grampian Hills to make this area eligible.

Areas whose rural eligibility designations is changing from eligible to ineligible (these areas no longer qualify as rural for USDA Housing Programs):

  • Bethlehem, Northampton and Leigh Counties – Expansion of the ineligible areas around the Allentown City limits to include all annexed areas since 1990 with a population of over 35,000.
  • Weigelstown, York County, –Expansion of the ineligible areas around the city limits to include all annexed areas since 1990
  • Franklin Park, Allegheny County Expansion of the ineligible areas around the Pittsburgh City limits to include all annexed areas since 1990
  • Monroeville, Allegheny County Expansion of the ineligible areas around the Pittsburg City limits to include all annexed areas since 1990

Changes become effective October 1, 2023. 

The updated rural area map can now be viewed on our eligibility websiteUsers will need to click on the program, for example: “Single Family Housing Direct”, and then click on “Proposed Eligibility Areas” from the menu options.

For a full list of changes, additional details, or questions about specific changes, please contact the Harrisburg State Office, Rural Development Housing Program Staff at 717-237-2186.