- CMS: Medicare Program; Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities; Updates to the Quality Reporting Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2026
- CMS: Medicare Program; FY 2026 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements
- Public Inspection: CMS: Medicare Program: Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities; Updates to the Quality Reporting Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2026
- Public Inspection: CMS: Medicare Program: Fiscal Year 2026 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements
- CMS: Request for Information; Health Technology Ecosystem
- VA: Staff Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program Funding Opportunity
- State: 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: J-1 Visa Waiver Recommendation Application
- Public Inspection: CMS: Request for Information: Health Technology Ecosystem
- HHS: Request for Information (RFI): Ensuring Lawful Regulation and Unleashing Innovation To Make American Healthy Again
- VA: Solicitation of Nominations for the Appointment to the Advisory Committee on Tribal and Indian Affairs
- GAO Seeks New Members for Tribal and Indigenous Advisory Council
- VA: Staff Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program Funding Opportunity
- Telehealth Study Recruiting Veterans Now
- USDA Delivers Immediate Relief to Farmers, Ranchers and Rural Communities Impacted by Recent Disasters
- Submit Nominations for Partnership for Quality Measurement (PQM) Committees
Dollar General’s Reach Could Give It a Rural Advantage in Vaccine Distribution
By Liz Carey
The retailer is in talks with the CDC about delivering Covid-19 vaccines to underserved areas. Three-quarters of Americans live within five miles of one of its 17,000 stores, the company says.
Read more
Tech Education Rebuilding Rural Economies from Within
By Caroline Tremblay, Radically Rural
Two programs from Kansas and Mississippi lead the way in providing technical training and tools for young rural entrepreneurs.
Read more
Unlike Previous Stimulus Package, Relief Funding Will Reach Every U.S. County
By Olivia Weeks
The American Rescue Plan will distribute more than $130 billion to local governments. Included in that total is nearly $9 billion for rural county governments, plus additional funds for the cities located in those counties.
Read more
Signing of the American Rescue Plan
The Biden-Harris Administration announced the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) will help to reduce health care costs, expand access to coverage, and ensure nearly everyone who buys their own individual or family health insurance through a Marketplace can receive a tax credit to reduce their premiums. The ARP not only provides the resources for America to beat this pandemic, but it also expands access to health insurance coverage, lowers costs, and ensures that health care truly is a right for all Americans.
The fact sheets cover more details on the provisions to be implemented April 1. Look for more communication from CMS over the next week for training sessions that will provide more information.
To read the CMS fact sheet, visit: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/american-rescue-plan-and-marketplace
To read the HHS fact sheet, visit: https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2021/03/12/fact-sheet-american-rescue-plan-reduces-health-care-costs-expands-access-insurance-coverage.html
Social Media
Please help us to amplify this announcement on your social channels using this sample language:
@POTUS signed the American Rescue Plan, which expands access to health care and financial assistance, and lowers premiums. Read the full announcement here: https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2021/03/12/fact-sheet-american-rescue-plan-reduces-health-care-costs-expands-access-insurance-coverage.html
Commentary: To Invest in Infrastructure, Invest in People
By Tom Barkin, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
The president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond argues that in order to fully benefit from infrastructure investments we need to address our nation’s workforce shortage.
Read more
New Covid Infections and Deaths Decline by 20% in Rural Counties
By Tim Murphy and Tim Marema
New infections have dropped by 80 percent since their peak in mid-January. The number of deaths per week has fallen by 60 percent in the past two months.
Read more
Groups Organize Effort to Delay OMB’s Redefinition of ‘Nonmetropolitan’
By Tim Marema
The Aspen Institute and Brookings Institution say the Office and Management and Budget should pause to learn what the full impact of the change will be and to look at other issues.
Read more
Sources of Insurance Coverage in Nonmetropolitan Areas: The Role of Public and Private Insurance Since 2009
This brief from the RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis uses the American Community Survey five-estimates to compare types of health insurance coverage for the nonelderly in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas.
Share Your Thoughts and Opinions on Health – Respond by March 15
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is seeking English-speaking people living in rural areas to participate in virtual discussions about health. The purpose of these discussions is to obtain consumer feedback on newly developed health materials. HRSA is open to speaking with individuals from diverse backgrounds. Sessions will be held in March and May via Zoom and will last approximately 90 minutes. All who participate will receive monetary token of appreciation. If you or someone you know may be interested, please have them contact Heidi.Palacios@
ONC Reports on Interoperability of Electronic Health Records
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) published a data brief examining rates of interoperability by hospital size, type, method of interoperability, and suburban-urban status.