- Weathering the Storm Together: Community Resiliency Hubs Hold the Promise of Local Self-Sufficiency and Supportive Mutual Aid
- Virginia Tech Researchers Bring Rural Families into the Nation's Largest Study of Early Brain and Child Development
- Expanding Access to Cancer Care for Rural Veterans
- VA: Veterans Rural Health Advisory Committee, Notice of Meeting
- Scaling Rural Wellness with Clever Collaboration
- Stroudwater Associates Enhances Rural Healthcare Dashboard with New Data to Support State Rural Transformation Grant Applications
- Harvest Season Is Here: Busy Times Call for Increased Focus on Safety and Health
- HHS Dispatches More Than 70 Public Health Service Officers to Strengthen Care in Tribal Communities
- Wisconsin Rural Hospitals Team up to Form Network
- CMS Launches Landmark $50 Billion Rural Health Transformation Program
- American Heart Association Provides Blood Pressure Kits at Southeast Arkansas Regional Libraries to Support Rural Health
- Broadening Access to Minimally Invasive Surgery Could Narrow Rural-Urban Health Gaps
- Instead of Selling, Some Rural Hospitals Band Together To Survive
- Help Line Gives Pediatricians Crucial Mental Health Information to Help Kids, Families
- Rural Health: A Strategic Opportunity for Governors
National Rural Health Day 2025 Community Stars Announced
In celebration of November 20, 2025, the National Association of State Offices of Rural Health published a collection of stories about individuals and organizations across the U.S. that have made positive differences in the health of the rural communities they serve through innovation, leadership, commitment, collaboration, education, and communication.
Access the collection here: National Rural Health Day 2025 Community Stars
National Analysis of Motor Vehicle Sheds Light on Need
Identifying the percentage of non-drivers and those who lack access to a motor vehicle in the population is key in understanding the level of need in a community for other transportation options and for making the case to people who assume that driving is and must always be the default.
Anna Zivarts, author of the book When Driving Is Not an Option, outlined the general size and importance of this non-driver category in transportation planning, and offered estimates for Washington state. For Pennsylvania, it has been instructive to assemble information about the number of young people, the very old, those with disabilities that preclude driving and those who cannot afford a vehicle or fuel, but it has been a quite rough estimate until now, largely based on the percentage of the population in the state that do not have drivers’ licenses (30% here).
But a new study from the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) takes this topic on nationally. On the Who Doesn’t Have a Car? website, they map all the federal legislative districts and provide detail on the numbers of people of driving age, the number of minors with potential for independent mobility, and the number of vehicles available per household.
Their initial fact sheet for Pennsylvania is available here. It is informative, though also could use a bit of further clarification. We look forward to seeing this resource used in planning moving forward.
What Pennsylvania’s $50.1 Billion Budget Does for Rural Hospitals, Communities
By Marley Parish of Spotlight PA State College |
As federal Medicaid cuts loomed over Pennsylvania’s rural hospitals, health advocates focused on safeguarding funding for these already strained facilities and programs that help keep their doors open during this year’s state budget talks.
The $50.1 billion state budget — passed by the legislature and signed by Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro after a four-month impasse — maintains support for rural and critical access hospitals. It preserves spending on programs that have faced cuts and closures in rural areas. And it increases state Medicaid spending as the feds prepare to cut roughly $1 trillion in funding over the next decade because of the so-called “big, beautiful” budget bill.
While stakeholders are pleased with the state’s final deal, it only offers some relief for rural Pennsylvania, where hospitals operate on thin margins and Medicaid helps keep the lights on. Advocates — now focused on next year’s budget — are hoping Pennsylvania can secure a piece of a new $50 billion federal program to address longstanding challenges to accessing care in rural communities.
The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP), which represents more than 235 hospitals statewide, welcomed the preservation of past funding — such as $7.9 million for critical access hospitals and $10.6 million for obstetric and neonatal services — president and CEO Nicole Stallings told Spotlight PA.
The budget includes $10 million in one-time payments to rural hospitals, which will draw a $25.1 million federal match. Financially distressed hospitals will also receive $13.5 million, and while those dollars aren’t exclusively earmarked for rural facilities, Stallings expects they’ll still benefit.
Lisa Davis, director of the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health, said the boost for Medical Assistance, or Medicaid programs — a more than $775 million increase collectively — is “really needed” amid an expected increase in uninsured patients and uncompensated care due to the federal cuts.
“No state in the country can really adequately fill those losses, but I think being able to have this increased funding for Medicaid is good,” Davis told Spotlight PA.
CMS Issues New Telehealth Guidance: 4 Notes
From Becker’s Health IT
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released updated telehealth guidance following the end of the 43-day government shutdown.
Here are four things to know from the November FAQ:
- CMS will retroactively pay for telehealth claims for services rendered amid the fiscal standoff.
- Medicare telehealth flexibilities will expire Jan. 30 without an extension.
- Some telehealth providers who work from home can list their physical practices instead of their home addresses on Medicare enrollment and billing forms.
- Virtual-only telehealth clinicians will have to enroll their personal address as their practice location but can conceal their street address details.
HHS Taps 5 Leaders
From Becker’s Hospital Review, Leadership & Management
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has tapped five senior leaders to help drive President Donald Trump’s Make America Healthy Again initiative, with four of the five appointees having secured Senate confirmation.
“I promised President Trump I would deliver meaningful reform at HHS and improve the health and well-being of every American,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. said in a Nov. 24 news release. “Fulfilling that commitment includes placing strong, capable leaders where they can make the greatest impact.”
Below are the five new HHS leaders and their respective areas of responsibility:
- Brian Christine, MD, was appointed HHS assistant secretary for health. In his news role, Dr. Christine will work to restore trust in public health, address the nation’s health crisis and increase transparency. He was confirmed Oct. 7 by the U.S. Senate. Dr. Christine is a member of the American Urologic Association, Sexual Medicine Society of North America, the International Society for Sexual Medicine and the International Continence Society. He also leads the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service, a 5,000-member uniformed service dedicated to protecting and advancing the nation’s health.
- Alex Adams, PharmD, was named HHS assistant secretary for family support for the administration for children and families. Dr. Adams spent more than a decade in the Idaho state government, working as Gov. Brad Little’s budget and regulatory director and state department of health and welfare director. During that time, Dr. Adams worked to improve the child welfare system through expanding foster care support, strengthening foster home recruitment and updating licensing standards. He was confirmed Oct. 7.
- Gustav Chiarello was appointed HHS assistant secretary of financial resources. Prior to this role, Mr. Chiarello served as senior special counsel to the House Committee on the Judiciary, chaired by Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio. Mr. Chiarello served on the House Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform and Antitrust, chaired by Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Wis. He also served as an attorney at the Federal Trade Commission and as an attorney advisor to acting FTC Chairman Maureen Ohlhausen in President Trump’s first term. He was confirmed into his new role Oct. 7.
- Michael Stuart was named HHS general counsel. Prior to his new role, Mr. Stuart served as a United States Attorney, where he spearheaded federal law enforcement across the southern district of West Virginia and was part of planning and executing law enforcement actions across the country and greater Appalachian area. He also served as a certified public accountant for an international accounting firm, chair of the West Virginia Republican party, partner at two national law firms, state senator and chair of the West Virginia State Senate Judiciary Committee, and founder and managing member of Vandalia Law. He was confirmed into his new role Oct. 7.
- Alicia Jackson, PhD, was named HHS director of advanced research projects agency for health. Prior to her new role, Dr. Jackson founded and served as CEO for Evernow, a company that focuses on women’s health and longevity. She also served as a program manager and deputy director of the defense advanced research projects agency’s biological technologies office, where she led an investment portfolio across biomanufacturing, medicine development and biodefense to protect the country while moving scientific capabilities forward. Dr. Jackson also served as a senate policy advisor, a board member, co-founder and led multiple health and biotech startups.
Healthy Smiles, Healthy Hearts Resources for Providers Available
The American Heart Association’s Healthy Smiles, Healthy Hearts initiative, in collaboration with Delta Dental, is dedicated to bridging the gap between oral health and heart health care. Dental professionals are uniquely positioned to detect early signs of systemic disease, including elevated blood pressure.
The American Heart Association released new resources including a hypertension screening implementation kit for dental offices, a resource toolkit, and an online module.
Pennsylvania Oral Health Coalition Recognized by State Dental Hygienists’ Association
The Pennsylvania Dental Hygienists’ Association (PDHA) awarded PA Coalition for Oral Health the Presidential Citation for outstanding and ongoing support of the mission and vision of PDHA. This recognition comes from Immediate Past President Barbara Reiprich and was presented by President Kimberly Bury.
New Work Requirements Resource Launched for Pennsylvania SNAP Recipients & Applicants
Under new federal rules, to keep or become eligible for SNAP benefits, some recipients will have to meet work requirements that include working, volunteering, or participating in an education or training program for at least 20 hours a week (or 80 hours each month) AND report that they are meeting these work requirements.
To help SNAP recipients and applicants find out if they need to meet this requirement, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS), has launched a new online screening tool.
By answering a simple set of yes or no questions, SNAP applicants and recipients can find out if they need to meet the work requirements, if they are already meeting the work requirements, or if they are eligible for an exemption.
The screening tool is not a final determination of whether someone is meeting the work requirements or is eligible for an exemption, but it can help recipients and applicants have a more informed conversation with their caseworker.
The new work requirements will apply to Pennsylvanians who:
- Are between 18-64 years old;
- Do not have a dependent child under 14 years old; and
- Are considered physically and mentally able to work
In addition, being a veteran or a current or former foster youth age 18-24 will no longer be an exemption.
Some people may still be exempt from work and reporting requirements if they meet a different exemption.
You can learn more about these work reporting requirements, who they affect, and more about exemptions at dhs.pa.gov/work.
Do College Towns Weather Economic Downturns Better?
Universities and hospitals, as anchor institutions, play an important role in local economies through the jobs and economic benefits they provide. But what happens during downturns? Do college towns fare better?
In this report, researchers from the Philadelphia Fed analyzed the economic performance of State College, PA — home to Pennsylvania State University — during three economic recessions. They found that the university contributed to keeping the local economy stable, resulting in lower unemployment rates and faster job growth, thanks to robust hiring in the education and health services sectors.
However, heavy reliance on certain sectors can also introduce risks to local economies, as evidenced during the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent recession.
For more insights into how anchor institutions affect regional resilience, check out the full report.
Non-General Acute Care Pennsylvania Hospitals Experienced Mixed Financial Margins in 2024
Statewide operating and total margins experienced by Pennsylvania non-general acute care (non-GAC) hospitals during fiscal year 2024 (FY24) were mixed according to a new report released today by the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4).
The Financial Analysis – Volume Three report presents a financial profile on Pennsylvania’s non-GAC hospitals, which include rehabilitation hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, long-term acute care hospitals, and specialty hospitals.
Barry D. Buckingham, the Executive Director of PHC4, stated, “Volume Three provides insight into information surrounding uncompensated care, operating margins, and average net patient revenue intended to provide stakeholders with fact-based information to prioritize resources.” He added this set of reports, Financial Analysis Volume One, Volume Two, and Volume Three, offer consistent and timely information that stakeholders anticipate and rely on to ensure they are informed.
Financial data displayed in Volume Three, show rehabilitation hospitals yielded a 10.42% operating margin, psychiatric hospitals 4.89%, long-term acute care hospitals 4.66%, and specialty hospitals experienced a negative 1.33% operating margin. In examining total margins displayed in Volume Three, it reveals that in FY24 rehabilitation hospitals yielded an 11.35% total margin, psychiatric hospitals 4.73%, long-term acute care hospitals 5.08%, and specialty hospitals 7.21%. One will find further insights into financial measures when accessing the full report, including visualizations that display non-GAC hospitals average net patient revenue and average total operating expenses, by facility type for FY24. The operating and total margins are also reported for fiscal year 2015 through FY24 by facility type.
For more information, visit phc4.org or review the full report here.
PHC4 is an independent council formed under Pennsylvania statute (Act 89 of 1986, as amended by Act 15 of 2020) in order to address rapidly growing health care costs. PHC4 continues to produce comparative information about the most efficient and effective health care to individual consumers and group purchasers of health services. In addition, PHC4 produces information used to identify opportunities to contain costs and improve the quality of care delivered.