- 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
FORHP Grants in Motion
Every quarter the Rural Health Information Hub (RHIHub) releases Grants in Motion, which is a feature in their online Rural Monitor publication that highlights some of the exceptional work our FORHP awardees are achieving in their communities. In addition to archived stories, this quarter’s edition of Grants in Motion highlights St. Charles Madras, an awardee through the Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program.
New Guidance on COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing and Vaccinations
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Department of Labor, and Treasury Department issued joint guidance clarifying that private group health insurance plans and issuers generally must cover COVID-19 diagnostic testing without cost sharing, prior authorization, or other medical management requirements. This guidance also includes information for providers on how to get reimbursed for COVID-19 diagnostic testing or for administering the COVID-19 vaccine to those who are uninsured. Read more here.
Capacity of Rural Counties to Address an HIV or Hepatitis C Outbreak
This study from the Maine Rural Health Research Center identifies states potentially at risk for an HIV outbreak among persons who inject drugs in order to examine rural-urban differences in surveillance, prevention, and response to outbreak. Related to this project, Maine researchers also created a chartbook of rural HIV prevalence and service availability, and a report on rural-urban differences in rates of maternal infection with hepatitis C virus.
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@
CDC on Changes in Suicide Rates
In its latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention report that more than 47,000 deaths were attributed to suicide in 2019. For the first time in a decade, the overall suicide rate from 2018 to 2019 declined. The lowest rate was found in large central metropolitan areas, and the highest in nonmetropolitan areas. Firearms were the most common mechanism of suicide in all county urbanization levels.
ERS on Disparities in Educational Attainment in Rural America
The Economic Research Service (ERS) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that, among all rural residents aged 25 years or older, the percentage who had completed a bachelor’s degree or higher rose from 15 percent in 2000 to 21 percent in 2019. Ethnic disparities persist in what is considered a leading social determinant of health, with Whites completing high school and bachelor’s degrees at much higher rates than those who are Black, American Indian, or Hispanic.
New Telebehavioral Health Care Best Practice Guide
Telehealth.HHS.gov has added a new best practice guide to help mental health providers navigate changes to telehealth policy due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. This official website from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services includes resources for getting started, developing a strategy, billing, preparing patients, and more.
Resources from CDC National Forum on COVID-19 Vaccine
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) held a three-day event to promote the most effective strategies for building confidence and increasing access to the vaccine nationwide. Resources, including recordings of the forum’s sessions and a toolkit for community outreach, are now available. Learn more about the role of the Health Resources and Services Administration in the effort, including distribution of vaccines to 250 health centers nationwide.
Commentary: Extreme Weather Impacts Heating Costs Outside Hard-Hit Texas
By Donna Kallner
Residents of other small towns and rural areas may see a related spike on upcoming utility bills.
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Rural Hospitals Risk Closure Due to Covid-19-Related Drop in Revenue in 2021
By Liz Carey
The American Hospital Association warns that without continued government support, many rural hospitals will be forced to shut their doors, leaving patients without care and local economies without their main employer and consumer.
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