- 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
Barriers to Health Care Access for Rural Medicare Beneficiaries
This policy brief from the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center presents findings from an online survey of rural health clinics describing barriers for Medicare patients in accessing healthcare services, and recommendations for how to improve access to care.
ACF Report on Child Maltreatment
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) reports on rates of children who are victims of neglect or abuse using data collected from the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System. In 2018, the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services recommended that federal policy include a strategy for awareness, research, and programs to address the health consequences of Adverse Childhood Experiences for rural, tribal, and other at-risk populations.
NIH Assessment of COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) published results of a study to determine what Americans think about getting immunized with the COVID-19 vaccine. Of a group of 1,878 participants, the greatest reluctance to get a vaccine was found among African-Americans (34%), Hispanics (29%), rural dwellers (29%), and those who had children at home (25%).
GAO Report on Rural Hospital Closures
The latest report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) addresses the effects of hospital closures on residents in rural areas. Among other objectives, the report examines how closures affected the number of health care providers, and the distance residents traveled for health care services.
New National Strategy for COVID-19 Response
The White House released a plan for the pandemic that includes a campaign for vaccination, setting standards for controlling the spread of the virus, and enacting the Defense Production Act to extend emergency relief.
Black Mental Health Matters Webinar
Black Mental Health Matters is a two-part webinar Series in honor of National Black History Month and facilitated by Dr. Eunice Peterson, a board-certified Adult and Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist. The webinar is an interactive presentation with a Q&A session designed to provide participants with an understanding of how racism impacts mental health. Registration is required for this free event.
- PART I: Thursday, Feb. 11 from 2:30 – 4 pm: Register Here
- PART II: Thursday, Feb. 25 from 2:30 – 4 pm: Register Here
Use of EHRs to Identify Patients Who May Benefit from PrEP
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is one of the many tools to help end the HIV epidemic in the U.S. HITEQ’s recent blog identifies strategies to help you leverage your health center’s EHR to highlight disparities related to PrEP uptake for high-risk population and to identify and engage patients to close the PrEP access gap. Some of the strategies include leveraging the capabilities of your EHR to implement standardized templates to take detailed sexual histories, using predictive modeling to anticipate outcomes, and using care plan templates to engage prospective PrEP candidates. You can check out all of HITEQ’s Ending the HIV Epidemic resources here.
Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines Available in 8 Translations
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now offers eight translations of “Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines” on their “What to Expect at Your Appointment to Get Vaccinated for COVID-19” webpage. This page offers information for the public before, during, and after vaccination with an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. It also offers links at the bottom of the page for handouts in nine languages on Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines. It explains vaccines as prevention tools, and it summarizes vaccine safety and efficacy.
Final Recommendation: Interventions for Tobacco Smoking Cessation in Adults, Including Pregnant Persons
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force released a final recommendation statement on interventions for tobacco smoking cessation in adults, including pregnant persons. The Task Force recommends clinicians ask about tobacco use and connect people to proven, safe methods to help them quit. The evidence is unclear whether e-cigarettes help adults quit smoking. More research is needed on the benefits and harms of using medications to help pregnant people quit. To view the recommendation, the evidence on which it is based, and a summary for clinicians, please click here. The final recommendation statement can also be found in the Jan. 19, 2021 online issue of JAMA.
National HIV Strategic Plan for U.S. 2021-2025
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released the HIV National Strategic Plan for the United States: A Roadmap to End the Epidemic 2021-2025 (HIV Plan). The HIV Plan was developed in collaboration with federal and community partners and lays out a clear vision where the U.S. will be a place where new HIV infections are prevented, every person knows their status and every person with HIV has high-quality care and treatment and lives free from stigma and discrimination. It builds on lessons learned and the progress made under the first two national HIV/AIDS strategies. The vision includes all people, regardless of age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, religion, disability, geographic location or socioeconomic circumstance.