- RPHARM Program Fulfills Need for Rural Pharmacists
- Farmers Don't Do Mental Health
- A Pilot Program in Rural Vermont Hopes to Build a Blueprint for Substance Abuse Recovery
- Rural Telehealth Extension Reintroduced in Congress
- Students From Across the State Emphasized the Need for Mental Health Resources in Rural Alaska During a Conference
- The South Was the Center of Rural Population Growth Last Year
- How HHS SUD Confidentiality Regulations Will Impact Rural Providers
- VA Announces Expansion of "Close to Me" Cancer Program as Part of the Cancer Moonshot, Bringing Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Closer to Thousands of Veterans
- Navajo Psychiatrist Bridges Gaps Between Native American Culture and Behavioral Health Care
- Biden-Harris Administration Releases National Strategy for Suicide Prevention and First-Ever Federal Action Plan
- Biden-Harris Administration Takes Historic Action to Increase Access to Quality Care, and Support to Families and Care Workers
- Rural Communities Face Primary Care Physician Shortage
- Rural Jails Turn to Community Health Workers To Help the Newly Released Succeed
- Biden Administration Sets Higher Staffing Mandates. Most Nursing Homes Don't Meet Them.
- Miles for Milk: How Student-Run Grocery Store Reshaped Rural Community's Food Access
Approaching Deadline for Rural HIV and Aging Challenge
The Administration for Community Living will award $500,000 in cash prizes for innovative and effective pilot solutions that address the needs of people in rural communities who are aging with HIV. Some potential solutions may be: enhancing the capacity of community-based organizations; increasing engagement/reducing isolation for long-term survivors; or addressing social determinants of health such as transportation or access to physical activities. Up to 10 winners may be selected to each receive a prize of up to $15,000. Because these are prize competitions, there are no reporting requirements, deliverables, or other restrictions associated with federal grants. The participants selected to receive a prize for Phase 1, Design of Concept, may compete for Phase 2, Development of Solution. The date was extended to February 14, 2023.
The FCC is Making Changes to Its Program for Rural Health
Last week, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced efforts to make it easier for rural healthcare providers to access funding for high-speed broadband connections and telecommunications services. Four new proposals for the FCC’s Rural Health Care Program are intended to make it easier for providers to receive support, reduce delays in funding commitments, and improve the overall efficiency of the program. Public response to FCC proposals in February 2022 brought about the current changes that include the way service rates are determined and invoiced. The Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking announced on January 26 includes fine-tuning rules for determining rural and urban rates, and making it easier for healthcare providers to receive funding as soon as they become eligible.
There is a Special Enrollment Period for Consumers Losing Medicaid or CHIP Coverage
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a Special Enrollment Period for qualified beneficiaries of Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Between March 31, 2023, and July 31, 2024, CMS will allow Marketplace-eligible consumers to submit a new application or update an existing application through HealthCare.gov. A recently released study, conducted pre-pandemic, showed that nearly two-thirds of disenrolled beneficiaries had a period of uninsurance. Healthcare providers and other community-based organizations can assist with outreach to individuals and families who may lose coverage. To help you better understand what states can do, the nonprofit State Health & Value Strategies provides two resources for state Medicaid agencies, state-based marketplaces, labor departments, and employers. The first is an issue brief discussing strategies for helping people understand and navigate their coverage options. A companion brief describes the importance of a Medicaid disenrollment survey to monitor coverage changes (p. 4) associated with the unwinding of continuous enrollment.
Look at the New Redesigned of RuralCenter.org
The FORHP-supported Rural Health Resource Center provides ongoing technical assistance to health providers nationwide through reports, webinars, podcasts, toolkits, and other media. Responding to feedback from stakeholders, they’ve redesigned their website to make it easier to navigate and use.
Read About the Variations in Affordability of Health Care by Non-Metropolitan/Metropolitan and Race/Ethnicity Status across Eight Geographically Dispersed States
Among the findings in this brief from the Rural & Minority Health Research Center: Hispanic adults had the lowest health insurance rates; non-Hispanic Black individuals reported higher levels of forgoing medical care due to cost; non-metropolitan individuals ages 18-64 were more likely to report forgoing medication due to cost.
Federal Awards Given Out to Support Education in High-Needs Communities.
Last week, the U.S. Department of Education announced more than $35 million in grants awarded for projects that support “cradle-to-career” solutions for low-income students through the Department’s Promise Neighborhoods program. The national nonprofit Partners for Rural Impact is one of the newest Promise Neighborhood grantees, supporting two schools in Hazard, Kentucky, where the U.S. Secretary of Education made the announcement.
HRSA is Request for Information in Order to Updating the Healthy Start Initiative
To inform future planning, HRSA’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) seeks perspectives on the federal program that aims to reduce disparities for mothers and babies. Respondents need not answer every question in the Request for Information, but MCHB would like to know about both challenges and innovations in rural areas. Respond by February 3.
HHS Publishes the Poverty Guidelines for 2023
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) published the household income data that determines eligibility for Medicaid and a number of other Federal programs.
Medicare Graduate Medical Education (GME) Residency Have Positions Available
Hospitals interested in residency slots that will be supported by Medicare in Fiscal Year 2024 must apply through the Medicare Electronic Application Request Information (MEARIS™) by March 31. This is the second of five rounds of awards; the first 200 slots were awarded earlier this month. Rural hospitals are among the facility types eligible to establish new programs or expand existing residency programs. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will prioritize training sites located in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), and Tribal facilities located outside of a HPSA. For more information, see the Frequently Asked Questions and the application submission process guide. Applications are Due March 31.
BHW Creates a Footprint Map of Federal Health Workforce Programs
HRSA’s Bureau of Health Workforce (BHW) offers programs that support thousands of healthcare sites and tens of thousands of providers at these sites. This new interactive map is updated daily with a comprehensive view of BHW program sites, Health Professional Shortage Areas, and other relevant health workforce data sets.