- CMS: Medicare Program; Implementation of Prior Authorization for Select Services for the Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) Model
- Public Inspection: CMS: Medicare Program: Implementation of Prior Authorization for Select Services for the Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction Model
- CMS: Secretarial Comments on the CBE's (Battelle Memorial Institute) 2024 Activities: Report to Congress and the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services
- HHS: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Marketplace Integrity and Affordability
- HRSA Announces Action to Lower Out-of-Pocket Costs for Life-Saving Medications at Health Centers Nationwide
- Public Inspection: HHS: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Marketplace Integrity and Affordability
- Increased Risk of Cyber Threats Against Healthcare and Public Health Sector
- Eight Hospitals Selected for First Cohort of Rural Hospital Stabilization Program
- Announcing the 2030 Census Disclosure Avoidance Research Program
- CMS: Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Policy Changes and Fiscal Year 2026 Rates; Requirements for Quality Programs; and Other Policy Changes; Correction
- CMS: Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Policy Changes and Fiscal Year 2026 Rates; Requirements for Quality Programs; and Other Policy Changes; Correction
- CMS: Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Contract Year 2026 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program, Medicare Cost Plan Program, and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly; Correction
- CMS: Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Contract Year 2026 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program, Medicare Cost Plan Program, and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly; Correction
- 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
Number of New Covid-19 Infections Drops for Fifth Consecutive Week

The rate of new Covid-19 infections in rural America fell for the fifth consecutive week last week, dropping to its lowest level since June 2020. Meanwhile, the number of Covid-related deaths increased slightly last week.
The number of new infections reported in rural counties fell 18%, from 31,683 two weeks ago to 25,876 last week. New infections in rural counties have decreased for nine out of the last 12 weeks and are down about 90% from their peak in mid-January.
Covid-related deaths grew about 10% last week, from 613 two weeks ago to 681 last week. Despite the increase last week, Covid-related deaths in rural counties have also fallen nine out of the last 12 weeks and have declined by 85% since their peak in early 2021.
Pennsylvania Oral Health Coalition PCOH Recognized as State Rural Health Program of the Year
The Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health recently released the 2021 spring issue of the Pennsylvania Rural Health magazine. This issue highlights the 2020 Rural Health Awards. PCOH is recognized as the State Rural Health Program of the Year. Other topics in this issue include health equity in rural Pennsylvania A, transforming health care in rural areas, and more.
New ADA Open Access Journal
The American Dental Association is introducing a new cross-disciplinary and open access journal, JADA Foundational Science. This new journal bridges basic and clinic sciences in oral health research. Submissions are now being accepted for research on foundational science and more topics.
New Research Brief: School-Based Oral Health Programs Impacts of COVID-19
The Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD) and the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health have released a new research brief, “Challenges in Implementing School-Based Oral Health Programs: Short and Long Term Impacts of COVID-19.” The brief includes challenges faced by programs due to COVID-19, challenges anticipated in the coming years, and additional support.
USDA Kicks Off Debt Relief Program for Minority Farmers
USDA’s Farm Service Agency released the first notice of funding availability announcing loan payments for eligible borrowers with qualifying direct farm loans. The notice will be published in the Federal Register early next week.
“A subsequent notice addressing guaranteed loan balances and direct loans that no longer have collateral and have been previously referred to the Department of Treasury for debt collection for offset, will be published within 120 days,” the department said.
The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan enacted in March required USDA to make payments worth 120% of the qualifying farmers’ indebtedness and included $4 billion for that purpose. The payments are intended to both pay off the loans and to cover the related taxes and fees.
The payments will be broken into two steps, USDA said, including a 20% direct deposit for taxes and fees, and then loan payment from Treasury to USDA to clear the debt.
“The American Rescue Plan has made it possible for USDA to deliver historic debt relief to socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers beginning in June,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. “USDA is recommitting itself to gaining the trust and confidence of America’s farmers and ranchers using a new set of tools provided in the American Rescue Plan to increase opportunity, advance equity and address systemic discrimination in USDA programs.”
Under the law, Black, Latino or Hispanic, Native American or Alaskan Native, and Asian American or Pacific Islander producers are eligible for the payments. About 85% of the approximately 16,000 qualifying loans affected are direct loans.
More information is available at www.farmers.gov/americanrescueplan.
Pennsylvania Improves Access to Pennsylvania Senior Food Box Program, Encourages Enrollment
Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and Aging Secretary Robert Torres announced steps to increase access to Pennsylvania’s Senior Food Boxes, a supplemental food program available free to lower income seniors. Giving the program a new name and removing proof of income requirements are among the barriers to participation the state is removing, with the goal of encouraging seniors to take advantage of the program.
Formally known as Commodity Supplemental Food Program, the program previously required seniors to provide documented proof of their income when they applied to receive a food box. The new procedure requires only a statement of income.
“We want to take hunger off the table for Pennsylvania’s seniors. They shouldn’t be worrying about whether to eat or pay for utilities and prescriptions,” said Redding. “They’ve supported their families or communities for a lifetime, and we want to support them now.
“This is why we’ve removed income verification as a requirement for the Senior Food Box, we want it to be as easy as possible to receive. So now, just indicate on the application form that you are eligible for help and you’ll receive it,” added Redding.
The Pennsylvania Senior Food Box is a product of the federally funded Commodity Supplemental Food Program. It works to improve the health of low-income seniors by providing a supplement to groceries of a variety of nutritious, shelf-stable products including shelf-stable fluid milk, juice, ready-to-eat cereal, rice, pasta, dry beans, peanut butter, canned meat, poultry, or fish, and canned fruits and vegetables. The Senior Food Box is a perfect supplement to other food assistance programs in Pennsylvania such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Pennsylvania Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program, which provides seniors with fresh, Pennsylvania-grown fruits and vegetables from summer through fall.
More than 300,000 Pennsylvania seniors are eligible for the Pennsylvania Senior Food Box, but only about 35,000 are enrolled to receive it this year. Seniors often face barriers to access for food assistance programs such as mobility, technology, and stigma. This food box program aims to overcome those barriers by being available for drop off or drive through in addition to pick up and, now, by reducing stigma and red tape with the removal of income verification requirements.
“Supporting older adults with the nutritious foods they need requires us to understand the challenges they face in their daily lives and provide options to overcome these challenges. We want seniors to have sufficient food and a stable meal routine that enables good health, independence and a positive quality of life,” said Aging Secretary Robert Torres. “I am pleased to support the Department of Agriculture’s efforts to make this important food assistance program more accessible, and I urge eligible seniors to take advantage of it through the many options available.”
Food insecurity and hunger can have harmful impacts on the health and well-being of older adults. Poor food intake can cause nutrition deficiencies that increase disease risk or worsen existing conditions. Consuming fewer calories and nutrients can also decrease independence and the ability to remain home without assistance.
State Senator Carolyn Comitta, member of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and supporter of the Chester County Food Bank, joined Redding and Torres at Kings Terrace.
“It’s vital that senior citizens can easily access nutritious food to help ensure their health, well-being, independence, and happiness,” said Comitta. “This program is another tool we have to combat hunger among seniors. Seniors should know that food boxes are readily available and safely accessible in their communities.”
Pennsylvania’s Senior Food Box Program is administered on behalf of the Department of Agriculture by Hunger-Free Pennsylvania through their network of 17 food banks serving all 67 counties. Once signed up, eligible seniors can choose to receive their monthly box via pick up, drive-through, or delivery from a program partner including senior apartment complexes, senior community centers, and food pantries.
“Seniors are the greatest generation. They survived the Great Depression of the ‘30’s, World War II, and the Korean War,” said executive director of Hunter-Free Pennsylvania Sheila Christopher. “Now, hundreds of thousands find themselves without enough food on their table. The PA Senior Food Box is available to help. Help us help them.”
The Senior Food Box is available for anyone age 60 or above whose household income is at or below 130 percent of the U.S. poverty level. That totals $16,744 annually for a household of one, or $22,646 for a household of two.
To apply, seniors may call 800-468-2433 to be directed to the regional food bank distributing the Senior Food Box in their county. Or go online at agriculture.pa.gov/seniorfoodbox and fill out the Senior Food Box Application Form.
New Report Includes Proposed Solutions to Oral Health Inequities
Tackling health inequities is a huge challenge, but there are ways we can champion progress and work toward solutions. These solutions include sustained, enhanced use of teledentistry, minimally invasive dentistry, interprofessional collaborative practice, workforce expansion, value-based care, and enhanced public insurance programs. CareQuest Institute experts partnered with industry leaders on a chapter in the new report from by Harvard Medical School’s Center for Primary Care.
Click here to access the report.
Challenges Identified in Implementing School-Based Oral Health Programs
School-based oral health programs are an essential access point for children to receive preventive oral health services, but the pandemic has disrupted K-12 learning. A survey of state and territorial dental directors reveals that while there are slight improvements seen for planned oral health programs in spring 2021, there may be an increase in children’s oral diseases — especially among racial/ethnic minority groups — in the coming years.
The report can be accessed here.
Will the Pandemic Change Oral Health Forever?
The numbers are staggering. The — State of Oral Health Equity in America 2021 — revealed that 6 million adults had lost their dental insurance because of the pandemic, and more than 1 in 10 had delayed getting care because of cost, lack of insurance, fear of exposure to the virus, or a combination of those factors.
An article highlighting that research and discussing whether the pandemic will change oral health forever appeared in The New York Times Magazine on Wednesday. Can the rise of teledentistry and other innovations help fix some of the disparities in care?
Click here to access the article.
COVID-19 Vaccine Resources: What Partners Need to Know Now
As COVID-19 vaccines continue rolling out across the country, CMS is taking action to protect the health and safety of our nation’s patients and providers and keeping you updated on the latest COVID-19 resources from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
With information coming from many different sources, CMS has summarized resources and materials to help you communicate with the people that you serve. You can find these and more resources on the COVID-19 Partner Resources Page and the HHS COVID Education Campaign page. We look forward to working with you to encourage our beneficiaries and consumers to get vaccinated. For more information, visit the CMS COVID-19 Policies and Guidance page.
Long-Term Care Community Champions – Voices from the Front Lines
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, staff in nursing homes have been providing ongoing care to our nation’s most vulnerable. CMS has released videos with long-term care staff who moved from being initially uncertain about receiving the COVID-19 vaccine to accepting it, and encouraging their peers to do the same. The videos are available here:
- Long-Term Care Community Champions – Video #1
- Long-Term Care Community Champions – Video #2
- Long-Term Care Community Champions – Video #3
New Medicare COVID-19 Vaccine Campaign
CMS recently launched the Be Next Campaign to encourage Medicare beneficiaries to get the COVID-19 vaccine with the theme: You don’t have to be first to get the vaccine. But, now it’s time for you to Be Next. New resources including videos and social media content can be found here:
Resources for Parents of Adolescents and Teens
Now that the CDC has recommended approval of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for use in adolescents age 12 to 15, NEW resources are available below to engage parents and talk to them about the vaccine:
Vaccines.gov – Making it Easier to Find Vaccines
Visit vaccines.gov, text GETVAX (438829), or call the National COVID-19 Vaccination Assistance Hotline at 1-800-232-023 to search and find a vaccine near you.
Visit vacunas.gov (Spanish), VACUNA (822862) for Spanish to receive three vaccine sites on your phone within seconds.
STAY CONNECTED
Join the We Can Do This Community Corps: Help in the fight against COVID-19 by encouraging family, friends, and your community to get vaccinated. Join the Community Corps to get tips, tools and resources to share. See https://wecandothis.hhs.gov/covidcommunitycorps
For more information on CMS COVID-19 Partner Updates, please contact us: Partnership@cms.hhs.gov