- 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; FY 2026 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements
- 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: 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: Medicare and Medicaid Programs; CY 2025 Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Changes to Part B Payment and Coverage Policies; Medicare Shared Savings Program Requirements; Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program; and Medicare Overpayments; and Appeal Rights for Certain Changes in Patient Status; Corrections and Correcting Amendment
- CMS: Request for Information; Health Technology Ecosystem
- CMS: Medicare and Medicaid Programs; CY 2025 Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Changes to Part B Payment and Coverage Policies; Medicare Shared Savings Program Requirements; Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program; and Medicare Overpayments; and Appeal Rights for Certain Changes in Patient Status; Corrections and Correcting Amendment
- VA: Staff Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program Funding Opportunity
- HHS: Request for Information (RFI): Ensuring Lawful Regulation and Unleashing Innovation To Make American Healthy Again
Gov. Tom Wolf Proclaims November 14-18, 2022 Rural Health Week in Pennsylvania
In an effort to draw attention to the wide range of issues that impact rural health, Gov. Tom Wolf has declared Nov. 14-18, 2022, as Rural Health in Pennsylvania week at the request of the Pennsylvania Rural Health Association (PRHA) and the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health (PORH).
Gov. Wolf made the proclamation to promote awareness of the full range of issues that impact rural health care throughout the Commonwealth and the health status of rural Pennsylvanians. Nationally, Pennsylvania ranks as one of the states with the highest number of rural residents, with 26 percent of Pennsylvanians residing in rural areas. In recognition of Pennsylvania’s diverse rural needs, the Commonwealth has supported the development of the Center for Rural Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health, and other agencies and initiatives to address the needs of rural Pennsylvanians.
The week encompasses Nov. 17, which is National Rural Health Day, established in 2011 by the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) to showcase rural America; increase awareness of rural health issues; and promote the efforts of NOSORH, State Offices of Rural Health (SORHs) and others in addressing those issues.
“Nearly 59.5 million Americans, including 3.4 million Pennsylvanians, live in rural communities,” said Lisa Davis, PORH director and outreach associate professor of health policy and administration at Penn State. “These small towns and communities continue to be fueled by the creative energy of citizens who step forward to provide a wealth of products, resources, and services.
Rural communities also face unique health care concerns: a lack of providers; accessibility issues, particularly in terms of transportation and technology; and affordability issues as the result of larger percentages of uninsured and underinsured citizens and greater out-of-pocket health costs. Rural hospitals and health care providers, which frequently are the economic backbone of the communities they serve, deserve special consideration so that they can continue to provide high-quality services and meet the needs of rural residents.”
To celebrate the work being done to achieve health care access and equity in Pennsylvania, PORH will present Pennsylvania Rural Health Awards during in communities across Pennsylvania.
PORH was established in 1991 to enhance the health status of rural Pennsylvanians and strengthen the delivery and quality of care in the communities in which they live. Each year, the organization presents awards to recognize rural health programs and individuals who have made substantial contributions to rural health in Pennsylvania. To learn more about the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health, visit porh.psu.edu.
PRHA is dedicated to enhancing the health and well-being of Pennsylvania’s rural citizens and communities. Through the combined efforts of individuals, organizations, professionals, and community leaders, the Association is a collective voice for rural health issues and a conduit for information and resources. More information can be found at paruralhealth.org.
New Measures Assess Oral Health for Pregnant Persons
The Dental Quality Alliance released two measures that are intended to assess the extent to which pregnant persons are accessing the dental care delivery system. The measures also assess routine care that includes examination, risk assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning.
New Index Assesses Addiction Recovery Environment in Every County
A new index is designed to assess the “recovery environment” in each U.S. county. The Index from the Center for Rural Health Research at East Tennessee State University called the Recovery Ecosystem Index Mapping Tool drills down to the county level to assess drug recovery systems across the country. The tool provides information on the availability of different treatment options, support systems for people in recovery, and social factors such as housing costs, transportation, and more.
The mapping tool, created in association with the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago and the Fletcher Group, shows the recovery resources available in every county in the United States. The index then rates each county by comparing resources and demographic information against the county’s overdose mortality rates.
“The index is intended to serve local stakeholders to help them better understand the availability of recovery-related resources in their county and neighboring counties,” said Andrew Howard with the Fletcher Group in an email interview.
Researchers hope the index can also be used to develop best practices for use in other communities, as well as be used by policymakers to better understand how services are distributed, and how they can target counties that lack resources.
“We are hoping that people at the community level will use this tool to first determine the recovery ecosystem score for their community, but then to dig into the data to really understand where they can invest to create a better support system for their people,” said Michael Meit, co-director of the Center for Rural Health Research and one of the researchers on the project.
American Dental Public Health Group Launches Veterans Oral Health Initiatives
Did you know veterans experience poorer oral health outcomes compared to non-veterans? The American Institute for Dental Public Health (AIDPH) has been working hard to improve oral health for American veterans. Their latest initiatives include the Veteran Oral Health Dashboard and a veterans oral health listserv. AIDPH is also asking for help in disseminating their second survey focused on giving space to veterans to share their oral health stories. If you work with veterans, please consider sharing the survey. Veteran voices are crucial in education and advocacy efforts.
Click here to view the dashboard.
Click here to join the listserv.
Click here for the veteran survey.
Report Highlights Lessons from Dental Utilization During the Pandemic
The CareQuest Institute for Oral Health released a visual report examining dental procedure utilization during the COVID-19 pandemic, using Medicaid and commercial insurance claims data to find differences in trends by age and insurance type. The authors note a need for the oral health profession to maintain a state of emergency readiness to be able to provide consistent care in the face of future public health emergencies.
Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Highlights Benefits of Community Water Fluoridation During Visit to Shippensburg
Pennsylvania Physician General and Acting Secretary of Health Dr. Denise Johnson was in Shippensburg last week speaking to the safety and benefits of community water fluoridation. In the last few years, Shippensburg faced a fluoridation rollback threat that was overcome with the help of local oral health stakeholders. Dr. Johnson and the Pennsylvania Department of Health are encouraging water systems that do not currently fluoridate to consider initiating for the best interest of their customers. Executive Director Helen Hawkey and Public Health Dental Director Dr. Jonise McDaniel were in attendance.
In Victory for Older Foster Youth, HB 1866 Signed into Law
Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children’s (PPC) priority legislation HB 1866 passed in the last week of the legislative session and was signed into law by Gov. Wolf on November 3rd. Sponsored by Rep. Boback (R-Luzerne), the new law will improve permanency practices for transition age youth in the foster care system. The legislation was introduced in two consecutive legislative sessions, and we are grateful for Rep. Boback’s sponsorship in helping the bill reach the finish line.
Transition age youth are older youth in the foster care system (ages 14 to 21) transitioning to permanency with a caregiver or aging out of the system to adulthood. These young adults often struggle with this life transition. The new law will help foster youth find permanency by:
- Documenting family finding efforts for youth when they are no longer in the system.
- Expanding opportunities for permanency by increasing the age of the goal of Another Planned Permanent Living Arrangement (APPLA) from 16 to 18 years of age.
- Enhancing court accountability regarding suitable transition plans and overseeing services provided to aid in the transition to adulthood.
- Maintaining supportive adult connections to assist transition age youth with building a social safety net when paid professionals are no longer involved.
- Improving data collection to streamline child welfare data from all 67 counties at the state level.
PPC is proud to have helped shepherd HB 1866 through the General Assembly to be signed into law by Gov. Wolf. We will continue to work to improve Pennsylvania’s child welfare system so that foster youth have the opportunity to succeed in life.
Philadelphia Children’s Hospital’s PolicyLab Launches Interactive Platform on Rural Maternal and Child Health
During this year’s National Rural Health Week, PolicyLab will be debuting Our Rural Pennsylvania, an online interactive atlas created by mothers and caregivers to record the everyday places that influence their family’s health. Nearly three years in the making, Our Rural Pennsylvania is the public-facing output of a research project, ‘Understanding the Role of Place in Health and Well-being for families – a Photovoice Project by Moms’. The interdisciplinary project identifies rural-relevant policies and investments to improve maternal and child health in rural communities. Learn more about the project here.
Please join us virtually on November 17 at 5:30pm to celebrate the website launch, hear about the project, and learn about how to use the interactive resource as a resource to advocate for building healthy rural communities. Please RSVP here.
Low-Volume Emergency Departments are More Likely to Use Telehealth for Sepsis Care in a National Rural Telehealth Network
A Research & Policy Brief is available from the Rural Telehealth Research Center:
Sepsis is an expensive disease that is responsible for over 270,000 deaths in the U.S. annually. Early and aggressive treatment with antibiotics and hemodynamic resuscitation have been associated with improved outcomes, but many sepsis patients do not receive guideline-concordant care. Patients treated in low-volume emergency departments (EDs) have 38% higher mortality than those in high-volume EDs suggesting that volume is associated with elements of care that improve survival. Provider-to-provider ED-based telehealth (tele-ED) has been one strategy proposed to improve sepsis care in low-volume EDs. In tele-ED, local ED staff can request consultation with a remote physician and nurse who can connect using a 24-hour on-demand high-definition video connection allowing remote staff to see a patient, review records, provide advice, arrange for inter-hospital transfer, and provide clinical documentation. By connecting a clinician in a high-volume hospital with a care team in a low-volume hospital, rural sepsis patients and providers may benefit from high-volume experience and training even in a local rural facility.
The purpose of this study was to (1) report on the prevalence of tele-ED use for sepsis care across an established network, (2) quantify variation in use between hospitals, and (3) identify predictors of tele-ED consultation in tele-ED-capable hospitals.
USDA Seeks Applications to Support Regional Economic and Community Development Planning to Create Thriving Communities for Rural People
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Under Secretary Xochitl Torres Small announced that USDA is seeking applications to implement regional economic and community development projects to create thriving communities for people in rural America.
The 2018 Farm Bill authorized USDA to make this funding available under the Strategic Economic and Community Development (SECD) initiative to support projects that will help rural people and economies prepare for the future. It can be used to implement projects that are included in multi-jurisdictional and multi-sectoral strategic community investment plans. To learn more, watch USDA’s SECD Initiative video.