- 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
- Biden Administration Sets Higher Staffing Mandates. Most Nursing Homes Don't Meet Them.
- Rural Jails Turn to Community Health Workers To Help the Newly Released Succeed
- Rural Communities Face Primary Care Physician Shortage
- Miles for Milk: How Student-Run Grocery Store Reshaped Rural Community's Food Access
- Native Americans Have Shorter Life Spans, and It's Not Just Due to Lack of Health Care
- Promotoras Play Essential Role in Connecting Farmworkers with Health Care in Rural NorCal
- Across the Country, Amish Populations Are on the Rise
- Using Medicaid to Address Young People's Mental Health Needs in School Settings
- Sunsets, Wildlife and Limited Care: Challenges of Aging in Place in Rural America
- City-Country Mortality Gap Widens amid Persistent Holes in Rural Health Care Access
- Tribal Environmental Impact Network
Senators Call for CMS to Provide Plan for Telehealth Changes
A bipartisan group of 38 senators released an open letter asking leaders to provide a written plan for permanent changes to rules surrounding telehealth.
Sen. Manchin Questions Officials on Future Vaccine Distribution in Rural America
Echoing the concerns surrounding the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural America, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) questioned HHS and CDC officials on Operation Warp Speed. This operation oversees the research, creation, and production of a potential COVID-19 vaccine and the plans for future distribution. West Virginia, a hotspot for recent rural COVID-19 infections, will need quick and effective distribution of the vaccine when it is ready. Manchin made clear that the HHS and CDC must ensure rural providers have the necessary equipment and personnel to administer the vaccine.
Sen. McSally Urges HHS to Provide Relief to Rural Health Care Providers Affected by COVID-19 Pandemic
Senator Martha McSally (R-AZ) and 48 other Members of Congress are asking the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide relief quickly to rural health care providers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In their letter to Congress, Members cited the spike of COVID-19 cases in recent weeks and the increasing rate of infections across rural America. Infections are growing 13 percent faster in rural areas compared to 9 percent nationally, all the while rural hospitals continue to close. Before the crisis worsens, they are calling on Congress for relief through metrics such as a 20 percent Rural Benchmark in the Provider Relief Fund. Additionally, priority should be given to populations in areas with limited access to health infrastructure and high levels of uninsured patients.
New Podcast Series – Leadership Development for Mid-level Management
Produced by The National Rural Health Resource Center, this six-part podcast series was developed by the Small Rural Hospital Transition Project for rural hospital mid-level management (MLMs). Guests feature MLMs from rural hospitals and subject-matter experts. Tune in to learn best practices for leading through the transition to value and population health. New episodes released every Tuesday through the end of July. Find the podcast here.
The National Rural HIT Coalition
The National Rural HIT Coalition is an informal network of rural and Health Information Technology (HIT) leaders from organizations at every level, working to advance implementation of HIT in rural areas. The group meets by conference call several times a year and meeting notes with presentations on issues for rural HIT are archived by the National Rural Health Resource Center.
How Telehealth Policy is Structured in the United States
In this 20-minute video, the nonprofit Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP) provides an overview of the complicated structure of telehealth policy in the United States. The CCHP forms the National Telehealth Resource Centers to provide assistance and information to rural and under-served populations. Find the video here.
CMS Updates Guidance for RHCs and FQHCs during the Public Health Emergency
On July 6, CMS released its latest round of updates to the article, New and Expanded Flexibilities for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). CMS updated the article to provide additional guidance on telehealth services that have cost-sharing waived and additional claim examples along with an additional section on the RHC Productivity Standard. Find more information here.
Quality Measure Workspace Series of Webinars—Beginning July 15
CMS is hosting a series of webinars in July and August for hospitals, Critical Access Hospitals, and clinicians reporting electronic clinical quality measures (eCQM). The first webinar will describe the resources available for the 2021 reporting period. Subsequent webinars will cover clinical flow (July 29) and the data element repository (August 12). Find more information here.
Comments Requested: ESRD CY 2021 Proposed Rule –September 4
On July 6, The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed updates to payment policies and rates under the End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System (PPS) for CY 2021. The proposal includes an expansion of the transitional add-on payment adjustment for new and innovative equipment and supplies (TPNIES) to qualifying home dialysis machines to support greater access and innovation for dialysis in the home setting. Proposed changes also include an ESRD base rate increase, updates to the outlier policy and adoption of new OMB delineations. CMS projects that rural ESRD facilities will experience a 0.6 percent increase in their CY 2021 estimated payments. The proposed rule is currently on display and was published in the federal register on July 13, 2020. Find more information here.
Rural Response to Coronavirus Disease 2019
The Rural Health Information Hub has created a guide to help you learn about activities underway to address COVID-19. Find more information here.