- 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
Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults: Opportunities for the Health Care System
This research examines how social isolation and loneliness affect health and quality of life in adults aged 50 and older, with a focus on vulnerable populations, including those living in rural areas. It makes recommendations for clinical settings on screening for negative health impacts related to social isolation and developing interventions to help address this issue. To read it online, click here.
Decade of Success for Latino Children’s Health Now in Jeopardy
A recent report from the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families finds that Latino children are losing ground in health coverage nationwide. In Pennsylvania, while we appear to be heading in the right direction as the both the number and rate of Latino children with health coverage has improved, the percentage of Latino children who are uninsured is still higher than non-Latino children in the commonwealth. We must do more to connect Latino children in Pennsylvania with health coverage.
2020 State & County Home Visiting Fact Sheets Available
Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children is happy to report our 2020 fact sheets are available for partners and advocates. These fact sheets we produce in our role as a proud partner of the Childhood Begins at Home coalition show unserved children by county, and the startlingly low number of children served by voluntary evidence-based home visiting programs statewide.
Use the map to see the number of children served in your county.
The national KIDS COUNT project allows us to produce these materials connecting data to home visiting initiatives. Learn more about Childhood Begins at Home.
Medicare: Information on Medicare-Dependent Hospitals
This resource provides an overview of the Medicare-dependent hospital (MDH) program, how the MDH designation differs from other rural hospital designations, and how MDH hospitals have changed over time. It discusses the decrease in the number of MDHs over time and examines a variety of operational and financial metrics across MDHs over time. Read the overview here.
For the full report: Full Report
Pennsylvania Wins Unprecedented Grant from the Pritzker Children’s Initiative
Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children is elated to announce that after nearly one year of work convening a comprehensive stakeholder table in the infant and toddler policy space – including both state officials and external advocates – Pennsylvania has received the Pritzker Children’s Initiative (PCI) Prenatal-to-Age-Three Implementation grant.
The overall goal of the project is to increase the number of children and families receiving high-quality services by 25 percent by 2023, and by 50 percent by 2025, and the award demonstrates Pennsylvania’s commitment to expanding access to high-quality programs designed to support children’s healthy development and build a strong foundation for future learning.
Coverage and Utilization of Telemedicine Services by Enrollees in Large Employer Plans
This article reports on the offering and uptake of telemedicine services by large employer health plans. It includes data on access to telehealth for rural and urban large employer health plan enrollees. Read more here.
Ag and Food Statistics: Charting the Essentials
This report highlights the various measures of the rural and agricultural economy. It includes rates of rural versus urban poverty and unemployment, as well as rates of food security in principal cities, suburban, and rural areas. Read more here.
HHS Appoints Former Kansas Governor Jeff Colyer Chair of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
Alex Azar, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the appointment of the Chair of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services (NACRHHS). Jeff Colyer, a former Kansas Governor and surgeon by training, will be the fifth chair of the Committee. Read more here.
How HIEs are Promoting Interoperability for Rural Providers
Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) can allow health organizations to share patient medical records and increase efficiency of practice, but rural hospitals are less likely to participate. This article describes how HIEs could be useful to rural communities during natural disasters and discusses the importance of investing in rural areas so they can expand electronic health record utilization. Read more here.
VA Centers Use Telehealth to Give Vets Access to Creative Arts Therapy
This article highlights the Rural Veterans TeleRehabilitation Initiative (RVTRI) program which gives rural veterans living with traumatic brain injuries access to rehabilitation treatments through art, music, dance, and creative writing. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) also launched The Creative Forces: National Endowment of the Arts Military Arts Healing Network which expanded the therapy program across the country. Read more here.