The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released an information sheet. The document describes the role of rural public health, rural health disparities, and strategies the CDC’s Office of Rural Health is developing to address inequities in rural health.
Toolkit Created for Communicating About Medicaid and CHIP Renewal
Created for physicians, pediatricians, and other health professionals, the toolkit contains messaging for patients and families who have been disenrolled from Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), two forms of public health insurance coverage that play a critical role in rural areas. Among the ready-to-use materials are messages for on-hold phone recordings, e-newsletters and patient portals, and Frequently Asked Questions from patients. CMS estimates that more than 27 million people are due for renewal in Medicaid or CHIP. As of August 2023, more than 7 million people were unenrolled, while more than 13 million had their enrollment renewed.
Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule Summary Released: Calendar Year 2024
This newsletter from the Medicare Learning Network provides information for staff involved in billing for services covered by the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule under policies that will take effect on January 1, 2024.
HRSA Updates Data Tool for NHSC Students and Trainees
The dashboard created and managed by the Bureau of Health Workforce at HRSA shows the pipeline of clinicians in training through its Nurse Corps Scholarship and National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Scholarship and Student to Service Programs. Users can download data and/or view state-by-state information on an interactive map showing clinicians and trainees by NHSC program, discipline, and more.
HHS Releases Healthcare Cybersecurity Strategy
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a concept paper outlining the Department’s cybersecurity strategy for the health care sector. Cyber incidents in health care are on the rise and have led to extended care disruptions, patient diversions to other facilities, and delayed medical procedures, all putting patient safety at risk. Although FORHP-funded research from the University of Minnesota identified lower rates of ransomware attacks in rural areas, many rural hospitals are less equipped to handle these attacks due to a shortage of IT personnel in rural areas and smaller budgets for cybersecurity infrastructure. The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response’s website offers tools and resources for healthcare facilities, including small facilities and low-resource hospitals, to protect themselves from cyber attacks.
Report Highlights Rural-Urban Disparities in Medicare
Research funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services evaluated the rural-urban comparisons in quality of health care in the Medicare program, and how quality and outcome varies by race and ethnicity. The analysis found that, overall, people with Medicare living in rural areas had results that were below the national average for the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Provider and Systems (CAHPS) survey scores for about 20 percent of all clinical care measures examined with rural residents. These scores were consistently below the national average on measures of behavioral health. The analysis also displayed noteworthy variation in racial and ethnic differences when looking separately within rural and urban areas. For example, CAHPS scores for Hispanic people with Medicare living in rural areas were generally below the national average for all people with Medicare living in rural areas, while scores for Hispanic people with Medicare living in urban areas were generally like the national average for all people with Medicare living in urban areas. These patterns applied to people with both Medicare Advantage and Medicare fee-for-service coverage.
CMS Announces New Residency Slots for Underserved Communities
This is the second round of new Medicare funding for residency positions to train physicians in highest need areas, prioritized by Health Professional Shortage Area scores. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) awarded the first round last winter, kicking off a five-year process legislated by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 to distribute 200 new residency slots each year. This week, researchers at the FORHP-supported program that helps hospitals plan and develop rural residencies released analysis of the 99 hospitals that were awarded in this round to determine rural location of physician placements – whether sites were rural as defined by CMS or by FORHP – and the time they are required to train in these locations. They found only three programs training their residents for 50 percent of the time or greater in a CMS or FORHP rurally located area. Next month, the FORHP-supported RuralGME.org will be joined by CMS representatives to co-host a webinar to help rural hospitals understand how to apply for round three, expected to open in January.
Pennsylvania Digital Equity Plan Summary Now Available in Seven Languages
The Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority has made available seven (7) translated versions of the Statewide Digital Equity Plan, Executive Summary. These resources can be found on the same Digital Equity Act webpage where the processes for public comment and additional resources are listed.
2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health Released
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has released the results of their 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health and a companion infographic report (PDF). Findings include that more than 23% of adults aged 18 or older had any mental illness in the past year (59.3 million), with 6% suffering from serious mental illness (15.4 million). Among adolescents aged 12 to 17, nearly 20% (4.8 million) had a major depressive episode in the past year.
Reimagining Primary Care
It’s getting tough to get a doctor’s appointment these days. That’s a frustration for patients and a policy challenge Washington is trying to solve. Both Congress and the Biden administration are reimagining primary care to better serve patients. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), chair of the Senate panel responsible for the nation’s health care, has proposed legislation with Kansas Republican Sen. Roger Marshall that envisions a system in which more people would receive care at community health centers. Read more.