The Senate adjourned and began their October Recess, despite the lack of a new COVID-19 relief package. Their recess is expected to last until November 9th. With the House also in recess until Nov. 16th, it is unlikely that another COVID-19 relief bill will pass soon. Yet, rural providers and patients across the country are in dire need of relief. Some rural counties are experiencing their greatest spikes in COVID-19 cases to date, and rural hospital beds are filling quickly, while the rural health workforce is being stretched thin.
NRHA 340B Update
Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) tweeted that he and Joni Ernst (R-IA) talked with top HHS officials about the 340B Drug Pricing Program and its importance to rural providers. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Senator Grassley explained the unique support the drug discounts bring to rural safety-net providers, especially during the pandemic. NRHA is hopeful that after election there will be an appetite for Congress to provide HHS with the tools they need to rein in these ongoing, unwarranted attacks from pharmaceutical manufacturers.
HHS Expands Relief Fund Eligibility and Updates Reporting Requirements
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released an updated Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document regarding the Provider Relief Fund (PRF). Additionally, last week, HHS expanded the types of providers that are eligible for Phase 3 of the PRF to include behavioral health providers and residential treatment facilities, physician assistants and advanced practice nursing providers, and oral health providers, amongst others. Providers may submit applications until November 6, 2020. NRHA is analyzing the updated FAQ document to understand if there are outstanding questions HHS needs to answer.
Court Case Threatens Future of Rural Health Care during Pandemic, Sebelius Says
By Tim Marema
The Covid-19 pandemic in rural America is “a nightmare waiting to happen, and we are seeing it play out right now in the United States,” says the former Kansas governor and secretary of Health and Human Services.
Read more
Why Diverse Communities Are Striving to Redefine the Rural Story
By Anya Slepyan
Building community and creating social change will require more inclusive narratives, according to a panel of Black, Indigenous, and Latinx women.
Read more
Commentary: A Historic Moment for Rural Recruitment
By Stephen V. Smith
The pandemic offers a chance for a new generation of residents to call rural America home. Taking advantage of the opportunity requires bandwidth and more.
Read more
Preparing for a Community Surge in COVID-19 Cases
This web portal, housed on the Rural Health Information Hub, aims to provide the most up-to-date and critical resources for rural health care systems preparing for and responding to a COVID-19 surge. It was developed by the COVID-19 Healthcare Resilience Working Group, a partnership with the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and other federal agencies to support health care delivery during the pandemic.
CMS Releases Frequently Asked Questions for the CHART Model
Last week, CMS released a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) document addressing stakeholder questions regarding the Community Health Access and Rural Transformation (CHART) Model. The FAQs are posted on the CHART website.
Delayed Start Date for the Radiation Oncology Payment Model
In response to stakeholder feedback, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is changing the start date of the Radiation Oncology Model to July 1, 2021, instead of January 1. Participation in this model is required for all providers of radiotherapy treatment. It creates a single, bundled payment system that is the same across providers, regardless of whether care occurs in an outpatient department or in a physician’s office.
New CMS Rural Health Listserv
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has a new rural health care listserv dedicated to sharing information about programs, policies and resources. To subscribe to the new topic, click on the link above for CMS Email Updates, then look for Outreach and Education, then Rural Health. For more information on rural health activities at CMS, visit go.cms.gov/ruralhealth or contact RuralHealth@cms.hhs.gov.