Rural Health
News by Topic: Healthcare facilities
CMS: Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting
Federal Register
May 10, 2024 - Notice of final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) establishing minimum staffing standards for long-term care facilities. This rule also requires states to report the percentage of Medicaid payments for certain Medicaid-covered institutional services that are spent on compensation for direct care workers and support staff. These regulations are effective on June 21, 2024, except for § 483.71, § 483.35(b)(1) and (c)(1), § 483.35(b)(1)(i) and (ii), and §§ 438.72(a) and 442.43 as indicated.
Source: Federal Register
May 10, 2024 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announcing its approval of The Compliance Team for continued recognition as a national accrediting organization for Rural Health Clinics that wish to participate in the Medicare or Medicaid programs. This recognition is applicable July 17, 2024, to July 17, 2028.
Source: Federal Register
Public Inspection: CMS: Medicare Program: Alternative Payment Model Updates and the Increasing Organ Transplant Access Model
Federal Register
May 9, 2024 - Pre-publication notice of proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) describing a new mandatory Medicare payment model, the Increasing Organ Transplant Access Model (IOTA Model). The IOTA Model would test whether performance-based incentive payments paid to or owed by participating kidney transplant hospitals increase access to kidney transplants for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) while preserving or enhancing the quality of care and reducing Medicare expenditures. This proposed rule also describes standard provisions for CMS Innovation Center (CMMI) models relating to beneficiary protections, cooperation in model evaluation and monitoring, audits and records retention, rights in data and intellectual property, monitoring and compliance, and more. These standard provisions would apply to any CMMI model whose first performance period begins on or after January 1, 2025, and in whole or in part to any CMMI model whose first performance period began before January 1, 2025. Comments are due within 60 days of the publication of this notice, which is scheduled for May 17, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
May 7, 2024 - Provides an overview of new legislation aimed at improving healthcare access, with a focus on rural and underserved areas. Details six bills addressing a range of issues including telehealth access, rural hospital stabilization, and healthcare workforce shortages.
Source: House Committee on Ways and Means
DHS: Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act (CIRCIA) Reporting Requirements; Extension of Comment Period
Federal Register
May 6, 2024 - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is allowing an additional 30 days for comment on the April 4, 2024, proposed rule titled "Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act (CIRCIA) Reporting Requirements." DHS is seeking comments on the practical and policy issues related to the implementation of regulations regarding covered cyber incident and ransom payment reporting requirements for covered entities, as required by the Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act of 2022 (CIRCIA). Comments are now due July 3, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
May 6, 2024 - Highlights a Native-managed healthcare system part of the Navajo Nation in Arizona, discussing their expanded facility and services coming later this year. Discusses the impact of healthcare on local infrastructure, recruiting healthcare workforce, and rural community resilience.
Source: Cronkite News
May 3, 2024 - Summarizes forthcoming research on disparities in access to hospital-based pediatric services among rural and urban children. Discusses the impact of rural hospital closures on children with chronic health conditions.
Source: Medical Xpress
May 2, 2024 - Notice of proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding changes to the hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) for operating and capital-related costs of acute care hospitals for fiscal year 2025. Contains details of proposed changes impacting Medicare graduate medical education (GME) for teaching hospitals and payment policies and the annual payment rates for the Medicare prospective payment system (PPS) for inpatient hospital services provided by long-term care hospitals, among other things. Comments are due by June 10, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
May 2, 2024 - The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is seeking comment on an information collection request titled "COVID-19 Provider Relief Programs Single and Commercial Audits and Delinquent Audit Reporting Submission Activities, OMB No. 0906-0083—Extension." HRSA will use the information collected to ensure that Provider Relief Program recipients who expended over $750,000 in funding during the recipient's fiscal year submit an audit and resolve audit findings. Comments are due by July 1, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
May 1, 2024 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announcing its approval of the Joint Commission for initial recognition as a national accrediting organization for Rural Health Clinics that wish to participate in the Medicare or Medicaid programs. This recognition is applicable June 1, 2024, to June 1, 2028.
Source: Federal Register