Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Legislation and regulations
Calendar Year (CY) 2015 Rural Health Clinic (RHC) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) Updates: Payment Rate Increases for RHCs and FQHCs Billing Under the All-Inclusive Rate System (AIR), and Urban and Rural Designations for FQHCs Billing Under the AIR
Provides updates for RHCs and FQHCs that are submitting claims to Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) for services to Medicare beneficiaries.
Date: 12/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides updates for RHCs and FQHCs that are submitting claims to Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) for services to Medicare beneficiaries.
Date: 12/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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A Closer Look at the Final Nursing Facility Rule and Which Facilities Might Meet New Staffing Requirements
Summarizes new Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services's (CMS) nurse staffing requirements for nursing facilities outlined in the April 22, 2024, final rule. Analyzes Nursing Home Compare data from April 2024, which reflects nursing home staffing levels from December 2023, to explore the percentage of facilities that meet each of the new nurse staffing requirements. Presents data by nursing ownership status, rural and urban location, special focus facility status, and state.
Author(s): Priya Chidambaram, Alice Burns, Tricia Neuman, Robin Rudowitz
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Summarizes new Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services's (CMS) nurse staffing requirements for nursing facilities outlined in the April 22, 2024, final rule. Analyzes Nursing Home Compare data from April 2024, which reflects nursing home staffing levels from December 2023, to explore the percentage of facilities that meet each of the new nurse staffing requirements. Presents data by nursing ownership status, rural and urban location, special focus facility status, and state.
Author(s): Priya Chidambaram, Alice Burns, Tricia Neuman, Robin Rudowitz
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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State Requirements for Demographic Data Reporting upon Hospital Discharge: An Overview for State Flex Programs
Summarizes results of an environmental scan of state-level policies regarding current state requirements regarding hospitals' collection and reporting of demographic data among 37 of the 45 states participating in the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) Program. Describes requirements for sex, gender, and sexual orientation data; race, ethnicity, and language data; and other data and reporting, as well as variations in how categories are defined across states. Discusses challenges Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) may face in meeting state requirements.
Author(s): Madeleine Pick, Carson Crane, Megan Lahr
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Summarizes results of an environmental scan of state-level policies regarding current state requirements regarding hospitals' collection and reporting of demographic data among 37 of the 45 states participating in the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) Program. Describes requirements for sex, gender, and sexual orientation data; race, ethnicity, and language data; and other data and reporting, as well as variations in how categories are defined across states. Discusses challenges Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) may face in meeting state requirements.
Author(s): Madeleine Pick, Carson Crane, Megan Lahr
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Converting to Rural Emergency Hospitals
Podcast episode featuring a discussion with Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) Chief Executive Officers in New Mexico and Oklahoma regarding the conversion to REH status. Discusses the conversion process of each REH; how they built trust and buy-in from patients and communities, including state and federal policymakers; and financial considerations of conversion.
Date: 05/2024
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Podcast episode featuring a discussion with Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) Chief Executive Officers in New Mexico and Oklahoma regarding the conversion to REH status. Discusses the conversion process of each REH; how they built trust and buy-in from patients and communities, including state and federal policymakers; and financial considerations of conversion.
Date: 05/2024
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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New Medicare Behavioral Health Providers: Incorporating MHCs and MFTs Into Your RHC
Recording of a May 9, 2024, webinar discussing Medicare coverage of marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and mental health counselors (MHCs) effective January 1, 2024, and the implications for Rural Health Clinics. Describes skills and attributes of MFTs and MHCs and provides an overview of common mental health concerns for older adults. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Recording of a May 9, 2024, webinar discussing Medicare coverage of marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and mental health counselors (MHCs) effective January 1, 2024, and the implications for Rural Health Clinics. Describes skills and attributes of MFTs and MHCs and provides an overview of common mental health concerns for older adults. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Markup of H.R. 8261, H.R. 7931, H.R. 8245, H.R. 8244, H.R. 8235, and H.R. 8246
Recording of a May 8, 2024, House Ways and Means Committee markup of six bills regarding rural health. Legislation covers the extension of telehealth flexibilities, location requirements for Critical Access Hospitals in mountainous areas, the rural nursing home and physician workforce, and Rural Emergency Hospital eligibility.
Date: 05/2024
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: House Ways and Means Committee
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Recording of a May 8, 2024, House Ways and Means Committee markup of six bills regarding rural health. Legislation covers the extension of telehealth flexibilities, location requirements for Critical Access Hospitals in mountainous areas, the rural nursing home and physician workforce, and Rural Emergency Hospital eligibility.
Date: 05/2024
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: House Ways and Means Committee
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Medicare Part D Enrollee Vaccine Use After Elimination of Cost Sharing for Recommended Vaccines in 2023
A report from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Research Series that provides data on Medicare Part D enrollees who received vaccinations after the IRA legislated in 2023 that adult vaccinations recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) would be provided at no cost. Includes data breakdowns of total and type of vaccinations received and Medicare Part D enrollee demographic characteristics, such as state and urban versus rural/unknown location.
Author(s): Bisma A. Sayed, Yevgeniy Feyman, Kristen L. King, et al.
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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A report from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Research Series that provides data on Medicare Part D enrollees who received vaccinations after the IRA legislated in 2023 that adult vaccinations recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) would be provided at no cost. Includes data breakdowns of total and type of vaccinations received and Medicare Part D enrollee demographic characteristics, such as state and urban versus rural/unknown location.
Author(s): Bisma A. Sayed, Yevgeniy Feyman, Kristen L. King, et al.
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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The 2018 Farm Bill (P.L. 115-334): Summary and Side-by-Side Comparison
Analyzes the 2018 Farm Bill by comparing House and Senate versions of the bill and the previous 2014 bill. Includes important rural provisions addressing substance abuse treatment, telemedicine funding, broadband access, and rural hospital loans.
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Analyzes the 2018 Farm Bill by comparing House and Senate versions of the bill and the previous 2014 bill. Includes important rural provisions addressing substance abuse treatment, telemedicine funding, broadband access, and rural hospital loans.
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Fatal Overdoses Among Vermont Residents
Offers data on overdose deaths in Vermont through 2023 including drug types, manner of death, trends over time, demographic characteristics, and policy measures. Includes county-level data in Appendix 1 and 2.
Date: 04/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Vermont Department of Health
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Offers data on overdose deaths in Vermont through 2023 including drug types, manner of death, trends over time, demographic characteristics, and policy measures. Includes county-level data in Appendix 1 and 2.
Date: 04/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Vermont Department of Health
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SBA's Rural Activities
Describes the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) programs targeting rural small businesses. Discusses how SBA coordinates with the U.S. Department of Agriculture on rural small business issues, the history of the SBA Office of Rural Affairs, and considerations for Congress.
Date: 04/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Describes the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) programs targeting rural small businesses. Discusses how SBA coordinates with the U.S. Department of Agriculture on rural small business issues, the history of the SBA Office of Rural Affairs, and considerations for Congress.
Date: 04/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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