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Rural Health
Top Stories

Top news stories from the past 60 days. For more, see news by topic or news by state.

Nov 19, 2024 - National Rural Health Day, a day to recognize the efforts of rural community members, healthcare providers, and other rural stakeholders, is being celebrated on November 21, 2024. Includes a collection of stories from around the country recognizing and celebrating National Rural Health Day.
Nov 19, 2024 - Notice from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issuing a temporary rule to extend certain exceptions to existing DEA regulations implemented in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (COVID-19 PHE). The full set of telemedicine flexibilities regarding the prescription of controlled medications that were in place during the COVID-19 PHE as outlined in the Second Temporary Rule will remain in place through December 31, 2025. This rule is effective January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 18, 2024 - Presents overview of the Rural Public Health Strategic Plan developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Office of Rural Health (ORH). Includes commentary from ORH leadership on how the plan will guide their future work. Notes that the main priorities outlined in the plan include community health partnerships, rural public health infrastructure, rural public health science, and rural public health preparedness and response.
Source: The Daily Yonder
Nov 18, 2024 - Interviews rural health researcher Carrie Henning-Smith on rural healthcare access, quality of life, rural health innovation, and her research focus.
Source: University of Minnesota News and Events
Nov 14, 2024 - Highlights an initiative to increase vaccination for influenza among Kansas farmworkers. Discusses the increased risk of co-infection with H5N1 bird flu and seasonal influenza as well as the strain seasonal illnesses can place on low-staffed rural hospitals.
Source: KCUR, NPR
Nov 13, 2024 - Provides overview of recent research on rural medical debt. Notes that rural residents are more likely than urban residents to have problems paying medical bills, and identifies gender and racial disparities within rural survey respondents. Discusses the potential impacts of medical debt on the viability of rural hospitals.
Source: The Daily Yonder
Nov 11, 2024 - Highlights research finding that cardiovascular disease deaths have increased for rural adults between 2010 and 2020. The study analyzed death certificate data for over 11 million people from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's WONDER database. Discusses the impact of COVID-19 on already existing cardiovascular health outcomes on rural and urban populations. Notes possible solutions for reducing the disparity.
Source: American Heart Association Newsroom
Nov 11, 2024 - Discusses the ongoing impact of Hurricane Helene for a rural North Carolina county that lost its only dental clinic for low-income patients in the storm. Discusses barriers to recruiting more dental workforce and efforts to maintain some services in a repurposed mobile van.
Source: North Carolina Health News
Nov 11, 2024 - Announces a new proposal from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to eliminate copayments for telehealth services and create a grant program to fund telehealth in non-VA facilities in rural and other underserved locations. The goal of the 2 initiatives is to reduce healthcare costs and increase access to care. Also discusses other VA efforts to expand access to healthcare.
Source: VA News
Nov 6, 2024 - Discusses access to Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare challenges for rural veterans, noting broadband access, workforce shortages, transportation issues, and caregiving load as contributing to the challenges.
Source: The Daily Yonder
Nov 4, 2024 - Highlights the growth of community health worker (CHW) programs across the country. Notes that CHW programs in rural areas can help connect low-income and minority communities to health systems and navigate common barriers to care. Describes the impacts of a CHW program in Huron, South Dakota, which was created through a federal grant program and is now funded by Medicaid reimbursements.
Source: South Dakota Searchlight, KFF Health News
Nov 1, 2024 - Announcement of new policies included in the 2025 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Ambulatory Surgical Center final rule. Describes updated health and safety requirements for hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) to improve and expand access to quality maternal and behavioral health care. Notes policy changes including updated payment rates, staffing standards, quality assessments, training requirements, and expanded coverage for services provided outside the "four walls" of behavioral health clinics and clinics located in rural areas.
Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Oct 31, 2024 - Announces a partnership between federal agencies and the National Rural Water Association for a 1 year study on cybersecurity for rural water systems. The study will identify areas for improvement, guidance on cyber-support programs, and offer training on cybersecurity issues.
Source: Rural Development, United States Department of Agriculture
Oct 30, 2024 - Arizona's Medicaid agency is funding new on-call OB-GYN providers for rural communities. The initiative is meant to increase access to care for people in maternity care deserts. Discusses challenges with recruiting healthcare providers to rural areas and the role of mental health in mortality for pregnant and postpartum women.
Source: Cronkite News
Oct 28, 2024 - Interviews Carrie Henning-Smith about aging in place and social connection, highlighting the challenges and benefits in rural communities. Discusses Minnesota-based programming on the topic, community involvement, and recent research.
Source: Next Avenue, The John A. Hartford Foundation
Oct 28, 2024 - Announces partnership between the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and StoryCorps to record stories related to rural health triumphs and challenges in honor of National Rural Health Day. Conversations will be recorded virtually in early November and archived at the Library of Congress. Registration is open now and recording slots are available on a first come, first served basis.
Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Oct 24, 2024 - Announces the release of a report sharing best practices, models, research, and policies related to rural age-friendly care. Highlights the partnership between the National Rural Health Association and The John A. Hartford Foundation in addressing age-friendly care for rural older adults.
Source: National Rural Health Association
Oct 23, 2024 - Highlights the work of the nonprofit Northern Forest Center to fund workforce housing development in rural Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York. Notes that housing shortages have contributed to recruitment challenges for local businesses, including healthcare organizations. Describes their "capital stack" funding approach and the potential for replication in rural communities elsewhere in the country.
Source: The Daily Yonder
Oct 22, 2024 - Profiles Montevideo Medical Academy, a medical training program creating a pipeline for rural Minnesota high school students toward healthcare professions. Describes how the program was started and successes early in the program.
Source: The Daily Yonder
Oct 21, 2024 - Highlights the experience of a pregnant rural Georgia woman in a maternity care desert. Discusses maternity care deserts nationally, obstetric and gynecologic care in Federally Qualified Health Centers, general health disparities in areas with limited access to healthcare, and increasing the healthcare workforce for rural areas.
Source: WABE, PBS, NPR
Oct 20, 2024 - Announcement of new federal Community Liaisons program to assist communities impacted by Hurricane Helene with ongoing recovery efforts. Provides overview of ongoing programs including Disaster Recovery Centers and mass feeding sites serving impacted communities in rural North Carolina. Details additional resources including home inspections and Transitional Sheltering Assistance.
Source: The White House
Oct 16, 2024 - Announces an amendment to Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to allow coverage of traditional healthcare practices at Indian Health Service (IHS) facilities, tribal facilities, and urban Indian organizations in Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Oregon. The action is expected to improve access to culturally appropriate healthcare. Notes the health disparities for American Indian and Alaska Native populations compared to the general population.
Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Oct 15, 2024 - Order from the Federal Communications Commission waiving certain program rules for the Rural Health Care Program providers impacted by Hurricane Milton. Highlights changes to deadlines for appeals and waivers, information requests, and invoices as well as document retention rules.
Source: Universal Service Administrative Co.
Oct 14, 2024 - Discusses higher breast cancer mortality rates among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) women. Explores treatment barriers including transportation and long distances to care. Notes lower screening rates among AI/AN women and efforts to develop more culturally responsive outreach tools.
Source: ABC News
Oct 14, 2024 - Describes the use of ride-hailing apps by rural Georgians for transportation to medical appointments. Highlights data showing that a significant number of rural residents are using the apps for transportation to appointments over 100 miles away. Notes that some insurance plans cover transportation costs, but services may be less available in rural communities.
Source: KFF Health News
Oct 8, 2024 - Order from the Federal Communications Commission waiving certain program rules for the Rural Health Care Program providers impacted by Hurricane Helene. Highlights changes to deadlines for appeals and waivers, information requests, the Health Care Connect Fund Program annual report, and invoices as well as document retention rules.
Source: Universal Service Administrative Co.
Oct 7, 2024 - Request for public comments on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Disaster Recovery Framework. Notes that the framework shapes the federal government's approach to disaster recovery assistance, with implications for state, local, and territorial governments, Tribal Nations, and nongovernmental partners. Comments are due by October 23, 2024.
Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency
Oct 4, 2024 - Explores factors contributing to low patient volumes at field hospitals erected in rural North Carolina after Hurricane Helene. Discusses how damaged power and communications systems may have hindered efforts to spread the word about the temporary services, and identifies collaboration with local AM radio stations as a potential workaround. Notes ongoing efforts by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and a range of local and national partners to locate missing persons and prepare for a potential surge in patient volumes.
Source: NBC News
Oct 4, 2024 - Describes efforts by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to assist communities and individuals impacted by Hurricane Helene. Highlights resources for farmers, foresters, and communities including expedited crop insurance payments, disaster assistance programs, and nutrition assistance programs.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Oct 3, 2024 - Discusses efforts to install more full-size changing tables for people with disabilities in public bathrooms across the country. Highlights the impacts of a new full-size changing table installed at a rest stop in rural Iowa, and notes that the need for such amenities is often greater in rural areas. Explores factors contributing to the recent uptick in full-size changing table installations, including advocacy efforts, state legislation, and funding from state governments.
Source: KFF Health News
Oct 2, 2024 - Announces the Emergency Medicine Analytics Team through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration Office of Rural Health in an effort to improve healthcare for rural veterans. The team will focus on access to acute services and the quality of emergency care with attention to evaluation, innovation, and dissemination of effective practices. Notes the high costs to the VA for veterans that receive emergency care at non-VA emergency departments.
Source: Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Oct 1, 2024 - Highlights the role local radio stations have played in conveying important information for rural North Carolina communities impacted by Hurricane Helene. Notes that previous storm-related emergencies prompted local leaders to prepare radio stations as part of their response efforts.
Source: Southern Living
Oct 1, 2024 - Announces 3 new research network hubs to serve rural communities through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Communities Advancing Research Equity for Health (CARE for Health) program. The hubs will expand NIH-funded studies into primary care settings.
Source: National Institutes of Health
Sep 26, 2024 - Announces the distribution of more than $1.5 billion in grant funding through the State Opioid Response (SOR), Tribal Opioid Response (TOR), and SOR/TOR Technical Assistance programs. Highlights funding priorities, including expanded services for individuals aged 16 to 25, expanded MOUD access for incarcerated populations, and services that utilize an integrated, whole-person approach.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Sep 26, 2024 - Describes efforts by the Kansas Department of Education to source local food for school meals in rural western Kansas. Discusses how the predominance of commodity crops has led to a lack of options for purchasing local fruits and vegetables. Highlights barriers faced by specialty crop growers and notes the health and economic benefits of more diversified local food systems.
Source: High Plains Public Radio
Sep 25, 2024 - Provides an overview of recent research showing widening disparities in life expectancy and health quality for rural and urban men near retirement age. Discusses possible contributing factors including higher rates of smoking, obesity, and cardiovascular conditions among rural men. Notes expected challenges for rural communities as residents age and provider shortages persist.
Source: USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics
Sep 24, 2024 - Announces funding for supporting rural health care from the Health Resources and Services Administration. The funding prioritizes maternal health, behavioral health, and expanding access to care.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Sep 23, 2024 - Highlights the increases in rural suicide with focus on the impact on Black farmers in Tatums, Oklahoma. Discusses farming-related stressors, stigma, historic racism, workforce issues, and mental health resources.
Sep 23, 2024 - New rural hospitals are being built in Wyoming and Kansas despite the national trend of rural hospital closures. Discusses federal funding sources and the impact of limited access to hospital services for rural residents.
Source: USA Today, KFF Health News

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