Rural Health
News by Topic: Access
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 4, 2024 - Discusses disparities in access to mental healthcare in rural California. Discusses workforce shortages, technology facilitators and barriers to access, and affordability.
Source: California Health Report
Nov 4, 2024 - Discusses telehealth and remote monitoring tool solutions for improving rural healthcare access. Highlights the role the COVID-19 pandemic played in increasing telehealth adoption and access barriers that remain in spite of wider telehealth adoption. Discusses workforce shortages, broadband challenges, and reimbursement for telehealth.
Source: TechTarget
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
FNS: Food Distribution Programs: Improving Access and Parity
Federal Register
Oct 31, 2024 - Notice of final rule from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) making access and parity improvements in USDA's food distribution programs to support access for eligible populations and streamline requirements for program operators. Among other things, changes are aimed at increasing access to food distribution programs so eligible individuals can more easily receive the nutrition resources they need, increasing parity between FDPIR and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), modernizing program operations by updating some outdated terminology and processes, and incorporating lessons learned from implementing these critical programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. This rule is effective December 30, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Oct 31, 2024 - Discusses the challenges for rural communities in accessing grant funding, noting the amount of staff time required to apply for grants.
Source: Government Technology
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 29, 2024 - Highlights discussions at the Sanford Health event "Summit on the Future of Rural Health Care" regarding healthcare accessibility and workforce shortages. Discusses reimbursement issues and technology advances that may help close some accessibility gaps.
Source: KELO
Oct 29, 2024 - Announces a partnership between an Idaho university and Oregon community college to train area social workers in rural areas to address mental health access. The partnership offers students a pathway from the associate's degree to a master's program.
Source: Idaho State University
Oct 29, 2024 - Discusses racial disparities in overdose death trends between 2021 and 2023. While overdose deaths dropped for White Americans, deaths increased for Black and Indigenous Americans. Highlights harm reduction efforts across the country and funding issues. Notes that rural areas have unique access challenges.
Source: Stateline