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Rural Health Information Hub
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
News by Topic: Healthcare business and finance

Oct 30, 2026 - Notice of final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) making changes related to the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System (PPS) for calendar year 2027 and updating the payment rate for renal dialysis services furnished by an ESRD facility to individuals with acute kidney injury (AKI). This rule also updates the requirements for the ESRD Quality Incentive Program. These regulations are effective January 1, 2027.
Source: Federal Register
Oct 29, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announcing the re-establishment of a matching program between CMS and State-Based Administering Entities (AEs), titled "Determining Eligibility for Enrollment in Applicable State Health Subsidy Programs Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act." The matching program will enable CMS to provide information to AEs to assist in verifying applicant information to determine applicants' eligibility for enrollment in applicable state health subsidy programs under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. Comments are due by November 30, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Oct 27, 2026 - Notice of proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding requirements outlined in the Working Families Tax Cut (WFTC) legislation related to health insurance exchange eligibility and verification. This proposed rule also includes updates to provisions affecting inconsistency periods, inconsistency verification procedures, and annual eligibility redeterminations and eligibility redeterminations during the plan year. This rule also proposes expanding enrollment methods during the verification process and establishing new coverage effective dates. Comments are due November 27, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Oct 26, 2026 - Rural hospitals with limited resources can benefit from AI, but this carries with it privacy and cybersecurity risks. Human expertise is needed to manage AI concerns, but rural health systems often have small teams working at capacity.
Source: Digital Health Insights
Oct 26, 2026 - Describes the application of a direct primary care (DPC) model of care in an agricultural Oklahoma community. Discusses how the model works, why a provider may want to use the model, and the geographic distribution of DPC practices.
Source: Farm Press
Oct 23, 2026 - Notice from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) seeking comments on an information collection request titled "National Practitioner Data Bank for Adverse Information on Physicians and Other Health Care Practitioners—45 CFR part 60 Regulations and Forms, OMB No. 0906-0081—Revision." The National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) aims to improve the quality of healthcare by encouraging hospitals, state licensing boards, professional societies, and other eligible entities providing healthcare services to identify and discipline those who engage in unprofessional behavior, and to restrict the ability of incompetent healthcare practitioners, providers, or suppliers to move from state to state without disclosure or discovery of previous damaging or incompetent performance. Comments are due by November 23, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Oct 22, 2026 - Discusses new proposed New Jersey legislation that would establish micro-hospitals to support hospital access in rural communities. The legislation would allow hospitals to offer fewer services that are underutilized. Notes other states that have opened micro-hospitals.
Source: New Jersey Monitor
Oct 21, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeking comments on a new matching program between CMS and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that would identify beneficiaries enrolled in both Medicare and Veterans Health Administration (VHA) healthcare. The matching program will be used to identify and recover duplicate payments; improve payment accuracy; and identify potential fraud, waste, and abuse. Comments are due by November 20, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Oct 21, 2026 - Describes challenges with emergency medical services (EMS) provision in rural Vermont, discussing patients using EMS for primary care and low reimbursement rates. Notes possible policy measures to address EMS challenges.
Source: VTDigger
Oct 20, 2026 - Notice of a proposed rule that would implement the following sections of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026: 1) section 6219, "Adjustments to Medicare Part D Cost-Sharing Reductions for Low-Income Individuals;" 2) section 6220, "Requiring Enhanced and Accurate Lists of (REAL) Health Providers Act;" and 3) section 6224, "Modernizing and Ensuring Pharmacy Benefit Manager Accountability." The implementation of Section 6219 would reduce the generic drug copayment from $1 to $0 for full-benefit dual eligible individuals at or below 100% of the Federal Poverty Level, effective for plan years starting January 1, 2028. The implementation of Section 6220, the REAL Health Providers Act, would establish new provider directory accuracy and accountability requirements for Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations beginning in contract year 2028. In addition, CMS has several proposals to implement section 6224, which established requirements related to pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and their affiliates specific to the Medicare Part D program. Comments are due by December 15, 2026.
Source: Federal Register