Rural Health
News by Topic: Healthcare needs and services
Nov 21, 2025 - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is seeking comments on an information collection titled "Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS)." PRAMS collects data on maternal attitudes and experiences before, during, and after pregnancy. CDC seeks to extend the approval for PRAMS data collection for 3 years. Comments are due January 20, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 21, 2025 - Profiles a rural Vermont medically complex child to highlight challenges in accessing specialty care for rural residents. Describes the emergency care action plan created by her medical team that allows her to continue living safely in her rural community.
Source: Larner News and Media
Nov 20, 2025 - Discusses health disparities among rural healthcare provider shortages nationally and in Montana. Highlights 2 residency programs in Billings, Montana aiming to address the shortages of internal medicine and psychiatry providers. Describes how rural practice is integrated into the residencies as well as the benefits for both physician residents and rural communities.
Source: The Daily Yonder
Nov 20, 2025 - A medical service helicopter has been stationed at a rural Texas airport to offer faster access to emergency care. The helicopter acts as a mobile intensive care unit and can offer advanced procedures during transportation to specialized treatment facilities.
Source: 12 News Now
SAMHSA: Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request
Federal Register
Nov 20, 2025 - The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is seeking comments on a proposed new project called SAMHSA Unified Performance Reporting Tool (SUPRT)—Project (P). This tool will replace the Center for Mental Health Services' (CMHS) Infrastructure Development, Prevention, and Mental Health Promotion (IPP) Indicators and will serve as a single tool to collect grant-level aggregate data on target goals, actual performance, and client demographic characteristics from CMHS, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), and Behavioral Health Coordinating Office (988) grantees. Comments are due by January 20, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
CMS: Medicare Program; Announcement of the Re-Approval of COLA Under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988; Correction
Federal Register
Nov 19, 2025 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) making corrections to the March 6, 2024, notice to add urinalysis to the list of specialties and subspecialties. This correction is effective November 19, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
CMS: Medicare Program: CY 2026 Inpatient Hospital Deductible and Hospital and Extended Care Services Coinsurance Amounts
Federal Register
Nov 19, 2025 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announcing the inpatient hospital deductible and coinsurance amounts for hospital and extended care services provided during calendar year 2026 under Medicare's Hospital Insurance Program (Medicare Part A). These rates are effective on January 1, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 19, 2025 - Describes a program embedding social workers in a rural North Carolina police department to address the increase in non-crime related calls to the police. Notes that similar programs have operated in urban areas. Discusses how successes have led to expanding the program, connecting people to services in under-resourced areas, and other alternative responder programs in the state.
Source: North Carolina Health News
Nov 19, 2025 - Describes rural health disparities in Tennessee and nationally. Highlights one Federally Qualified Health Center's prescription delivery program that also offers healthcare counseling and assistance with unmet social needs for rural older adults in Tennessee to address those disparities.
Source: America's Health Rankings News
Nov 18, 2025 - A rural Vermont mental health urgent care facility has expanded services to offer overnight beds. It is the first 24/7 walk-in mental health urgent care facility in the state and is intended to relieve area emergency rooms as well as offer care close to home. Describes the facility's place in the mental healthcare intervention space, how the program has been funded, outcomes for prior patients, services offered, and sustainability.
Source: VT Digger

