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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
News by Topic: Healthcare needs and services

Nov 6, 2026 - Notice of a final rule with comment period from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) making changes to the Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and the Medicare Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) payment system for calendar year 2027, including changes to the amounts and factors used to determine the payment rates for Medicare services paid under the OPPS and those paid under the ASC payment systems. Among other things, this rule updates and refines requirements for the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting Program and Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting Program; finalizes the implementation of provisions of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, regarding off-campus outpatient departments of a provider; and announces notices of closure of teaching hospitals and opportunities to apply for available slots. Comments are due by January 4, 2027. This rule is effective January 1, 2027.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 6, 2026 - Pre-publication notice of a proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposing to modify, remove, or streamline Medicare and Medicaid regulations deemed obsolete or excessively burdensome on healthcare providers and suppliers. These changes aim to reduce costs, enhance flexibility in delivering innovative care, and streamline existing regulations. Outlines proposed revisions for hospitals, long-term care facilities, intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities, Rural Emergency Hospitals, and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Among other things, this proposed rule includes requests for information on potential changes to regulations regarding transplant programs, supervision of anesthesia services, and hospital and CAH respiratory illness and infectious disease data reporting. Comments are due 60 days after the publication of this notice, which is scheduled for November 10, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 6, 2026 - Pre-publication notice of a final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that codifies the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, establishes certain new policies for the Negotiation Program and the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program as required by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, and finalizes a proposed modification to the fixed combination drug policy. These regulations are effective December 5, 2026, and are applicable to the Negotiation Program with respect to initial price applicability year 2029 and to Part D Program coverage beginning January 1, 2029.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 5, 2026 - Highlights rates of mental health conditions in children as well as the distribution of mental health providers both nationally and in North Carolina. Highlights a telepsychiatry program that aims to increase access to care for youth across the state.
Source: America's Health Rankings
Nov 5, 2026 - Highlights successes in the first year of a South Carolina program focusing on addressing malnutrition in adults through protein prescription and nutrition education. Also describes how public health students were involved with executing the program and the future of the project.
Source: Clemson News
Nov 5, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeking comments on the following information collections: 1) Collection Requirements for Compendia for Determination of Medically-accepted Indications for Off-label Uses of Drugs and Biologicals in an Anti-cancer Chemotherapeutic Regimen; 2) Quality Bonus Payment Appeals; and 3) The In-Center Hemodialysis Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Survey Mode Experiment. Comments are due by December 7, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 5, 2026 - Pre-publication notice of final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updating the home health payment rates for calendar year (CY) 2027. This rule also finalizes changes to the Home Health Quality Reporting Program (HH QRP) and summarizes potential initiatives to improve alignment between the HH QRP and the expanded Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Model. Among other things, this rule finalizes permanent and temporary behavior adjustments and recalibrates the case-mix weights and updates the functional impairment levels; comorbidity subgroups; and low-utilization payment adjustment (LUPA) thresholds for CY 2027; and summarizes and responds to comments received on the July 6, 2026, proposed rule regarding the provision of home health palliative care services and a home health specific wage index. The home health prospective payment system and HH QRP provisions of this rule and the regulatory changes at 42 CFR 484.245 are effective January 1, 2027. The remaining regulations are effective 60 days after the date of filing for public inspection. Publication is scheduled for November 9, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 5, 2026 - Pre-publication notice of a final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) addressing: 1) changes to the Physician Fee Schedule and Medicare Part B payment policies; 2) policies for the Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; 3) limiting Medicare coverage of certain individuals; 4) the Ambulatory Specialty Model; 5) updates to drugs and biological products paid under Part B; 6) Medicare Shared Savings Program requirements; 7) updates to the Quality Payment Program; 8) updates to policies for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs); 9) updates to the Ambulance Fee Schedule regulations; 10) codification of the Inflation Reduction Act and Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 provisions; 11) updates to Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule regulations; and 12) updates to the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program. These regulations are effective January 1, 2027.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 5, 2026 - Describes a Texas program connecting rural emergency medical services (EMS) with hospital physicians through technology. The increased communication allows EMS providers to offer better care and prepare hospitals for the patient's arrival. Discusses how the EMS providers are trained.
Source: KCBD
Nov 4, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services making corrections to the November 2, 2026, notice regarding an information collection titled "Pre-Claim Review Demonstration for Home Health Services."
Source: Federal Register