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Rural Health Information Hub
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
News by Topic: Healthcare needs and services

Apr 8, 2026 - Describes challenges for family caregivers in rural communities where support and resources are limited. Discusses stress and financial strain for caregivers as well as funding needs.
Source: IW Features
Apr 7, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) seeking comments on a proposed information collection titled "Public Health/Public Safety Strategies to Reduce Drug Overdose Data Collection." The information collected will be used to improve public health/public safety partnerships and responses to the overdose crisis that involve public safety. Comments are due by June 8, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 7, 2026 - Notice of a proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that would update the skilled nursing facility (SNF) prospective payment system (PPS) payment rates for fiscal year 2027. Among other things, this rule includes proposals to update the requirements for the SNF Quality Reporting Program and the SNF Value-Based Purchasing Program. Comments are due by June 1, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 7, 2026 - Notice of a proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updating the FY 2027 prospective payment rates, outlier threshold, and wage index for Medicare inpatient hospital services provided by inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPF), including psychiatric hospitals and excluded psychiatric units of an acute care hospital or Critical Access Hospital. Among other things, this rule proposes refinement of the IPF PPS outlier policy, implementation of a standardized IPF patient assessment, and the removal of two measures used in the IPF Quality Reporting Program. Comments are due by June 1, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 7, 2026 - Announces Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) funding for nutrition service expansion into primary care settings and for rural residency programs for high-need specialties to address rural workforce shortages.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Apr 7, 2026 - Describes a free Arkansas farmer mental health support program utilizing both telehealth and on-the-farm visits, addressing access and stigma associated with receiving mental health support. Highlights how the program was created.
Source: Delta Farm Press
Apr 6, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeking comments on the extension of an information collection titled "Physician Certifications/Recertifications in Skilled Nursing Facilities Manual Instruction." The physician certification and recertification are intended to ensure that the beneficiary's need for services has been established and then reviewed and updated at appropriate intervals and are conditions for Medicare Part A payment for post-hospital skilled nursing facility (SNF) care. Comments are due by June 5, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 6, 2026 - Notice of final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) revising the Medicare Advantage (Part C), Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit (Part D), Medicare cost plan regulations. Among other things, this rule finalizes revisions related to Star Ratings, marketing and communications, drug coverage, enrollment processes, special needs plans, and other programmatic areas for contract year 2027. These regulations are effective June 1, 2026, and are applicable to coverage beginning January 1, 2027.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 6, 2026 - Notice of a proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updating the hospice wage index, payment rates, and aggregate cap amount for fiscal year 2027. Among other things, this rule proposes conforming regulation text changes to discharge from hospice care regulations; regulation text changes to the face-to-face encounter regulations; and includes requests for information on community palliative care services, the construction of a hospice specific wage index, and the overlap between hospice and medical aid in dying (MAID). This rule also includes an analysis of Medicare non-hospice spending and proposes changes to the Hospice Quality Reporting Program. Comments are due by June 1, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 6, 2026 - Notice of a proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeking comments on updates to the prospective payment system (PPS) for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) for fiscal year 2027. Among other things, this rule proposes classification and weighting factors for the IRF prospective payment system's case-mix groups, continues the third year of the 3-year phase-out of the rural adjustments, and includes proposals for the IRF Quality Reporting Program. CMS also seeks comments on alternative data sources for the IRF PPS wage index, potential future IRF PPS payment reform, and more. Comments are due June 1, 2026.
Source: Federal Register