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Rural Health Information Hub
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
News by Topic: Healthcare needs and services

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 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
Oct 31, 2024 - Notice from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Administration for Children and Families (ACF) making corrections to the August 21, 2024, final rule. These corrections are effective October 31, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Oct 31, 2024 - Notice from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) seeking comments on an information collection titled "Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Jurisdictional Survey Instrument for the Title V MCH Block Grant Program, OMB No. 0906-0042—Revision." The MCH Jurisdictional Survey is designed to produce data on the physical and emotional health of mothers and children under 18 years of age in the following eight jurisdictions—American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of Palau, Puerto Rico, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and U.S. Virgin Islands. Proposed revisions include further updates to survey questions to align with new Federal data standards, including updated guidance from OMB on collecting information on race and ethnicity. Comments are due by December 30, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
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 - 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
Oct 28, 2024 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeking comments on a new information collection request titled "Medicare Transaction Facilitator for 2026 and 2027 under Sections 11001 and 11002 of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Information Collection Request." CMS will collect information from manufacturers of Medicare Part D drugs selected for negotiation under the Inflation Reduction Act for the initial price applicability years 2026 and 2027 and the dispensing entities that dispense the selected drugs to maximum fair price (MPF)-eligible individuals. CMS will also use a Medicare Transaction Facilitator (MTF) to facilitate the effectuation of MPFs. Comments are due by December 27, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Oct 28, 2024 - Notice of proposed rules from the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), proposing to amend regulations regarding coverage of certain preventive services under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which requires non-grandfathered group health plans and non-grandfathered group or individual health insurance coverage to cover certain over-the-counter and prescription contraceptive items without cost sharing. These proposed rules would not modify federal conscience protections related to contraceptive coverage for employers, plans, and issuers. Comments are due by December 27, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Oct 24, 2024 - Iowa legislators have requested the U.S. Government Accountability Office share information regarding access to birth control for Iowan families. Notes the particular barriers for rural families in obtaining safe and effective contraception.
Source: Office of Senator Joni Ernst
Oct 23, 2024 - The U.S. Census Bureau is seeking comments on proposed revisions to the National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH). NSCH is designed to collect data on the physical and emotional health of children age 18 and younger, including information related to access to healthcare, family interactions, and school and after-school experiences, among other things. Comments are due by December 23, 2024.
Source: Federal Register