Rural Health
News by Topic: Healthcare needs and services
May 20, 2024 - Offers highlights from the Bipartisan Policy Center's 3 day trip to 20 sites in Minnesota, Nebraska, and South Dakota to learn more about rural hospitals, digital health initiatives, and behavioral health services. Discusses rural resilience, collaborations, and use of technology. Notes challenges related to funding, emergency medical services, workforce, and access to care. Includes description of coming reports from the organization.
Source: Bipartisan Policy Center
May 18, 2024 - Announces the TeleRheumatology program, an initiative to address access to specialty care issues for veterans with arthritis through telehealth.
Source: Veterans Administration
CDC: Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP); Notice of Charter Renewal
Federal Register
May 17, 2024 - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces the charter renewal of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The charter renewal is effective for a two-year period, through April 1, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
CMS: Medicare Program: Alternative Payment Model Updates and the Increasing Organ Transplant Access Model
Federal Register
May 17, 2024 - Notice of proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) describing a new mandatory Medicare payment model, the Increasing Organ Transplant Access Model (IOTA Model). The IOTA Model would test whether performance-based incentive payments paid to or owed by participating kidney transplant hospitals increase access to kidney transplants for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) while preserving or enhancing the quality of care and reducing Medicare expenditures. This proposed rule also describes standard provisions for CMS Innovation Center (CMMI) models relating to beneficiary protections, cooperation in model evaluation and monitoring, audits and records retention, rights in data and intellectual property, monitoring and compliance, and more. These standard provisions would apply to any CMMI model whose first performance period begins on or after January 1, 2025, and in whole or in part to any CMMI model whose first performance period began before January 1, 2025. Comments are due by July 16, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
FDA: Revocation of Two Authorizations of Emergency Use of In Vitro Diagnostic Device for Detection and/or Diagnosis of COVID-19; Availability
Federal Register
May 17, 2024 - The Food and Drug Administration has revoked Emergency Use Authorizations issued to Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc., and Fast Track Diagnostics Luxembourg S.á.r.l. (A Siemens Healthineers Company) related to COVID-19 detection and diagnosis tests.
Source: Federal Register
May 17, 2024 - Announces a new research site in Montana for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The site will include research on access to healthcare and high suicide rates for rural veterans.
Source: Daily Montanan
CMS: Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
Federal Register
May 16, 2024 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeking comments on the extension of an information collection titled "Prior Authorization Process and Requirements for Certain Hospital Outpatient Department (OPD) Services." CMS requires prior authorization for certain covered OPD services as a condition of Medicare payment to help to reduce unnecessary utilization and payments for these services. Comments are due by June 17, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
FDA: Authorization of Emergency Use of Certain Medical Devices During COVID-19; Availability
Federal Register
May 16, 2024 - The Food and Drug Administration has issued an Emergency Use Authorization for certain medical devices related to the COVID-19 pandemic. These authorizations are effective on their date of issuance.
Source: Federal Register
May 16, 2024 - Texas A&M University-Kingsville's Institute for Rural Mental Health Initiatives is providing training to school personnel in rural counties on what signs to look for and how to report a concern with a student's behavior. The initiative will also assist school counselors and teachers in helping students handle grief and loss.
Source: KRIS 6 News
May 16, 2024 - The Senate Finance Committee heard from hospital leaders and healthcare experts, with the goal of finding ways to help rural hospitals find funding to stay open. Senator Ron Wyden and others said the issue is complicated and requires a multi-pronged approach. Discussion included the need for maternity care in rural hospitals.
Source: Oregon Capital Chronicle