Rural Health
News by Topic: Oral health
HRSA: Meetings of the Advisory Committee on Training and Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry (ACTPCMD)
Federal Register
Dec 19, 2024 - Announcement of public meetings of the Advisory Committee on Training and Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry (ACTPCMD) to take place throughout the 2025 calendar year. Meetings will be held on March 27-28, 2025, and August 8, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Dec 9, 2024 - Notice of 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) updates to the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program expanded model; 4) payment for dental services inextricably linked to specific covered medical services; 5) updates to drugs and biological products paid under Part B including immunosuppressive drugs and clotting factors; 6) Medicare Shared Savings Program requirements; 7) updates to the Quality Payment Program; 8) Medicare coverage of opioid use disorder services furnished by opioid treatment programs; 9) updates to policies for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs); 10) electronic prescribing for controlled substances for a covered Part D drug under a prescription drug plan or an MA-PD plan; 11) updates to the Ambulance Fee Schedule regulations; 12) updates to Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule regulations; 13) updates to the diabetes payment structure and COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) flexibilities; 14) expansion of colorectal cancer screening and Hepatitis B vaccine coverage and payment; 15) establishing payment for drugs covered as additional preventive services; and 16) Medicare Parts A and B Overpayment Provisions of the Affordable Care Act and Medicare Parts C and D Overpayment Provisions of the Affordable Care Act. These regulations are effective January 1, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 11, 2024 - Discusses the ongoing impact of Hurricane Helene for a rural North Carolina county that lost its only dental clinic for low-income patients in the storm. Discusses barriers to recruiting more dental workforce and efforts to maintain some services in a repurposed mobile van.
Source: North Carolina Health News
Nov 7, 2024 - Highlights the University of Nebraska Medical Center's College of Dentistry's efforts to increase the rural dental workforce. Discusses both tuition incentives and learning experiences connecting students with rural patients.
Source: University of Nebraska Medical Center Newsroom
HRSA: Lists of Designated Primary Medical Care, Mental Health, and Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas
Federal Register
Nov 5, 2024 - Notice from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announcing the availability of the complete lists of all geographic areas, population groups, and facilities designated as primary care, mental health, and/or dental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs). HPSA designations that are currently proposed for withdrawal will remain in this status until a second notice is published in the Federal Register. Lists are available on the Health Workforce Shortage Areas website and are current as of October 15, 2024.
Source: Federal Register