This website is being reviewed for updates. Some information is offline. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
News by Topic: Policy

Feb 21, 2025 - Announcement from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the approval of the Accreditation Commission for Health Care, Inc. (ACHC) for continued recognition as a national accrediting organization for home health agencies (HHAs) that wish to participate in the Medicare or Medicaid programs. This approval is applicable February 24, 2025, to February 24, 2031.
Source: Federal Register
Feb 21, 2025 - Announcement from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the approval of the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities, dba QUAD A, for continued recognition as a national accrediting organization for outpatient physical therapy providers that wish to participate in the Medicare or Medicaid programs. This approval is applicable April 4, 2025, to April 4, 2030.
Source: Federal Register
Feb 19, 2025 - Quarterly listing of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) manual instructions, substantive and interpretive regulations, and Federal Register notices published from October through December 2024, including contact information for general questions or additional information about specific sections.
Source: Federal Register
Feb 19, 2025 - Notice from the Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) delaying the January 17, 2025, final rules titled "Expansion of Buprenorphine Treatment via Telemedicine Encounter" and "Continuity of Care via Telemedicine for Veterans Affairs Patients" in accordance with the January 20, 2025, presidential memorandum titled "Regulatory Freeze Pending Review." These final rules will now be effective March 21, 2025. Comments regarding the delayed effective date are due by February 28, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Feb 19, 2025 -

Executive Order from the Office of the President directing the establishment of the Make America Healthy Again Commission. The Commission will advise the President on policy to reduce chronic disease rates, with a particular focus on ending childhood chronic disease. The Commission will be chaired by the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services with the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy serving as Executive Director. Includes a full list of other federal agencies represented on the Commission.

Source: Federal Register
Feb 11, 2025 - Announcement from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of receipt of an application for continued recognition of The Joint Commission as a national accrediting organization for hospitals that wish to participate in the Medicare or Medicaid programs. Comments are due by March 13, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Feb 11, 2025 - Notice from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) delaying the effective date of the December 13, 2024, final rule in accordance with the January 20, 2025, presidential memorandum titled "Regulatory Freeze Pending Review." The final rule is now effective April 14, 2025, and the compliance date is also delayed until April 14, 2028.
Source: Federal Register
Feb 10, 2025 - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will hold a virtual public meeting of the Advisory Committee on Tribal and Indian Affairs from February 25-26, 2025. The Committee will provide advice and guidance to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on all matters relating to Indian tribes, tribal organizations, Native Hawaiian organizations, and Native American Veterans. The agenda will include, among other things, updates from the VA Office of Tribal Government Relations, VA Office of Tribal Health, VHA/Indian Health Service (IHS)/Tribal Health Program (THP)/Urban Indian Organization (UIO), a panel on Tribal and Urban Indian Health, and a veteran panel with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA).
Source: Federal Register
Jan 31, 2025 - Executive Order from the Office of the President revoking Executive Order 14076 and Executive Order 14079 and ending the use of federal funding for elective abortions.
Source: Federal Register
Jan 29, 2025 - Executive Order from the Office of the President directing the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), along with the Attorney General and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), to coordinate the termination of all discriminatory diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, including illegal DEI and "diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility" (DEIA) mandates, policies, programs, preferences, and activities in the federal government. Among other things, this Executive Order directs agency and department heads to provide the Director of OMB with lists of all agency or department DEI, DEIA, or "environmental justice" positions, committees, programs, services, activities, budgets, and expenditures in existence on November 4, 2024, and federal grantees who received funding to provide or advance DEI, DEIA, or "environmental justice" programs, services, or activities since January 20, 2021.
Source: Federal Register