Rural Health
News by Topic: Policy
Nov 13, 2024 - The National Advisory Committee on Children and Disasters (NACCD) will hold a virtual public meeting on December 4, 2024. NACCD will discuss potential recommendations to the HHS Secretary and ASPR regarding challenges, opportunities, and priorities for national public health and medical preparedness, response, and recovery specific to the needs of children and their families in disasters. A detailed agenda and registration information will be published on the NACCD meeting website.
Source: Federal Register
ASPR: National Advisory Committee on Individuals With Disabilities and Disasters Public Meeting
Federal Register
Nov 13, 2024 - The National Advisory Committee on Individuals with Disabilities and Disasters (NACIDD) will hold a virtual public meeting on December 10, 2024, from 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. Eastern. NACIDD seeks input from the public on 1) data and monitoring resources to identify the needs of at-risk individuals in an emergency and 2) Emergency Support Functions of the National Response Framework to identify gaps in equitable incident management and disaster response for people with disabilities. Requests to speak to the NACIDD during the public meeting must be sent to the Designated Federal Official by December 5, 2024. A detailed agenda and registration information will be published on the NACIDD website.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 13, 2024 - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) is seeking applications for individuals for membership on the following national advisory committees: National Advisory Committee on Individuals with Disabilities and Disasters (NACIDD), the National Advisory Committee on Seniors and Disasters (NACSD), and the National Biodefense Science Board (NBSB). Applications are due by January 11, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 13, 2024 - Outlines current and projected funding challenges for Federally Qualified Health Centers. Discusses common sources of revenue, reimbursement rates, the 340B program, and policy opportunities for federal and state government. Notes that rural residents are a significant user base for Community Health Centers.
Source: The Commonwealth Fund
VA: Telehealth Grant Program
Federal Register
Nov 13, 2024 - Notice of proposed rule from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) proposing amending its regulations implement a new authority to establish a telehealth grant program. This new authority requires VA to enter into agreements, and expand existing agreements, for the expansion of VA telehealth capabilities and provision of telehealth services by establishing telehealth access stations in rural, highly rural, or medically underserved areas, to the extent practicable. This notice also proposes to amend the copayment regulation by exempting all telehealth services from the copayment requirement. Comments are due by January 13, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 12, 2024 - The Census Bureau will hold two virtual tribal consultations on December 11, 2024, and January 15, 2025. The two webinars will offer a forum for tribes to learn about its Race/Ethnicity Coding Improvement Project, which allows tribes to provide feedback on how detailed race and/or ethnicity and American Indian or Alaska Native populations will be coded in the American Community Survey (ACS) and the 2030 Census, and to provide feedback. Questions and topic suggestions for the consultation meetings must be submitted by December 2, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 12, 2024 - Notice of final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updating and revising the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System (PPS) for calendar year 2025 and updates the payment rate for renal dialysis services furnished by an ESRD facility to individuals with acute kidney injury (AKI). This rule also updates the requirements for the Conditions for Coverage for ESRD facilities, the ESRD Quality Incentive Program, and the ESRD Treatment Choices Model. These regulations are effective January 1, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 12, 2024 - Announcement from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the approval of the Community Health Accreditation Program (CHAP) for continued recognition as a national accrediting organization for hospices that wish to participate in the Medicare or Medicaid programs. This approval is applicable from November 20, 2024, through November 20, 2029.
Source: Federal Register
FCC: Implementation of the National Suicide Hotline Act of 2018
Federal Register
Nov 12, 2024 - Notice of final rule from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announcing the adoption of a Third Report and Order that requires wireless providers to implement a georouting solution for calls to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline to facilitate access to critical local intervention services. The Third Report and Order also revises the Commission's existing 988 voice and texting rules to permit routing to the 988 Lifeline without translation to a toll-free access number, giving wireless providers flexibility in implementing georouting solutions. This rule is effective December 12, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 12, 2024 - Notice from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) seeking comments on the extension of an information collection titled "Project Abstract Summary." Organizations use the Project Abstract Summary form to apply for federal grants. Federal agencies may use the Project Abstract Summary form for grant programs that are not required to collect all the data required on the Standard Form 424 core data set and form. Comments are due by January 13, 2025.
Source: Federal Register