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Rural Health
News by Topic: Policy

Sep 23, 2026 - Notice of interim final rule with comment period from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) codifying its authority to impose a temporary moratorium pausing the registration of agents and brokers that do not have a current Plan Year registration with the Federally-facilitated exchanges. Specifically, this notice announces that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is imposing a temporary moratorium to pause the registration of agents and brokers that do not have Plan Year 2026 Exchange agreements with the Federally-facilitated exchanges and are seeking to enter into agreements with CMS to assist consumers with enrollment through the Federally-facilitated exchanges for Plan Year 2027. This moratorium does not affect registrations on the state-based exchanges. The moratorium is effective September 22, 2026, until February 1, 2027, unless it is modified by CMS in a subsequent Federal Register notice. This interim final rule is effective September 22, 2026. Comments are due by November 21, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Sep 23, 2026 - Offers an interview with the Executive Director of the Michigan Association of Ambulance Services discussing emergency medical services (EMS) workforce challenges in rural Michigan.
Source: EMS World
Sep 22, 2026 - Notice from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) seeking comments on a generic information collection umbrella titled "Generic Information Collection Request for Collections Related to HRSA Hotlines, Chatlines, and Online Portals, OMB No. 0906-New." Information collected will be used to ensure that HRSA hotlines, chatlines, and online portals are operating to the best of their abilities. Comments are due by October 22, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Sep 22, 2026 - Notice from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) seeking comments on an information collection request titled "Questionnaire and Data Collection Testing, Evaluation, and Research for HRSA." Information collected will be used to inform the development of new questions, questionnaires, and tools; pilot/pre-test instruments under development; and identify problems in instruments currently in use. Comments are due by October 22, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Sep 21, 2026 - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) seeks comments on how data intermediaries can be used to support secure, scalable, standards-based public health data exchange. Information collected will be used to evaluate and explore how data intermediaries can advance broader goals to prevent disease; detect emerging threats; drive state-of-the-art solutions that empower communities; and strengthen public health systems for a safer, healthier nation. Includes specific questions and topics of interest to the CDC. Comments are due by November 20, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Sep 21, 2026 - Notice from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) extending the solicitation period for nominations for the National Vaccine Advisory Committee. Nominations are due 30 days from publication of this notice.
Source: Federal Register
Sep 18, 2026 - Notice from the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) announcing changes to the TRICARE program benefits for calendar year 2027. Outlines annual changes, new and expanded benefits, demonstration programs, pharmacy out-of-pocket expenses for CY 2027, and more. This TRICARE Health Plan information is applicable to services beginning January 1, 2027.
Source: Federal Register
Sep 18, 2026 - Announces a new U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) policy creating the HHS Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Forecast. The Forecast will aid manufacturers in understanding PPE needs and will be updated and published quarterly.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Sep 17, 2026 - Notice from the U.S. Census Bureau seeking comments on Current Population Survey (CPS) Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC) field tests related to self-response. The 2027 Field Test will be the first time that the ASEC supplement will be administered as a self-response mode, and will evaluate the comparability of computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) questions to internet self-response (ISR) questions and the impact of changing question wording and response categories. Comments are due by November 16, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Sep 17, 2026 - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announces the approval of DNV Healthcare USA Inc. (DNV) as a national accrediting organization for hospitals that wish to participate in the Medicare or Medicaid programs. This approval is applicable from September 26, 2026, through September 26, 2032.
Source: Federal Register