Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Legislation and regulations
The Rural Emergency Hospital and Value-Based Care
Summarizes the new Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) legislation, outlines local considerations before REH conversion, and prepares stakeholders to comment when the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services releases REH proposed rules for public input. Addresses questions regarding anticipated proposed rules and describes opportunities to inform REH rulemaking.
Date: 08/2021
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
view details
Summarizes the new Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) legislation, outlines local considerations before REH conversion, and prepares stakeholders to comment when the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services releases REH proposed rules for public input. Addresses questions regarding anticipated proposed rules and describes opportunities to inform REH rulemaking.
Date: 08/2021
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
view details
Telehealth, COVID-19 and Looking Ahead
Discusses COVID-19 telehealth policy flexibilities that may be made permanent through legislation or other state-level action as of July 2021. Offers a map indicating states where legislation seeks to make policy changes permanent, presents an overview of specific policy flexibilities, and discusses state-level approaches, including temporary extensions of policy changes and non-legislative action.
Author(s): Jack Pitsor
Date: 07/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
view details
Discusses COVID-19 telehealth policy flexibilities that may be made permanent through legislation or other state-level action as of July 2021. Offers a map indicating states where legislation seeks to make policy changes permanent, presents an overview of specific policy flexibilities, and discusses state-level approaches, including temporary extensions of policy changes and non-legislative action.
Author(s): Jack Pitsor
Date: 07/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
view details
DATA 2000 Waiver Training Payment Program
Recording of a July 29, 2021, webinar providing technical assistance for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) applying for the Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 (DATA 2000) Waiver Training Payment Program. Identifies organizations' eligibility to apply for payments and discusses the application process and requirements. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides, Transcript
Date: 07/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
view details
Recording of a July 29, 2021, webinar providing technical assistance for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) applying for the Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 (DATA 2000) Waiver Training Payment Program. Identifies organizations' eligibility to apply for payments and discusses the application process and requirements. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides, Transcript
Date: 07/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
view details
State Medicaid Telehealth Policies Before and During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
Examines state Medicaid telehealth coverage, policies, and utilization before and after the COVID-19 public health emergency. Discusses issues and opportunities for optimizing telehealth, including equity considerations for rural and lower-income communities.
Author(s): Rose C. Chu, Christie Peters, Nancy De Lew, Benjamin D. Sommers
Date: 07/2021
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
view details
Examines state Medicaid telehealth coverage, policies, and utilization before and after the COVID-19 public health emergency. Discusses issues and opportunities for optimizing telehealth, including equity considerations for rural and lower-income communities.
Author(s): Rose C. Chu, Christie Peters, Nancy De Lew, Benjamin D. Sommers
Date: 07/2021
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
view details
Leveraging Quality Measurement to Improve Rural Health, Telehealth, and Healthcare System Readiness: Final Environmental Scan Report
Presents the results of an environmental scan of literature related to barriers and facilitators of rural telehealth for healthcare system readiness, as well as a scan of quality measures relevant to rural telehealth during emergencies. Summarizes policies and practices related to telehealth and the healthcare system, with a focus on federal policy changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Date: 07/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Quality Forum
view details
Presents the results of an environmental scan of literature related to barriers and facilitators of rural telehealth for healthcare system readiness, as well as a scan of quality measures relevant to rural telehealth during emergencies. Summarizes policies and practices related to telehealth and the healthcare system, with a focus on federal policy changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Date: 07/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Quality Forum
view details
American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (P.L. 117-2): Public Health, Medical Supply Chain, Health Services, and Related Provisions
Provides an overview of the provisions of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 that relate to public health; behavioral health; medical supply chain; and health-related workforce, services, and support. Includes information related to funding for the National Health Service Corps and Nurse Corps, funding for graduate medical education, and emergency rural development grants for rural healthcare providers.
Date: 07/2021
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
view details
Provides an overview of the provisions of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 that relate to public health; behavioral health; medical supply chain; and health-related workforce, services, and support. Includes information related to funding for the National Health Service Corps and Nurse Corps, funding for graduate medical education, and emergency rural development grants for rural healthcare providers.
Date: 07/2021
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
view details
Let's Talk About Mitigation Video
Recording of a June 29, 2021, webinar providing technical assistance regarding the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) COVID-19 Testing and Mitigation Funding program. Discusses reporting requirements and how program funds can be used. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides, Transcript
Date: 06/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
view details
Recording of a June 29, 2021, webinar providing technical assistance regarding the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) COVID-19 Testing and Mitigation Funding program. Discusses reporting requirements and how program funds can be used. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides, Transcript
Date: 06/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
view details
MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on the Hospital Inpatient PPS and the Long-term Care Hospital PPS for FY 2022
Comments on a May 10, 2021, Federal Register proposed rule revising the hospital inpatient and long-term care hospital (LTCH) prospective payment systems. Discusses proposals on rate-setting in both the hospital and LTCH prospective payment systems, the use of "market-based" data to set Medicare severity–diagnosis related group (MS–DRG) relative weights, and changes to rural reclassification cancellation requirements for hospitals.
Date: 06/2021
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
view details
Comments on a May 10, 2021, Federal Register proposed rule revising the hospital inpatient and long-term care hospital (LTCH) prospective payment systems. Discusses proposals on rate-setting in both the hospital and LTCH prospective payment systems, the use of "market-based" data to set Medicare severity–diagnosis related group (MS–DRG) relative weights, and changes to rural reclassification cancellation requirements for hospitals.
Date: 06/2021
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
view details
States' Actions to Expand Telemedicine Access During COVID-19 and Future Policy Considerations
Provides an overview of state laws and policies related to state-regulated insurance coverage of telemedicine services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses future policy considerations for state policymakers regarding coverage of telemedicine services after pandemic-related changes expire.
Author(s): JoAnn Volk, Dania Palanker, Madeline O'Brien, Christina L. Goe
Date: 06/2021
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
view details
Provides an overview of state laws and policies related to state-regulated insurance coverage of telemedicine services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses future policy considerations for state policymakers regarding coverage of telemedicine services after pandemic-related changes expire.
Author(s): JoAnn Volk, Dania Palanker, Madeline O'Brien, Christina L. Goe
Date: 06/2021
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
view details
Essentially Unprotected: A Focus on Farmworker Health Laws and Policies Addressing Pesticide Exposure and Heat-Related Illness
Report highlights laws and policies that protect farmworkers from heat- and pesticide-related illnesses. Breaks down both federal and state laws in place to protect farmworkers and makes recommendations.
Author(s): Laurie J. Beyranevand, Lihlani Skipper Nelson, Sarah Goldman, et al.
Date: 05/2021
Sponsoring organizations: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, The Center for a Livable Future, Vermont Law School's Center for Agriculture and Food Systems
view details
Report highlights laws and policies that protect farmworkers from heat- and pesticide-related illnesses. Breaks down both federal and state laws in place to protect farmworkers and makes recommendations.
Author(s): Laurie J. Beyranevand, Lihlani Skipper Nelson, Sarah Goldman, et al.
Date: 05/2021
Sponsoring organizations: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, The Center for a Livable Future, Vermont Law School's Center for Agriculture and Food Systems
view details