Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Legislation and regulations
New HIPAA Privacy Rule: What RHCs Need To Know
Recording of a January 27, 2021, webinar providing information about proposed and existing Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) compliance rules affecting Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Covers individual right of access to protected health information (PHI), fees for health records, patient identification verification, third party disclosures, and clarification of healthcare operations including care coordination and case management. Discusses proposed PHI changes regarding substance use disorders and serious mental illness, and changes in notice of privacy practices (NPP) requirements. Includes a fee calculator for medical record requests. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: HIPAA Record Fee Calculator, Presentation Slides, Q&A, Transcript
Date: 01/2021
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Recording of a January 27, 2021, webinar providing information about proposed and existing Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) compliance rules affecting Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Covers individual right of access to protected health information (PHI), fees for health records, patient identification verification, third party disclosures, and clarification of healthcare operations including care coordination and case management. Discusses proposed PHI changes regarding substance use disorders and serious mental illness, and changes in notice of privacy practices (NPP) requirements. Includes a fee calculator for medical record requests. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: HIPAA Record Fee Calculator, Presentation Slides, Q&A, Transcript
Date: 01/2021
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Congress Establishes New Medicare Provider Category and Reimbursement for Rural Emergency Hospitals
Provides an overview of the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) provider designation established in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. Discusses provider eligibility criteria, REH requirements and permitted services, and Medicare reimbursement. Highlights key questions that need to be addressed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Author(s): Emily J. Cook, Sandra M. DiVarco, Caroline Reigart
Citation: National Law Review, XI(5)
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
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Provides an overview of the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) provider designation established in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. Discusses provider eligibility criteria, REH requirements and permitted services, and Medicare reimbursement. Highlights key questions that need to be addressed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Author(s): Emily J. Cook, Sandra M. DiVarco, Caroline Reigart
Citation: National Law Review, XI(5)
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
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Mandated Report on Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Further Findings
Provides an overview of the non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) Medicaid benefit. Presents findings from an analysis of administrative data on NEMT utilization and spending, including utilization by urban and rural status. Includes findings from a series of focus groups with NEMT benefit enrollees on the value of the program, challenges, and ideas for improvement.
Author(s): Kacey Buderi, Aaron Pervin
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Provides an overview of the non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) Medicaid benefit. Presents findings from an analysis of administrative data on NEMT utilization and spending, including utilization by urban and rural status. Includes findings from a series of focus groups with NEMT benefit enrollees on the value of the program, challenges, and ideas for improvement.
Author(s): Kacey Buderi, Aaron Pervin
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Eliminating Regulatory Barriers to Affordable Housing: Federal, State, Local, and Tribal Opportunities
Discusses housing supply and affordability challenges and offers recommendations for federal, state, local, and tribal governments to reduce regulatory barriers and address these challenges. Describes rural/urban differences in housing market challenges. Covers the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on housing in the U.S.
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
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Discusses housing supply and affordability challenges and offers recommendations for federal, state, local, and tribal governments to reduce regulatory barriers and address these challenges. Describes rural/urban differences in housing market challenges. Covers the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on housing in the U.S.
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
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Opportunities in Medicaid and CHIP to Address Social Determinants of Health (SDOH)
Describes services and supports that can be covered by Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Programs (CHIP) to address social determinants of health (SDOH). Discusses federal authorities and other opportunities that states can utilize to address SDOH through Medicaid and CHIP, including through Rural Health Clinics (RHC) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC). Appendix B highlights examples of services and supports and the corresponding federal authorities that could be used to cover each.
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Describes services and supports that can be covered by Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Programs (CHIP) to address social determinants of health (SDOH). Discusses federal authorities and other opportunities that states can utilize to address SDOH through Medicaid and CHIP, including through Rural Health Clinics (RHC) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC). Appendix B highlights examples of services and supports and the corresponding federal authorities that could be used to cover each.
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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National Health Service Corps Report to Congress for the Year 2020
Details program accomplishments of the National Health Service Corps (NHSC), provides updates on Health Professional Shortage Area designations, explains recruitment efforts for NHSC Scholarship and Loan Repayment Programs, provides estimates on number of patients seen by NHSC clinicians, and details short- and long-term retention rates. Features state-by-state data with breakdowns by urban and rural locations.
Date: 2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Details program accomplishments of the National Health Service Corps (NHSC), provides updates on Health Professional Shortage Area designations, explains recruitment efforts for NHSC Scholarship and Loan Repayment Programs, provides estimates on number of patients seen by NHSC clinicians, and details short- and long-term retention rates. Features state-by-state data with breakdowns by urban and rural locations.
Date: 2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Models for Population Health Improvement by Health Care Systems and Partners: Tensions and Promise on the Path Upstream: Proceedings of a Workshop
Proceedings from a public workshop held on September 19, 2019, exploring higher levels of action to improve health, such as changing laws, policies, and regulations, to improve the community conditions for health. Describes efforts of health systems and their partners to move beyond what takes place in clinical settings and to identify and respond to the needs of patients and communities. Notes that some approaches may work differently in rural and urban areas.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice
Date: 2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Proceedings from a public workshop held on September 19, 2019, exploring higher levels of action to improve health, such as changing laws, policies, and regulations, to improve the community conditions for health. Describes efforts of health systems and their partners to move beyond what takes place in clinical settings and to identify and respond to the needs of patients and communities. Notes that some approaches may work differently in rural and urban areas.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice
Date: 2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Public Law 116–260: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021
Text of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Public Law 116-260 (December 27, 2020). Section 125 establishes the Rural Emergency Hospital designation. Section 127 makes changes to direct graduate medical education (GME) and indirect GME payments to teaching hospitals that train residents in Rural Training Programs.
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Congress
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Text of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Public Law 116-260 (December 27, 2020). Section 125 establishes the Rural Emergency Hospital designation. Section 127 makes changes to direct graduate medical education (GME) and indirect GME payments to teaching hospitals that train residents in Rural Training Programs.
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Congress
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Rural Health Clinics Modernization Policy Explained
Recording of a webinar (updated December 31, 2020) providing an overview of statutory revisions to the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) payment methodology. Explains the impact of the changes on both capped and uncapped RHCs. Includes information on telehealth reimbursement for RHCs. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Author(s): Bill Finerfrock, Nathan Baugh
Date: 12/2020
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Recording of a webinar (updated December 31, 2020) providing an overview of statutory revisions to the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) payment methodology. Explains the impact of the changes on both capped and uncapped RHCs. Includes information on telehealth reimbursement for RHCs. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Author(s): Bill Finerfrock, Nathan Baugh
Date: 12/2020
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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How Does DATA-Waiver Provider Patient Capacity Relate to Opioid and Buprenorphine Prescribing?
Explores if regulatory changes to increase the patient capacity among buprenorphine waivered providers effects buprenorphine and opioids prescription rates at the county-level. Compares prescription rates by metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties.
Author(s): Robin Ghertner, Mir M. Ali
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Explores if regulatory changes to increase the patient capacity among buprenorphine waivered providers effects buprenorphine and opioids prescription rates at the county-level. Compares prescription rates by metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties.
Author(s): Robin Ghertner, Mir M. Ali
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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