Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Legislation and regulations
Changes in Access to Medication Treatment during COVID-19 Telehealth Expansion and Disparities in Telehealth Use for Medicare Beneficiaries with Opioid Use Disorder
Discusses policies that allow access to medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) via telehealth before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Examines outpatient telehealth use and MOUD treatment among Medicare beneficiaries by dual eligibility status, rurality, and presence of comorbid health conditions between April-December 2020.
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Discusses policies that allow access to medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) via telehealth before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Examines outpatient telehealth use and MOUD treatment among Medicare beneficiaries by dual eligibility status, rurality, and presence of comorbid health conditions between April-December 2020.
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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CARES Act Telehealth Expansion: Trends in Post-Discharge Follow-Up and Association with 30-Day Readmissions for Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program Health Conditions
Provides an overview of the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) and examines the impact of expanded Medicare payment for telehealth services on post-discharge follow-up and hospital readmissions for HRRP conditions. Describes trends in post-discharge follow-up before and after the telehealth expansion and compares trends by health condition, sociodemographic characteristics, rurality, and follow-up method.
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) and examines the impact of expanded Medicare payment for telehealth services on post-discharge follow-up and hospital readmissions for HRRP conditions. Describes trends in post-discharge follow-up before and after the telehealth expansion and compares trends by health condition, sociodemographic characteristics, rurality, and follow-up method.
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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The Rural Health Safety Net Under Pressure: Understanding the Potential Impact of COVID-19
Examines the stability of the rural health safety net at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Outlines key factors that will influence the impact of COVID-19 on rural healthcare, including access to intensive care unit beds, outpatient service revenues, and rural provider days cash on hand. Highlights provisions of the CARES Act aimed at mitigating the impact of the pandemic on rural hospitals.
Date: 2022
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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Examines the stability of the rural health safety net at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Outlines key factors that will influence the impact of COVID-19 on rural healthcare, including access to intensive care unit beds, outpatient service revenues, and rural provider days cash on hand. Highlights provisions of the CARES Act aimed at mitigating the impact of the pandemic on rural hospitals.
Date: 2022
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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Ending Surprise Medical Bills
Offers resources for healthcare providers and consumers regarding surprise billing regulations and policies. Includes information on payment dispute resolution between patients and providers, and between providers and out-of-network health plans.
Date: 2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Offers resources for healthcare providers and consumers regarding surprise billing regulations and policies. Includes information on payment dispute resolution between patients and providers, and between providers and out-of-network health plans.
Date: 2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Expanding Pharmacists' Prescriptive Authority: Options for Reform
Explores why states may want to consider expanding pharmacists' prescriptive authority. Presents state policy options for expanding prescriptive authority for pharmacists, including advantages and disadvantages of each and examples from states. Also addresses potential concerns about the increased prescriptive authority of pharmacists.
Author(s): James Broughel, Elise Amez-Droz
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Mercatus Center
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Explores why states may want to consider expanding pharmacists' prescriptive authority. Presents state policy options for expanding prescriptive authority for pharmacists, including advantages and disadvantages of each and examples from states. Also addresses potential concerns about the increased prescriptive authority of pharmacists.
Author(s): James Broughel, Elise Amez-Droz
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Mercatus Center
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No Surprises Act Webinar
Recording of a December 14, 2021, webinar providing an overview of the No Surprises Act and how it impacts Rural Health Clinics. Outlines price transparency and good faith estimate requirements and enforcement. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: CMS Regulations, CMS-10791 Good Faith Estimate for Health Care Items and Services, Good Faith Estimate Information and Webinar Q&A Follow-Up, Presentation Slides, Transcript
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Recording of a December 14, 2021, webinar providing an overview of the No Surprises Act and how it impacts Rural Health Clinics. Outlines price transparency and good faith estimate requirements and enforcement. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: CMS Regulations, CMS-10791 Good Faith Estimate for Health Care Items and Services, Good Faith Estimate Information and Webinar Q&A Follow-Up, Presentation Slides, Transcript
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Final CY 2022 Physician Fee Schedule
Fact sheet addressing the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services policies for Medicare beginning on January 1, 2022. Includes sections on telehealth services, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, audio-only services, communications technology based services, Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics, and additional policies.
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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Fact sheet addressing the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services policies for Medicare beginning on January 1, 2022. Includes sections on telehealth services, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, audio-only services, communications technology based services, Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics, and additional policies.
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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Network Adequacy for Behavioral Health: Existing Standards and Considerations for Designing Standards
Summarizes findings from a technical expert panel and an environmental scan to examine federal and state network adequacy standards for behavioral health across Medicare Advantage, Medicaid managed care, and commercial insurance. Presents considerations and principles for designing, monitoring, and enforcing additional behavioral health network adequacy standards.
Author(s): Katharine Bradley, Allison Wishon, Alexandra C. Donnelly, Amanda Lechner
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Summarizes findings from a technical expert panel and an environmental scan to examine federal and state network adequacy standards for behavioral health across Medicare Advantage, Medicaid managed care, and commercial insurance. Presents considerations and principles for designing, monitoring, and enforcing additional behavioral health network adequacy standards.
Author(s): Katharine Bradley, Allison Wishon, Alexandra C. Donnelly, Amanda Lechner
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Critical Access Hospitals' Initial Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Use of Federal Funding and Regulatory Flexibilities
Explores how Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) used federal relief funding and regulatory waivers to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic through August 2020. Summarizes results of a survey of CAH executives in eight states. Discusses the sources of federal funding CAHs received and the types of regulatory waivers and flexibilities these CAHs used.
Author(s): Ira Moscovice, Madeleine Pick, Megan Lahr, Nathan Bean, Keelia Silvis
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Explores how Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) used federal relief funding and regulatory waivers to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic through August 2020. Summarizes results of a survey of CAH executives in eight states. Discusses the sources of federal funding CAHs received and the types of regulatory waivers and flexibilities these CAHs used.
Author(s): Ira Moscovice, Madeleine Pick, Megan Lahr, Nathan Bean, Keelia Silvis
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Caring for America: Legislation to Support Patients, Caregivers, and Providers
Recording of a U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing on legislation related to funding for behavioral and mental health services for the healthcare workforce; a loan repayment program for local, state, and tribal public health professionals; increasing diversity in allied health professions; improving health outcomes in underserved communities through the use of community health workers; and more. Includes testimony from the National Association of County and City Health Officials, Augusta University, Ballad Health, and others.
Additional links: Alan Levine, Ballad Health - Testimony, Brooks A. Keel, Augusta University - Testimony, Lisa Macon Harrison, National Association of County and City Health Officials - Testimony
Date: 10/2021
Sponsoring organization: House Energy and Commerce Committee, Subcommittee on Health
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Recording of a U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing on legislation related to funding for behavioral and mental health services for the healthcare workforce; a loan repayment program for local, state, and tribal public health professionals; increasing diversity in allied health professions; improving health outcomes in underserved communities through the use of community health workers; and more. Includes testimony from the National Association of County and City Health Officials, Augusta University, Ballad Health, and others.
Additional links: Alan Levine, Ballad Health - Testimony, Brooks A. Keel, Augusta University - Testimony, Lisa Macon Harrison, National Association of County and City Health Officials - Testimony
Date: 10/2021
Sponsoring organization: House Energy and Commerce Committee, Subcommittee on Health
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