Rural Hospitals – News
News stories from the past 60 days.
Jul 2, 2024 - A policy brief from the National Rural Health Association notes that cyberattacks at healthcare facilities have increased more than 125% since 2023. Rural hospitals typically have an older IT infrastructure and inadequate IT staffing, which makes them particularly vulnerable. Microsoft and Google are offering free or discounted services to rural hospitals to help them prevent cyberattacks.
Source: The Daily Yonder
Jun 28, 2024 - Washington Senator Maria Cantwell cosponsored legislation aiming to increase rural hospitals' reimbursements through Medicaid, in order to help keep maternity wards open in rural Washington communities. The legislation would give rural hospitals and hospitals with a high percentage of births among Medicaid patients a 150% Medicaid reimbursement rate.
Source: Northwest Public Broadcasting
Jun 4, 2024 - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is seeking comments on a proposed information collection project titled "National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Coronavirus (COVID-19) Surveillance in Healthcare Facilities." This information collection is designed to standardize the data elements collected from across the country regarding the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare facilities. Comments are due by August 5, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Jun 4, 2024 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) making technical and typographical corrections to the May 2, 2024, proposed rule regarding changes to the hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) for operating and capital-related costs of acute care hospitals for fiscal year 2025.
Source: Federal Register
May 16, 2024 - The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust will provide more than $30 million in grants to health systems in Minnesota and Nevada to support ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) programs. ECMO provides cardiac and respiratory support for those whose heart or lungs cannot provide adequate oxygen, gas exchange, or blood supply.
Source: HealthLeaders
May 16, 2024 - The Senate Finance Committee heard from hospital leaders and healthcare experts, with the goal of finding ways to help rural hospitals find funding to stay open. Senator Ron Wyden and others said the issue is complicated and requires a multi-pronged approach. Discussion included the need for maternity care in rural hospitals.
Source: Oregon Capital Chronicle
May 15, 2024 - Senators Jerry Moran of Kansas and Tina Smith of Minnesota introduced the Rural Emergency Hospital Improvement Act, which would expand access to federal resources for rural hospitals. The legislation would increase opportunities for Critical Access Hospitals and rural hospitals to convert to Rural Emergency Hospital status.
Source: Office of Senator Jerry Moran
Last Updated: 7/2/2024