Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Health Clinics (RHCs).
Cybersecurity Lockdown
Recording of a December 6, 2023, webinar on cybersecurity threats and attacks. Discusses who is after healthcare data, why providers have a professional responsibility to address these threats proactively, and what providers can do today to limit their impact. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 12/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Recording of a December 6, 2023, webinar on cybersecurity threats and attacks. Discusses who is after healthcare data, why providers have a professional responsibility to address these threats proactively, and what providers can do today to limit their impact. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 12/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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RHC Emergency Preparedness 101
Recording of a November 7, 2023, webinar on Rural Health Clinic (RHC) emergency preparedness requirements. Provides an overview of the regulatory and interpretive guidance requirements and discusses the components of an emergency preparedness manual. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 11/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Recording of a November 7, 2023, webinar on Rural Health Clinic (RHC) emergency preparedness requirements. Provides an overview of the regulatory and interpretive guidance requirements and discusses the components of an emergency preparedness manual. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 11/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Calendar Year (CY) 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare payments under the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and other Medicare Part B issues for calendar year 2024. Summarizes provisions related to paying separately for Community Health Integration, Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Risk Assessment, and Principal Illness Navigation services; telehealth services; mental health visits furnished by Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs); including marriage and family therapists and mental health counselors as eligible for payment at RHCs and FQHCs; and more.
Date: 11/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare payments under the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and other Medicare Part B issues for calendar year 2024. Summarizes provisions related to paying separately for Community Health Integration, Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Risk Assessment, and Principal Illness Navigation services; telehealth services; mental health visits furnished by Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs); including marriage and family therapists and mental health counselors as eligible for payment at RHCs and FQHCs; and more.
Date: 11/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Medicare Payment Basics: Federally Qualified Health Center and Rural Health Clinic Payment Systems
Presents an overview of Medicare payments for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Details how the all-inclusive rate (AIR) is calculated for RHCs and how the national statutory payment limit applies to provider-based RHCs enrolled in Medicare before December 31, 2020, and whether they part of a hospital with fewer than 50 beds. Includes information on special payment rules for certain services provided by FQHCs and RHCs.
Date: 10/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Presents an overview of Medicare payments for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Details how the all-inclusive rate (AIR) is calculated for RHCs and how the national statutory payment limit applies to provider-based RHCs enrolled in Medicare before December 31, 2020, and whether they part of a hospital with fewer than 50 beds. Includes information on special payment rules for certain services provided by FQHCs and RHCs.
Date: 10/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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New Research Shows RHC Program Continues to Grow
Explores trends in the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) landscape between 2020-2022 using data from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) Quality, Certification, and Oversight Reports (QCOR). Presents data and maps on the number of RHCs that opened, closed, had a CMS Certification Number (CCN) change, and are no longer operating as an RHC by state and free-standing or provider-based status.
Date: 09/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: NARHC Research and Education Foundation, National Association of Rural Health Clinics, National Center for the Analysis of Healthcare Data (NCAHD)
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Explores trends in the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) landscape between 2020-2022 using data from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) Quality, Certification, and Oversight Reports (QCOR). Presents data and maps on the number of RHCs that opened, closed, had a CMS Certification Number (CCN) change, and are no longer operating as an RHC by state and free-standing or provider-based status.
Date: 09/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: NARHC Research and Education Foundation, National Association of Rural Health Clinics, National Center for the Analysis of Healthcare Data (NCAHD)
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Availability of Primary Care Safety Net Providers in Minoritized Racial/Ethnic Group Areas
Explores the availability of primary care safety net providers - Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) - nationwide across ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) categorized by rurality and racial and ethnic composition in 2020. Provides data on the median distance to any FQHC by ZCTA urban-rural status and minoritized ethnic and racial group (MRG) category, as well as the median distance to an RHC by MRG ZCTA status among rural ZCTAs.
Author(s): Melinda A. Merrell, Whitney E. Zahnd, Gabriel A. Benavidez, et al.
Date: 08/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
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Explores the availability of primary care safety net providers - Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) - nationwide across ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) categorized by rurality and racial and ethnic composition in 2020. Provides data on the median distance to any FQHC by ZCTA urban-rural status and minoritized ethnic and racial group (MRG) category, as well as the median distance to an RHC by MRG ZCTA status among rural ZCTAs.
Author(s): Melinda A. Merrell, Whitney E. Zahnd, Gabriel A. Benavidez, et al.
Date: 08/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
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RHC Cost Reporting 101 Webinar
Recording of an August 7, 2023, webinar providing an overview of cost reporting for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Covers relevant Medicare regulations, differences between provider-based and independent RHC cost reporting, and key cost report drivers. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides, Transcript
Date: 08/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Recording of an August 7, 2023, webinar providing an overview of cost reporting for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Covers relevant Medicare regulations, differences between provider-based and independent RHC cost reporting, and key cost report drivers. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides, Transcript
Date: 08/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Interim CMS Rural Health Clinic (RHC) Rural Location Determinations Due to Census Bureau (CB) Regulatory Changes
Describes how 2022 Census Bureau changes to urban and rural definitions impact the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) eligibility determinations. Details the interim process the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will use for making RHC rural location determinations.
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Describes how 2022 Census Bureau changes to urban and rural definitions impact the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) eligibility determinations. Details the interim process the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will use for making RHC rural location determinations.
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Medicare Claims Processing Manual: Chapter 9 - Rural Health Clinics/Federally Qualified Health Centers
Describes the differences between Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Identifies the rules and regulations for processing Medicare claims.
Date: 06/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Describes the differences between Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Identifies the rules and regulations for processing Medicare claims.
Date: 06/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs): CMS Flexibilities to Fight COVID-19
Outlines specific regulatory waivers and Medicare flexibilities for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Includes information on payments for telehealth services, COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and more. Identifies whether each waiver or flexibility was terminated, ended at the conclusion of the public health emergency, was extended, or became permanent.
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Outlines specific regulatory waivers and Medicare flexibilities for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Includes information on payments for telehealth services, COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and more. Identifies whether each waiver or flexibility was terminated, ended at the conclusion of the public health emergency, was extended, or became permanent.
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Last Updated: 6/12/2024