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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Top Stories

Top news stories from the past 60 days. For more, see news by topic or news by state.

Jul 15, 2025 - Notice of a proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) addressing: 1) changes to the Physician Fee Schedule and Medicare Part B payment policies; 2) policies for the Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; 3) the Ambulatory Specialty Model; 4) updates to the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program expanded model; 5) updates to drugs and biological products paid under Part B; 6) Medicare Shared Savings Program requirements; 7) updates to the Quality Payment Program; 8) updates to policies for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs); 9) updates to the Ambulance Fee Schedule regulations; 10) codification of the Inflation Reduction Act and Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 provisions; and 11) updates to the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program. Comments are due on September 12, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Jul 1, 2025 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announcing a 6-year model, the Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) Model. The WISeR Model will test the implementation of technology-enabled prior authorization processes for select services, with the aim of reducing fraud, waste (including low-value care), and abuse in Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) in six states: Arizona, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, and Washington. This notice is effective January 1, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Jun 27, 2025 - The Consensus-Based Entity (CBE) Report on 2024 Activities to Congress and the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Secretary's comments on the report, are published by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in the Federal Register in accordance with the Social Security Act. The report includes a summary of the CBE's consideration of challenges related to quality measure reporting for rural providers and rural facilities, and shares recommendations to improve rural health.
Source: Federal Register
Jun 25, 2025 - Notice of final rule related to implementation of Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and Health Insurance Marketplace. Among other things, this rule revises standards relating to past-due premium payments; establishes the evidentiary standard HHS uses to assess an agent's, broker's, or web-broker's potential noncompliance; revises standards related to income eligibility verifications for premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions, annual eligibility redetermination, the annual open enrollment period and special enrollment periods; and more. These regulations are effective August 25, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Jun 24, 2025 - Announces new requirements for HRSA-funded health centers to provide insulin and injectable epinephrine to low-income patients at or below the price paid by health centers through the 340B Drug Pricing Program.
Source: Health Resources & Services Administration
Jun 24, 2025 - Advises health and public health organizations to prepare for the potential of increased cyber threats. Includes suggestions such as reviewing vulnerability management strategies, contingency plans, and implementing increased actions and routines focused on a defensive cybersecurity position. Shares the related Department of Homeland Security (DHS) National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS) Bulletin and additional resources to enhance cybersecurity for health and public health organizations.
Source: Office of Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection (OCIP), Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR)
Jun 17, 2025 - Announces the disclosure avoidance research program for the upcoming 2030 Census that is intended to improve statistical safeguards to keep public response data confidential, and ensure the quality and usability of the resulting data products and publications. Covers research objectives, background information on decision points and processes, and a timeline for completing and implementing the disclosure avoidance research leading up to the 2030 Census.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Jun 17, 2025 - Announces the first cohort of the new Rural Hospital Stabilization Program (RHSP) consisting of 8 rural hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) across the U.S. RHSP is supported by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) and administered by the National Rural Health Resource Center to provide technical assistance and recommendations to rural hospitals on financial assessments, operational performance, and opportunities to fill gaps and enhance healthcare services for the communities and populations they serve.
Source: National Rural Health Resource Center

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