Rural Health
News by Topic: Behavioral health

CMS: Medicare and Medicaid Programs; CY 2025 Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Changes to Part B Payment and Coverage Policies; Medicare Shared Savings Program Requirements; Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program; and Medicare Overpayments; and Appeal Rights for Certain Changes in Patient Status; Corrections and Correcting Amendment Federal Register

May 16, 2025 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) making technical and typographic corrections to the December 9, 2024, final rule and the December 30, 2024, correcting amendment. The corrections and correcting amendment are effective May 16, 2025, and applicable beginning January 1, 2025.

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VA: Staff Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program Funding Opportunity Federal Register

May 15, 2025 - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announces the availability of funds for suicide prevention grants under the Staff Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program (SSG Fox SPGP). The purpose of the SSG Fox SPGP is to reduce veteran suicide by expanding suicide prevention programs for veterans through grants to entities that will provide or coordinate the provision of suicide prevention services to eligible individuals and their families. This notice replaces the May 8, 2025, notice. This is a 1-year award with the option to renew for an additional year, pending availability of funds and grantee performance. Applications are due by July 18, 2025.

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HHS: Notification of HHS Documents Identified for Rescission Federal Register

May 14, 2025 - Notice from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) rescinding four informal guidance documents: 1) Extension of Designation of Scarce Materials or Threatened Materials Subject to COVID-19 Hoarding Prevention Measures; Extension of Effective Date With Modification; 2) Opioid Drugs in Maintenance and Detoxification Treatment of Opiate Addiction; Repeal of Current Regulations and Issuance of New Regulations: Delay of Effective Date and Resultant Amendments to the Final Rule; 3) Practice Guidelines for the Administration of Buprenorphine for Treating Opioid Use Disorder; and 4) Notification of Interpretation and Enforcement of Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.

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VA: Staff Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program Funding Opportunity Federal Register

May 8, 2025 - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announces the availability of funds for suicide prevention grants under the Staff Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program (SSG Fox SPGP). The purpose of the SSG Fox SPGP is to reduce veteran suicide by expanding suicide prevention programs for veterans through grants to entities that will provide or coordinate the provision of suicide prevention services to eligible individuals and their families. This is a 1-year award with the option to renew for an additional year, pending availability of funds and grantee performance. Applications are due by July 11, 2025.

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CMS: Medicare Program; FY 2026 Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities Prospective Payment System-Rate Update Federal Register

Apr 30, 2025 - Notice of a proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updating the FY 2026 prospective payment rates, outlier threshold, and wage index for Medicare inpatient hospital services provided by inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPF), including psychiatric hospitals and excluded psychiatric units of an acute care hospital or Critical Access Hospital. Includes a proposed revision to the payment adjustment factors for teaching status and for IPFs in rural areas. This proposed rule also proposes changes to measures used in the Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities Quality Reporting (IPFQR) Program and changes to update and codify the Extraordinary Circumstances Exception policy. Among other things, this rule seeks comments regarding potential future revisions to the IPFQR Program. Comments are due by June 10, 2025.

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DEA: Expansion of Buprenorphine Treatment via Telemedicine Encounter and Continuity of Care via Telemedicine for Veterans Affairs Patients Federal Register

Mar 24, 2025 - Notice of final rule from the Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) further delaying the January 17, 2025, final rules titled "Expansion of Buprenorphine Treatment via Telemedicine Encounter" and "Continuity of Care via Telemedicine for Veterans Affairs Patients." These final rules will now be effective December 31, 2025.

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