Rural Health
News by Topic: Health workforce
Dec 4, 2025 - Highlights Montana State University's Center for Research on Rural Education after a decade of work. Discusses access to mental health professionals in schools, mental health awareness building among students, and support for recruiting and retaining teachers.
Source: MSU News
Dec 4, 2025 - Highlights the work of the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine in supporting rural health across the state. Discusses their work in securing funding for expanding medical training, partnering with the state's Medicaid program to advance maternal health outcomes, and supporting the emergency care workforce through professional development.
Source: Nevada Today
CMS: Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Repeal of Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities
Federal Register
Dec 3, 2025 - Notice of interim final rule with comment from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) repealing provisions of the May 10, 2024, final rule titled "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting." This interim final rule removes the minimum staffing requirements outlined in the May 10, 2024, final rule and reinstates nurse staffing requirements set forth in the October 4, 2016, final rule. These regulations are effective on February 2, 2026. Comments are due by February 2, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
CMS: Medicare, Medicaid, and Children's Health Insurance Programs; Provider Enrollment Application Fee Amount for Calendar Year 2026
Federal Register
Dec 3, 2025 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announcing the application fee for providers initially enrolling in the Medicare or Medicaid programs, or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP); revalidating their Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP enrollment; or adding a new Medicare practice location. The new fee is $750 and is required for applications submitted January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Dec 2, 2025 - Announces that components of a 2024 regulation establishing federal requirements for nursing home staffing has been repealed. Discusses the burden that had been placed on rural and tribal facilities as a result of the rule.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Dec 2, 2025 - Discusses challenges with maintaining infrastructure, essential services, and emergency healthcare in a rural New York county due to workforce shortages. Describes contributors to the shortage including a small pool of workers, limited housing, and an aging population.
Source: Adirondack Explorer
NCD: Request for Information; Disability Clinical Care
Federal Register
Dec 1, 2025 - The National Council on Disability (NCD) is requesting information to inform a policy brief discussing disability clinical care and competency training of medical professionals. Questions for consideration include challenges in incorporating disability clinical care in formal training, application of disability clinical care training to other populations, behavior and attitudes of trained healthcare providers, and existing resources and standards of learning to inform required standards of learning development. Comments are due January 6, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Dec 1, 2025 - Highlights the work of rural pharmacists around New Mexico and their paths to rural practice. Discusses initiatives to address primary care physician shortages by increasing a pharmacist's scope of practice, efforts to recruit rural students to the pharmacy field, and networking across the state.
Source: UNM Health Sciences News
Nov 25, 2025 - Notice of final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) making changes to the Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and the Medicare Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) payment system for calendar year 2026, including changes to the amounts and factors used to determine the payment rates for Medicare services paid under the OPPS and those paid under the ASC payment systems. Among other things, this rule also updates the requirements for the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting Program, Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting Program, Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting Program, Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating, and hospitals to make public their standard charge information and enforcement of hospital price transparency. This rule also announces the closure of a teaching hospital and the opportunity to apply for available slots. This rule is effective January 1, 2026. Applications for available resident spots are due by February 19, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 25, 2025 - Profiles a rural general surgeon practicing in rural Kansas. Describes her path to rural practice beginning with an undergraduate rural pipeline program.
Source: KU School of Medicine Wichita