Rural Health
News by Topic: Health workforce
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- Announces that components of a 2024 regulation establishing federal requirements for nursing home staffing has been repealed.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