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Rural Health Information Hub
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
News by Topic: Healthcare facilities

Aug 13, 2026 - Announces $102 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to expand the Health Center Program. Notes that this program provides comprehensive primary care to 1 in 5 rural residents.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Aug 12, 2026 - Offers recommendations and highlights rural assets for maternal healthcare, based on insights from leaders of 3 rural Iowa hospitals. Discusses upskilling and training the workforce, adapting guidelines, driving change, provider-patient relationships, and professional networking.
Source: Institute for Healthcare Improvement
Aug 11, 2026 - Notice from the Health Resources and Services Administration providing the Health Center Program Scope of Project Policy Manual which offers guidance on the Health Center Program project under section 330 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act. Also includes a link to comments on a previous draft of the manual.
Source: Federal Register
Aug 4, 2026 - Notice of a final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) revising the hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) for operating and capital-related costs of acute care hospitals for fiscal year 2027. This rule also makes changes to Medicare graduate medical education (GME) for teaching hospitals; payment policies and the annual payment rates for the Medicare prospective payment system (PPS) for inpatient hospital services provided by long-term care hospitals; and requirements for certain quality programs, among other things. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) also adopts certain health information technology (health IT) standards and specifications on behalf of HHS. These regulations are effective October 1, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Aug 4, 2026 - The American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer has added a new accreditation category for rural hospitals with the goal of improving healthcare quality and outcomes for cancer patients. Notes that there are fewer accredited hospitals and less access to specialty care in rural areas.
Source: PR Newswire
Aug 3, 2026 - Highlights a new medical center opening between Oklahoma City and a tribal reservation. The medical center is intended to bring healthcare services closer to Chickasaw Nation. The facility will include inpatient care, surgical services, labor and delivery, dental care, a pharmacy, research space, and more.
Source: KOSU, NPR
Aug 3, 2026 - Notice of a final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updating the prospective payment system (PPS) rates for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) for fiscal year 2027. Among other things, this rule includes classification and weighting factors for the IRF prospective payment system's case-mix groups, finalizes the third and final year of the 3-year phase-out of the rural adjustments, and updates the IRF Quality Reporting Program and changes to the Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program. This rule also summarizes comments received in response to requests for information regarding alternative data sources for the IRF PPS wage index and potential future IRF PPS payment reform. These regulations are effective October 1, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Aug 3, 2026 - Offers data showing use of Health Resource and Services Administration (HRSA)-funded health centers in 2025, noting that health centers saw the highest number of patients in the program's history. Rural areas saw the most growth. Also discusses funding for supporting food-based interventions, healthcare quality, and the role of health centers as training sites for the future health workforce.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Aug 3, 2026 - Notice announcing that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will hold an open meeting on August 6, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. Eastern. Agenda items include a discussion of a Third Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Order that would seek comment on several improvements to the Rural Health Care Program, among other things. The meeting can be viewed on the FCC website.
Source: Federal Register
Jul 31, 2026 - Notice of final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updating the FY 2027 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. Among other things, this rule also refines the IPF PPS outlier policy, implements a standardized IPF patient assessment, and removes two measures used in the IPF Quality Reporting Program. These regulations are effective October 1, 2026.
Source: Federal Register