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Rural Health Information Hub
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
News by Topic: Healthcare facilities

Dec 1, 2023 - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is seeking comments on the following information collections: 1) National Implementation of the Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (OAS CAHPS) Survey and 2) Collection of Encounter Data from MA Organizations, Section 1876 Cost HMOs/CMPs, MMPs, and PACE Organizations. Comments are due by January 30, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 27, 2023 - Highlights the New England Telehealth Consortium (NETC) which is celebrating its 10th anniversary. NETC works to increase and maintain broadband and telehealth infrastructure for rural healthcare providers in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Discusses previous successes of NETC and future goals.
Source: Bangor Daily News
Nov 24, 2023 - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is seeking comments on the following information collections: 1) Application for Enrollment in Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance); 2) National Implementation of the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) Survey; 3) CMS Health Equity Award—Call for Nominations; and 4) Withholding Medicare Payments to Recover Medicaid Overpayments and Supporting Regulations in 42 CFR 447.31. Comments are due by December 26, 2023.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 23, 2023 - Highlights a mobile dental clinic offering free services to uninsured and poor rural Missourians. Discusses the clinic's business model and the impact of dental health on larger health outcomes.
Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Nov 22, 2023 - Notice of final rule with comment period from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) revising the Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Medicare Ambulatory Surgical Center (ACS) payment system for calendar year 2024. This rule also updates and refines the requirements for the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR) Program, ASC Quality Reporting (ASCQR) Program, and the Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Program and would establish payment for certain intensive outpatient services under Medicare. Among other things, this notice also makes changes to the community mental health center (CMHC) Conditions of Participation (CoPs) to provide requirements for furnishing intensive outpatient (IOP) services and finalizes a technical correction to the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) Conditions of Participation and outlines a payment methodology for Indian Health Service (IHS) hospitals that convert to REH status. These regulations are effective on January 1, 2024. Comments are due by January 1, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 22, 2023 - Planned hospitals in the Texas Panhandle will increase access to mental healthcare, including inpatient care, for rural residents. Describes current distance to care for residents and the impact on the local criminal justice system. Highlights local efforts to improve the mental health of the residents and the gaps the hospitals will fill.
Source: The Texas Tribune
Nov 17, 2023 - Notice of final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) implementing portions of section 6101 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which requires the disclosure of certain ownership, managerial, and other information regarding Medicare skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and Medicaid nursing facilities. This rule also finalizes definitions of a private equity company and real estate investment trust for Medicare provider enrollment purposes. These regulations are effective January 16, 2023.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 16, 2023 - Notice of final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) making changes to the following: 1) Physician Fee Schedule and Medicare Part B payment policies; 2) payment for dental services inextricably linked to specific covered medical services; 3) Medicare Shared Savings Program requirements; 4) updates to the Quality Payment Program; 5) Medicare coverage of opioid use disorder services furnished by opioid treatment programs; 6) updates to certain Medicare and Medicaid provider enrollment policies; 7) electronic prescribing for controlled substances for a covered Part D drug under a prescription drug plan or an MA-PD plan; 8) updates to the Ambulance Fee Schedule regulations and the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System; 9) expansion of the diabetes screening and diabetes definitions; 10) pulmonary rehabilitation, cardiac rehabilitation and intensive cardiac rehabilitation expansion of supervising practitioners; 11) appropriate use criteria for advanced diagnostic imaging; 12) early release of Medicare Advantage risk adjustment data; and 13) a social determinants of health risk assessment in the annual wellness visit and Basic Health Program. This rule also codifies provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act and Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023. Includes rural references throughout. These regulations are effective on January 1, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 15, 2023 - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is allowing an additional 30 days for comments on a proposed information collection project titled "National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN)." NHSN is used to track healthcare-associated infections and the extent to which healthcare facilities adhere to infection prevention practices and antimicrobial stewardship. The proposed changes in this information collection request include revisions to 23 existing data collection forms and nine new forms. Comments are due within 30 days of this notice.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 14, 2023 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeking comments on the revision of an information collection request titled "Implementation of Medicare Programs;—Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program" reflecting changes outlined in the FY 2024 Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS)/Long-term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System (LTCH PPS) final rule. Comments are due by January 16, 2024.
Source: Federal Register