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Rural Health Information Hub
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
News by Topic: Healthcare facilities

Feb 11, 2026 - Chartis Center for Rural Health has announced results of its annual awards program, based on data from the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX. The program recognizes outstanding performance among rural hospitals.
Source: Business Wire
Feb 11, 2026 - An evaluation of the Pennsylvania Rural Health Model, describing changes intended to improve care quality, increase access to preventive services, and address local community health needs.
Source: Heath Affairs
Feb 11, 2026 - An analysis published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons found that rural adults with colon or lung cancer who had surgery for cancer closer to their homes had similar outcomes to those who went to more distant urban facilities. The study provides preliminary evidence that complex surgery for some cancers can be performed and with good results at smaller community hospitals.
Source: Medical Life Sciences News
Feb 11, 2026 - Congressional representatives Andrea Salinas (OR), John Moolenaar (MI), Jill Tokuda (HI), and James Moylan (Guam) have introduced the Rural Health Care Facilities Revitalization Act, a bill to strengthen the nation's rural healthcare infrastructure and ease financial pressures faced by rural hospitals. The bill authorizes rural health facilities to use Community Facility Loans or loan guarantees from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to refinance debt, update technology, and support operating expenses to ensure financial stability.
Source: Office of Congresswoman Andrea Salinas
Feb 9, 2026 - The Alabama Rural Hospital Investment Program, approved during the 2024 legislative session, reached its tax credit cap in just one month. The program encourages donations through tax credits, and officials from the Alabama Rural Hospital Association hope the cap can be increased, so that more hospitals can benefit from the program.
Source: News 4
Feb 9, 2026 - Announces new requests for proposals (RFPs) as part of Delaware's Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) efforts. The RFPs call for projects supporting opening Delaware's first medical school, opening new school-based health centers, establishing nutrition-based infrastructure, and supporting mobile health units and other community-based health access points. Describes Delaware's RHTP goals and how to apply. Notes that additional RFPs will be announced in the spring.
Source: Delaware.gov News
Feb 6, 2026 - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is seeking comments on the following information collections: 1) Emergency Preparedness Requirements for Medicare and Medicaid Participating Providers and Suppliers; 2) 13th SOW Quality Innovation Network—Quality Improvement Organization (QIN-QIO) and American Indian Alaskan Native (AIAN) Measure Data Collection; and 3) Conditions of Participation for Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities' (PRTFs) Use of Restraint & Seclusion. Comments are due by March 9, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Feb 4, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeking comments on the reinstatement of an information collection titled "Requirements Related to Surprise Billing; Part II." This information collection has two components: 1) good faith estimates and 2) certification and recertification of SDR entities. Comments are due by April 6, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Feb 3, 2026 - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is seeking comments on the following information collections: 1) Bid Pricing Tool (BPT) for Medicare Advantage (MA) Plans and Prescription Drug Plans (PDP); and 2) Complaints Submission Process under the No Surprises Act. Comments are due by March 5, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Feb 2, 2026 - Notice of final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) closing a loophole in a regulatory statistical test applied to State proposals for Medicaid tax waivers. The loophole allows some healthcare-related taxes, especially taxes on managed care organizations, to be imposed at higher tax rates on Medicaid taxable units than non-Medicaid taxable units. This rule adds additional safeguards to ensure that tax waivers that exploit the loophole are not approved. This final rule also summarizes comments CMS received in response to the proposed rule, including the impact of changes to healthcare-related tax revenues on rural providers. These regulations are effective April 3, 2026.
Source: Federal Register