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Rural Health Information Hub
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
News by Topic: Healthcare quality

Jan 29, 2026 - Notice of proposed rulemaking from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeking comments on potential options for Medicare participating hospitals to help foster a more resilient supply chain for American-made personal protective equipment and essential medicines, as well as a possible new "Secure American Medical Supplies" friendly designation that could be earned by hospitals. Among other things, this notice also seeks input on a potential new structural quality measure as part of the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR) Program that could promote hospital commitments to invest in domestic procurement. Comments are due by March 30, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Jan 20, 2026 - 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)." This information collection is designed to provides facilities, states, regions, and the nation with data necessary to identify problem areas, measure the progress of prevention efforts, and ultimately eliminate healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) nationwide. Comments are due within 30 days of this notice.
Source: Federal Register
Jan 7, 2026 - The Quality Payment Program is seeking feedback from the general public on the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Value Pathway (MVP) candidates for 2027. Feedback will be reviewed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for consideration in future rulemaking. Comments are due February 6, 2026.
Source: Quality Payment Program, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Dec 22, 2025 - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is allowing an additional 30 days for comments on a proposed information collection project titled "National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Respiratory Data." This information collection is designed to standardize the data elements collected from across the country regarding the impact of respiratory viruses on healthcare facilities. Comments are due within 30 days of this notice.
Source: Federal Register
Dec 22, 2025 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is seeking comments on the following information collections: 1) External Quality Review (EQR) of Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Managed Care, EQR Protocols, and Supporting Regulations; and 2) Medicaid Drug Program. Comments are due by February 20, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Dec 17, 2025 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) making technical and typographical corrections to the August 5, 2025, final rule titled " Medicare Program; Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Prospective Payment System for Federal Fiscal Year 2026 and Updates to the IRF Quality Reporting Program."
Source: Federal Register
Dec 17, 2025 - Comments are being accepted for the 2025 Measures Under Consideration (MUC) List which includes 24 unique measures under consideration by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid for quality reporting purposes. Comments are also requested on 5 measures aligned with Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) priorities. Written comments are due January 6, 2026. Also offers opportunities for live comments during January 2026 listening sessions.
Source: Partnership for Quality Measurement
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
Dec 2, 2025 - Notice of a final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updating the home health payment rates for calendar year (CY) 2026. This rule also finalizes changes to the face-to-face encounter policy, Home Health Quality Reporting Program (HH QRP), and the expanded Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Model requirements; updates the Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program (CBP); and makes a technical change to the home health conditions of participation. Among other things, this rule also finalizes permanent and temporary behavior adjustments and recalibrates the case-mix weights and update the functional impairment levels; comorbidity subgroups; and low-utilization payment adjustment (LUPA) thresholds for CY 2026. These regulations are effective January 1, 2026.
Source: Federal Register