Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
News by Topic: Legislation and regulations

Apr 10, 2024 - Notice of final rule from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopting a Report and Order amending existing rules and requirements governing the management and administration of the Universal Service Fund (USF) high-cost program. Changes will streamline processes, align timelines, and refine certain rules to more precisely address specific situations experienced by carriers. This rule is effective May 10, 2024, except for amendments to sections 36.4 (amendatory instruction 2), 54.205 (amendatory instruction 7), 54.313 (amendatory instruction 10), 54.314 (amendatory instruction 11), 54.316 (amendatory instruction 13), 54.903 (amendatory instruction 18), and 54.1306 (amendatory instruction 22), which are delayed indefinitely.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 10, 2024 - Announces proposed bipartisan legislation modifying regulations for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in mountainous areas. Legislation would allow ambulatory services with enhanced Medicare payments as well as protecting CAH designation when a new facility is constructed within 15 miles.
Source: Office of Senator Joe Manchin
Apr 10, 2024 - Highlights the work of promotoras in rural Northern California including assisting eligible residents with enrolling in Medicaid. Discusses the impact of Health Provider Shortage Areas (HPSAs) on healthcare access, policy, and insurance access for undocumented farmworkers.
Source: Ethnic Media Services
Apr 10, 2024 - Discusses the need for mental health services in schools and how states around the country have used Medicaid reimbursement to fund those services. Notes recent policy changes that have made this possible and highlights challenges that remain in using Medicaid reimbursement, particularly for rural school districts.
Source: The Commonwealth Fund
Apr 4, 2024 - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is seeking comments on the following information collections: 1) Application for Enrollment in Medicare Part A Internet Claim (iClaim) Application Screen Modernized Claims System and Consolidated Claim Experience Screens and 2) CAHPS Hospice Survey. Comments are due by June 3, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 4, 2024 - Notice of a proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updating the hospice wage index, payment rates, and aggregate cap amount for fiscal year 2025. Includes proposals regarding changes to the Hospice Quality Reporting Program; the adoption of the most recent Office of Management and Budget statistical area delineations, which would change the hospice wage index; clarifications to current policy related to the "election statement" and the "notice of election;" and clarifying language regarding hospice certification. Among other things, this rule seeks comments regarding the potential implementation of a separate payment mechanism to account for high-intensity palliative care services. Includes rural considerations throughout. Comments are due by May 28, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 4, 2024 - Notice of proposed rule from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) seeking comments on the practical and policy issues related to the implementation of regulations regarding covered cyber incident and ransom payment reporting requirements for covered entities, as required by the Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act of 2022 (CIRCIA). Includes rural references throughout and encourages comments regarding the impact of proposed requirements on small entities. Comments are due by June 3, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 3, 2024 - Notice of proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updating the FY 2025 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. Includes proposed revisions to the patient-level adjustment factors, the Emergency Department adjustment, and the payment amount for electroconvulsive therapy; and seeks to adopt a new quality measure and modify reporting requirements under the IPF Quality Reporting Program beginning with the FY 2027 payment determination. Seeks comments regarding potential future revisions to the IPF prospective payment system (PPS) facility-level adjustments and the development of a standardized IPF Patient Assessment Instrument. Comments are due by May 28, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 3, 2024 - Notice of a proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that would update the skilled nursing facility (SNF) prospective payment system (PPS) payment rates for fiscal year 2025. Includes proposals to rebase and revise the SNF market basket to reflect a 2022 base year; update the wage index used under the SNF PPS to reflect data collected during the most recent decennial census; technical revisions to the code mappings used to classify patients under the Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM) to improve payment and coding accuracy; and update the requirements for the SNF Quality Reporting Program and the SNF Value-Based Purchasing Program. Among other things, this rule also includes proposals to strengthen nursing home enforcement requirements. Comments are due by May 28, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 3, 2024 - Notice of final rules from the Department of the Treasury, Department of Labor (DOL), and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) amending the definition of short-term, limited-duration insurance, which is excluded from the definition of individual health insurance coverage under the Public Health Service Act. This notice also amends the regulations for hospital indemnity or other fixed indemnity insurance to be considered an excepted benefit in the group and individual health insurance markets. These regulations are effective June 17, 2024.
Source: Federal Register