Rural Health
News by Topic: Legislation and regulations
Mar 22, 2024 - Announcement from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the approval of the Utilization Review Accreditation Commission (URAC) as a national accrediting organization providing home infusion therapy services that wish to participate in the Medicare or Medicaid programs. The approval is effective March 27, 2024, through March 27, 2030.
Source: Federal Register
FDA: Revocation of Six Authorizations of Emergency Use of In Vitro Diagnostic Device for Detection and/or Diagnosis of COVID-19; Availability
Federal Register
Mar 21, 2024 - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has revoked 6 Emergency Use Authorizations issued to Life Technologies Corp.; Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.; Revvity, Inc.; bioMérieux SA; and Luminex Corp. related to COVID-19 detection and diagnosis tests.
Source: Federal Register
RHS: Section 538 Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program Change in Priority Projects Criteria
Federal Register
Mar 19, 2024 - Notice of final rule from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Housing Service (RHS) amending the current regulation for the Multifamily Family Housing (MFH) Section 538 Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program (GRRHP). These changes are designed to provide RHS with flexibility in its decision-making to fully address these evolving priorities in housing market demands without regulatory changes to the priority-points scoring criteria and improve the customer experience with more timely and proactive responses to housing market demands without frequent regulatory changes. This rule is effective April 18, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
CMS: Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request
Federal Register
Mar 18, 2024 - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is seeking comments on the extension of an information collection titled "Disclosure Requirement for the In-Office Ancillary Services Exception." CMS will use the information collected to enforce the requirement that physicians who provide certain imaging services (MRI, CT, and PET) under the in-office ancillary services exception to the physician self-referral prohibition must provide the disclosure notice as well as the list of other imaging suppliers to the patient. Comments are due by May 17, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
RHS: Changes Related to Reserve Account Administration in Multi-Family Housing (MFH) Direct Loan Programs
Federal Register
Mar 18, 2024 - Notice of final rule from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Housing Service (RHS) updating its regulations and implementing changes related to the administration of property reserve accounts under the Multi-Family Housing (MFH) section 515, Rural Rental Housing (RRH), and section 514, 516 Farm Labor Housing (FLH) programs in order to increase flexibility in project refinancing for additional capital improvements. This rule is effective April 17, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Mar 14, 2024 - Announces proposed bipartisan legislation aiming to reduce burdens on rural Medicare patients seeking healthcare in an Accountable Care Organization (ACO). The bill expands the ability of Medicare beneficiaries to be assigned to an ACO by allowing assignments based on primary care visits performed by nurse practitioners, physician assistants, or clinical nurse specialists.
Source: Office of Representative Suzan DelBene
Mar 14, 2024 - Following an annual assessment of telecommunications capability, the Federal Communications Commission has raised the benchmark for broadband download and upload speeds. Notes that broadband deployment in rural and tribal areas is not happening in a reasonable timeframe.
Source: Federal Communications Commission
CMS: Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request
Federal Register
Mar 13, 2024 - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is
seeking comments on the following information collections:
1) Ambulatory Surgical Center Conditions for Coverage; 2)
Implementation of the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (PDP)
and Medicare Advantage (MA) Plan Disenrollment Reasons
Survey; and 3) Transitional Pass through payments related
to Drugs, Biologicals, and Radiopharmaceuticals to
determine eligibility under the Outpatient Prospective
Payment System. Comments are due by May 13, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Mar 12, 2024 - Offers overview of a meeting between the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, other Administration officials, and healthcare stakeholders related to the Change Healthcare cyberattack. Highlights key actions taken by the Administration to address impacts.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Mar 11, 2024 - Offers overview of priorities in the proposed Fiscal Year 2025 Budget for the Health Resources & Services Administration including youth mental health, maternity care deserts, access to primary care, opioid treatment and recovery, the healthcare workforce, and organ donation. Discusses rural specific needs throughout.
Source: Health Resources & Services Administration