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Rural Health
News by Topic: Medicaid

Apr 28, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeking comments on the 2028 Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Quality Measure Set. The HCBS Quality Measure Set is a set of nationally standardized quality measures for Medicaid-funded HCBS intended to promote more common and consistent use of nationally standardized quality measures in HCBS programs within and across States, create opportunities for CMS and states to have comparative quality data on HCBS programs, and drive improvement in quality of care and outcomes for people receiving HCBS. Specifically, CMS seeks comments on proposed mandatory and voluntary measures for the 2028 HCBS Quality Measure Set; how States collect, calculate, and report data on the measures in the proposed 2028 HCBS Quality Measure Set; the proposed measures in the 2028 HCBS Quality Measure Set for which States are required to report stratified data, including rural/urban status; and more. Comments are due by May 28, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 22, 2026 - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is seeking comments on the following information collections: 1) Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) Regulations and 2) Granting and Withdrawal of Deeming Authority to Private Nonprofit Accreditation Organizations and CLIA Exemption Under State Laboratory Programs. Comments are due by June 22, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 9, 2026 - Announcement from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of receipt of an application from DNV Healthcare Inc. for continued recognition as a national accrediting organization for hospitals that wish to participate in the Medicare or Medicaid programs. Comments are due by May 11, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 6, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announcing the forthcoming release of the following public data assets in open, machine-readable formats under an open license, with utilization and payment data aggregated by provider and service: Original Medicare Physician & Other Practitioners; Original Medicare Inpatient Hospitals; Original Medicare Outpatient Hospitals; Medicare Part D Prescribers; Original Medicare Durable Medical Equipment, Devices and Supplies (DMEPOS) by referring provider and service; DMEPOS by supplier and service; and Medicaid Provider Spending.
Source: Federal Register
Mar 17, 2026 - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is seeking comments on the extension of an information collection titled "Medicaid Program Face-to-Face Requirements for Home Health Services and Supporting Regulations." Physicians must document that there was a face-to-face encounter with the Medicaid beneficiary prior to the physician certifying that home health services are required. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act permits nurse practitioners (NPs), clinical nurse specialists (CNSs), and physician assistants (PAs) to certify the need for home health services and to order services in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Comments are due by April 16, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Mar 10, 2026 - Highlights a pilot program in a rural Missouri community offering a coordinated response to health and social needs for Medicaid patients. The program allows hospitals and other organizations to refer patients to service providers and track whether their needs are getting addressed. Describes how the program was started, the federal waiver that allows the program to run, and the technology used for it. Discusses sustainability challenges common for rural service providers.
Source: The Beacon: Missouri
Mar 10, 2026 - Announcement from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the approval of the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities, dba QUAD A, for continued recognition as a national accrediting organization for Rural Health Clinics that wish to participate in the Medicare or Medicaid programs. This approval is applicable from March 23, 2026, through March 23, 2032.
Source: Federal Register