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Rural Health Information Hub
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
News by Topic: Policy

Nov 18, 2025 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeking comments on an information collection titled "Medicare Authorization to Disclose Personal Health Information." Medicare beneficiaries will use the Medicare Authorization to Disclose Personal Health Information to authorize Medicare to disclose their protected health information to a third party. Comments are due by December 18, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 18, 2025 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announcing the re-establishment of a matching program between CMS and State-Based Administering Entities (AEs), titled "Determining Eligibility for Enrollment in Applicable State Health Subsidy Programs Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act." The matching program will enable CMS to provide information to AEs to assist in verifying applicant information to determine applicants' eligibility for enrollment in applicable state health subsidy programs, as required by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. Comments are due by December 18, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 17, 2025 - Announces the 2026 cohort of National Rural Health Association Rural Health Fellows, a program designed to develop rural health leaders.
Source: National Rural Health Association
Nov 17, 2025 - Pre-publication notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announcing the inpatient hospital deductible and coinsurance amounts for hospital and extended care services provided during calendar year 2026 under Medicare's Hospital Insurance Program (Medicare Part A). These rates are effective on January 1, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 17, 2025 - Pre-publication notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announcing Medicare's Hospital Insurance (Part A) premium for uninsured enrollees in calendar year (CY) 2026. The premium is paid by enrollees aged 65 and over who are not otherwise eligible for Part A benefits and by certain disabled individuals who have exhausted other entitlement. This premium is effective on January 1, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 17, 2025 - Pre-publication notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announcing the monthly actuarial rates for beneficiaries enrolled in Part B of the Medicare Supplementary Medical Insurance (SMI) program beginning January 1, 2026. It also announces the monthly premium, the deductible for 2026, and income-related monthly adjustment amounts for beneficiaries with modified adjusted gross income above certain threshold amounts. These rates are effective on January 1, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 12, 2025 - Highlights 2 new California laws aiming to increase access to maternal healthcare services in rural areas. One law creates a 10 year pilot program to operate standby maternity units for emergency care rather than maintaining staff full time. A second law relaxes licensing rules for birth centers. Discusses new maternity care options as a result of the new policies in Plumas County where a maternity ward closed in 2022.
Source: Cal Matters
Nov 10, 2025 - Discusses the high suicide rates for older adult men in the mountain west. Notes that terminal illness, finances, and access to firearms combined with stigma related to mental health are factors in the high rates. Describes Donna's Law as a policy measure to reduce rates of suicide with a firearm.
Source: KUNC
Nov 5, 2025 - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) announce that all 50 states applied for funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP). RHTP goals include supporting rural health innovation, improving sustainability, workforce development, new models of care delivery, and expanding technology access and utilization. Funding decisions will be announced by December 31, 2025.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Nov 5, 2025 - Notice of a final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) addressing: 1) changes to the Physician Fee Schedule and Medicare Part B payment policies; 2) policies for the Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; 3) the Ambulatory Specialty Model; 4) updates to the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program expanded model; 5) updates to drugs and biological products paid under Part B; 6) Medicare Shared Savings Program requirements; 7) updates to the Quality Payment Program; 8) updates to policies for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs); 9) updates to the Ambulance Fee Schedule regulations; 10) codification of the Inflation Reduction Act and Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 provisions; and 11) updates to the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program. These regulations are effective January 1, 2026.
Source: Federal Register