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

Rural Health
News by Topic: Policy

Jul 23, 2026 - Notice of a proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposing the revision of standards for determining whether an indirect hold harmless arrangement exists for a healthcare-related tax. Also proposes sunsetting a secondary prong to the indirect hold harmless determination to ensure the thresholds determined as of July 4, 2025, serve as the maximum permissible level and adding a new permissible class to enhance CMS oversight of healthcare-related taxes. Comments are due by September 21, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Jul 23, 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: Medicaid Provider Spending by National Drug Code (NDC) and Medicaid Provider Enrollment Segments.
Source: Federal Register
Jul 21, 2026 - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is seeking comments on the following information collections: 1) Transformed—Medicaid Statistical Information System (T-MSIS) and 2) the In-Center Hemodialysis Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Survey Mode Experiment. Comments are due by September 21, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Jul 21, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services making technical and typographical corrections to the May 20, 2026, final rule. These corrections are effective July 20, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Jul 20, 2026 - Notice from the U.S. Census Bureau seeking comments on the proposed extension of an information collection titled "Generic Clearance for Internet Panel Pretesting and Qualitative Survey Methods Testing." The clearance will be used to conduct pretesting of decennial and demographic census and survey questionnaires, as well as communications and marketing strategies and data dissemination tools for the Census Bureau, prior to fielding them. Comments are due by September 18, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Jul 20, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeking comments on draft guidance for the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program regarding manufacturer effectuation of the maximum fair price in 2028 for the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA). Comments are due by September 18, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Jul 20, 2026 - Announces a new free program for rural hospital administrators and other leaders in Texas to provide professional development and continuing education. The program was created through state legislation and is expected to launch in 2027.
Source: Crossroads Today
Jul 17, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeking comments on the following information collections: 1) Application To Be a Qualified Entity to Receive Medicare Data for Performance Measurement/Reapplication/Annual Report Worksheet, and 2) Good Cause Processes. Comments are due by August 17, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Jul 17, 2026 - Notice from the Health Services and Resources Administration (HRSA) seeking comments on an information collection request titled "National Practitioner Data Bank for Adverse Information on Physicians and Other Health Care Practitioners—45 CFR part 60 Regulations and Forms, OMB No. 0906-0081—Revision." The National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) aims to improve the quality of healthcare by encouraging hospitals, state licensing boards, professional societies, and other eligible entities providing healthcare services to identify and discipline those who engage in unprofessional behavior, and to restrict the ability of incompetent healthcare practitioners, providers, or suppliers to move from state to state without disclosure or discovery of previous damaging or incompetent performance. Comments are due by September 15, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Jul 17, 2026 - The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is accepting applications from qualified candidates to be considered for appointment as members of the National Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council (NEMSAC). NEMSAC serves as a nationally recognized council of emergency medical services (EMS) representatives and consumers to provide advice and recommendations regarding EMS to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Applications are due by August 17, 2026.
Source: Federal Register