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Rural Health
News by Topic: Policy

Apr 14, 2026 - Notice of proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) proposing to improve the electronic exchange of healthcare data and streamline processes related to prior authorization by increasing the interoperability of systems used across the healthcare industry. Among other things, this rule proposes new requirements for Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations, state Medicaid fee-for-service (FFS) programs, state Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) FFS programs, Medicaid managed care plans, CHIP managed are entities, and Qualified Health Plan (QHP) issuers on the Federally-facilitated Exchanges (FFEs) to make electronic prior authorization for drugs available; to report their application programming interfaces (API) endpoints and related information for the Patient Access, Provider Directory, Provider Access, Payer-to-Payer, and Prior Authorization APIs to CMS; and extend many existing interoperability requirements for the prior authorization of non-drug items and services to include prior authorizations for drugs. In addition, ONC proposes adopting updated versions of certain health information technology (health IT) standards and specifications for HHS use. Comments are due by June 15, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 14, 2026 - Notice of a proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding changes to the hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) for operating and capital-related costs of acute care hospitals for fiscal year 2027. Contains details of proposed changes related to Medicare graduate medical education (GME) for teaching hospitals; payment policies and the annual payment rates for the Medicare prospective payment system (PPS) for inpatient hospital services provided by long-term care hospitals; and certain quality programs, among other things. Comments are due by April 10, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 14, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) of a hybrid public meeting on June 1-2, 2026, to discuss the preliminary coding, Medicare benefit category, and Medicare payment determinations for new revisions to the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) Level II code set. The agenda and information on how to join the meeting will be posted on the CMS website. Registration is required for in-person attendees.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 13, 2026 - Notice of final rule from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Housing Service (RHS) amending its regulations to implement changes related to income calculation and net family assets for properties that receive funding from the Multi-Family Housing (MFH) Section 515 Rural Rental Housing and the Section 514/516 Farm Labor Housing Direct Loan and Grant programs. This rule is effective April 13, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 10, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeking comments on a proposed information collection titled "Self-Attestation for Recertification of CORFs, OPT/SLP, and RHCs Providers and PXR Suppliers." The information collected will be used as part of a new program to allow Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facility (CORFs), Outpatient Physical Therapy/Speech Language Pathology (OPT/SLP), Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) Providers, and Portable X-Ray (PXR) Suppliers to attest to meeting the applicable CMS Conditions of Participation in lieu of undergoing a recertification survey by state survey agencies every six years. Comments are due by June 9, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 10, 2026 - Notice from the Department of Defense (DOD) announcing the extension of the Childbirth and Breastfeeding Support Demonstration (CBSD) by five years, through December 31, 2031. The purpose of CBSD is to evaluate the cost, quality of care, and impact of covering the services of doulas and lactation consultants or counselors not otherwise authorized by TRICARE on maternal and fetal outcomes. This notice also seeks comments on CBSD and its potential integration into the TRICARE Basic benefit. Comments are due by May 11, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 10, 2026 - Announces updates to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's National Emphasis Program - Outdoor and Indoor Heat-Related Hazards, guidance that protects outdoor and indoor workers from heat stress in 55 high-risk industries including agriculture. Updates include an evaluation of employer heat programs.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor
Apr 9, 2026 - Notice from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) announcing the adjusted income eligibility guidelines for free and reduced-price meals and free milk through the National School Lunch Program (and Commodity School Program), School Breakfast Program, Special Milk Program for Children, Child and Adult Care Food Program, Summer Food Service Program, and Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) for Children Program. These guidelines are applicable from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 9, 2026 - New proposed legislation in Missouri would stabilize the housing market by building affordable tiny homes with focus on workers in the tourism service industry who have fluctuating incomes. Notes that the housing shortage is worse in rural areas.
Source: KTTN
Apr 7, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) seeking comments on a proposed information collection titled "Public Health/Public Safety Strategies to Reduce Drug Overdose Data Collection." The information collected will be used to improve public health/public safety partnerships and responses to the overdose crisis that involve public safety. Comments are due by June 8, 2026.
Source: Federal Register