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Rural Health Information Hub
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Rural Health
News by Topic: Policy

Nov 5, 2026 - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is allowing an additional 30 days for the nominations of candidates to be considered for appointment as members of the Tribal Intergovernmental Advisory Committee (TIAC). TIAC facilitates intergovernmental communication between HUD and leaders of federally recognized tribes on all HUD programs and provides advice on the development of HUD's American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) housing priorities. Nominations are due by December 4, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 5, 2026 - Describes a proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services offering regulatory revisions to Conditions of Participation, Conditions for Coverage, and Requirements for Participation for Medicare- and Medicaid-participating providers and suppliers. Impacted facilities include Critical Access Hospitals and Rural Emergency Hospitals, among others. Also requests comments regarding other policies such as long-term care facility discharge; data reporting requirements; physician supervision of certified registered nurse anesthetists, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners; transplant program certification; and other policies addressing Medicaid institutional workforce.
Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Newsroom
Nov 4, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services making corrections to the November 2, 2026, notice regarding an information collection titled "Pre-Claim Review Demonstration for Home Health Services."
Source: Federal Register
Nov 4, 2026 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking comments on a new information collection titled "Loan Modernization Initiative." USDA Rural Development is developing an online loan application for direct loan assistance and will expand functionality for direct loans, guarantees, and grant making, as well as provide the ability for primary loan servicing application submission. Information collected will be used to ensure that program funds go only to eligible applicants and projects and will allow USDA to track that recipients stay eligible in accordance with program regulations. Comments are due by December 4, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 3, 2026 - Notice of final rule from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finalizing revisions to 45 CFR 84.4(g) in the regulation implementing section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as it applies to recipients of HHS funding to exclude gender dysphoria from the definition of "disability" and "individual with a disability." This rule is effective January 4, 2027.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 2, 2026 - Notice from the U.S. Census Bureau seeking comments on proposed revisions to the American Community Survey (ACS) and Puerto Rico Community Survey. Among other things, proposed revisions include removing questions regarding solar panels and veterans period of military service from the ACS in 2028. Comments are due by January 4, 2027.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 2, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeking comments on the reinstatement of an information collection titled "Inpatient Psychiatric Unit Criteria Work Sheet." Information collected is used by inpatient psychiatric units (IPUs) to prove that they meet the requirements to be exempt from receiving payment from Medicare under the lower paying hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS). Comments are due by January 4, 2027.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 2, 2026 - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is seeking comments on revisions to an information collection titled "Pre-Claim Review Demonstration For Home Health Services." The approval of this data collection process is essential to ensure that the Review Choice Demonstration for Home Health Services is expanded to California within the specified timeframe. Comments are due by November 16, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Oct 30, 2026 - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is seeking nominations for membership on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). ACIP advises the CDC director regarding the use of vaccines and related immunobiologic agents for the prevention and control of vaccine-preventable diseases in the United States. Nominees will be selected to represent a balanced range of scientific, clinical, and public health expertise, including individuals knowledgeable about consumer perspectives and/or social and community aspects of immunization programs. Nominations are due by December 31, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Oct 30, 2026 - Notice of final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) making changes related to the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System (PPS) for calendar year 2027 and updating the payment rate for renal dialysis services furnished by an ESRD facility to individuals with acute kidney injury (AKI). This rule also updates the requirements for the ESRD Quality Incentive Program. These regulations are effective January 1, 2027.
Source: Federal Register