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Rural Health
News by Topic: Policy

Apr 23, 2024 - Pre-publication notice of final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) establishing minimum staffing standards for long-term care facilities. This rule also requires states to report the percentage of Medicaid payments for certain Medicaid-covered institutional services that are spent on compensation for direct care workers and support staff. These regulations are effective on June 21, 2024, except for § 483.71, § 483.35(b)(1) and (c)(1), § 483.35(b)(1)(i) and (ii), and §§ 438.72(a) and 442.43 as indicated.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 23, 2024 - Pre-publication notice of final rule from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) modifying the Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information (Privacy Rule). This rule limits the circumstances in which provisions of the Privacy Rule permit the use or disclosure of an individual's protected health information (PHI) about reproductive healthcare for certain non-healthcare purposes that could be detrimental to privacy of the individual or another person or the individual's trust in their healthcare providers. This rule is effective 60 days after the publication of this notice, which is scheduled for April 26, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 22, 2024 - Offers review of a new rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services regarding staffing minimums in nursing homes. The new standard is expected to require most nursing homes to increase staff. Discusses the rural-specific timeline for meeting the standard in addition to the impact on wages, workforce shortages, and Medicaid reimbursement.
Source: KFF Health News
Apr 22, 2024 - Announces three rules from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services establishing national standards and increasing access to care. "Minimum Staffing Standards for Nursing Homes" aims to improve healthcare quality by setting minimum staffing standards for nursing staff, collecting and reporting on workforce compensation data, and offering incentives for the nurse workforce to work in nursing homes. The 2 remaining rules work together to establish national appointment wait time standards, address payment transparency, and create payment standards for workers providing home and community based services.
Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Apr 22, 2024 - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will hold a virtual public meeting of the Board of Scientific Counselors, Office of Readiness and Response (BSC, ORR) on May 23, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Eastern. The agenda includes an organizational update; an overview of the Division of Readiness and Response Science; Division Directors follow-up discussion; polio containment working group updates; healthy equity working group updates; and more. Registration to attend the meeting is required.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 22, 2024 - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is seeking nominations for the CDC/HRSA Advisory Committee on HIV, Viral Hepatitis, and STD Prevention and Treatment (CHACHSPT). The Committee is charged with advising CDC and HRSA on objectives, strategies, policies, and priorities for HIV, viral hepatitis, and other STD prevention and treatment efforts. Nominations are due by October 1, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 22, 2024 - The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will hold a virtual public meeting on May 28-30, 2024, to discuss the preliminary coding, Medicare benefit category, and 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.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 22, 2024 - Notice from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) updating income levels used to identify a "low-income family" to determine disadvantaged background eligibility for Titles III, VII, and VIII nursing and health professions programs authorized by the Public Health Service Act. These programs provide health professions students with scholarships and/or loan repayment in return for service in underserved locations.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 19, 2024 - The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is allowing an additional 30 days for comments on proposed updates to the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) – Household and Medical Provider Components (MEPS-HC). Proposed changes include wording changes that will help identify telehealth utilization and access, as well as maintain consistency between Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems 5.1 and MEPS-HC questionnaire items. Comments are due by June 18, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 19, 2024 - Notice from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) extending the comment period on the December 29, 2023, interim final rule titled "Establishing the Summer EBT Program and Rural Non-Congregate Option in the Summer Meal Programs." The interim final rule amends the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and the National School Lunch Program's Seamless Summer Option (SSO) regulations to codify the flexibility for rural program operators to provide non-congregate meal service in the SFSP and SSO. This rule also establishes regulations and codifies a permanent summer electronic benefits transfer for children program (Summer EBT) to ensure continued access to food when school is not in session for the summer. Comments are now due by August 27, 2024.
Source: Federal Register