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

Rural Health
News by Topic: Policy

Apr 22, 2026 - Nominations are being accepted for the Endorsement & Maintenance (E&M), Pre-Rulemaking Measure Review (PRMR), Measure Set Review (MSR), and Scientific Methods Panel (SMP) committees. Eligible committee members include clinicians, healthcare facilities, purchasers, policymakers, researchers, patients, caregivers, and more. E&M committee members review and endorse clinical quality and cost/resource use measures to ensure effectiveness, safety, and that they are evidence-based. PRMR committee members recommend quality and efficiency measures to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid. MSR committee members review measures for continued use in CMS programs and are selected from the PRMR committee. SMP committee members advise on measurement science with a focus on scientific acceptability of clinical quality and cost/resource use measures. Nominations are due June 1, 2026.
Source: Partnership for Quality Measurement
Apr 21, 2026 - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is seeking comments on proposed revisions to information collection project titled "The National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG)." The NSFG is designed to collect nationally representative and scientifically credible data on factors related to birth and pregnancy rates, family formation and dissolution patterns, and reproductive health. Comments are due by June 22, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 21, 2026 - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is seeking comments on an existing information collection project titled "Extended Evaluation of the National Tobacco Prevention and Control Public Education Campaign." The goal of the information collection is to evaluate the reach of the Tips From Former Smokers® (Tips®) campaign among intended audiences and to examine the effectiveness of these efforts in impacting specific outcomes that are targeted by Tips, including quit attempts and intentions to quit among smokers, nonsmokers' communications about the dangers of smoking, and knowledge of smoking-related diseases among both audiences. Comments are due by June 22, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 21, 2026 - Announces additional resources and flexibilities from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to assist with the ongoing public health emergency (PHE) in Hawaii declared on March 10, 2026 related to the severe storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides. Shares information and resources for those impacted and responding to the severe storms and flooding, including CMS waivers, a period of special healthcare enrollment, a disaster toolkit, dialysis care, medical equipment and supplies replacement, access to Medicare Part D medications, and health information privacy and accessibility resources.
Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Apr 20, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeking comments on a proposed information collection titled "Submissions of Acute Hospital Care at Home (AHCAH) Waiver Submission and Data Collection." The AHCAH initiative was codified in the Consolidate Appropriations Act, 2025. As a result, the AHCAH information collection request is being separated from the 1135 waiver information collection request. Comments are due by June 22, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 20, 2026 - Examines ways in which rural communities can create accountable care programs, using funds from the Rural Health Transformation Program. Notes that rural areas have tighter social networks, clearer referral pathways, and fewer competing delivery systems, which can support accountable care after infrastructure is in place.
Source: Health Affairs
Apr 20, 2026 - Notice of final rule from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Housing Service (RHS) changes related to insurance requirements under the Multi-Family Housing (MFH) Direct Loan and Grant programs. This final rule will align USDA Rural Development insurance coverage types, amounts, and deductibles with affordable housing industry standards to simplify the coverage amounts and deductible limits, and improve customer experience with updated and understandable insurance requirements. This rule is effective May 20, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 17, 2026 - Notice from the Department of Defense (DOD) making corrections to the April 10, 2026, notice announcing the extension of the Childbirth and Breastfeeding Support Demonstration (CBSD) through December 31, 2031. This correction is effective April 17, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 17, 2026 - Notice of final rule from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) correcting the March 24, 2024, final rule that made changes to regulations to clarify protections for beneficiaries and prospective beneficiaries of federally funded social services and the rights and obligations of organizations providing such services. This correction will specifically state that the rule is intended to cover recipients and subrecipients of USDA domestic social service programs to which USDA uniform administrative requirements for recipients applies. This rule is effective May 18, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 16, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) making technical corrections to the April 14, 2026, proposed rule. Comments on the proposed rule are due by June 9, 2026.
Source: Federal Register