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Rural Health
News by Topic: Policy

Apr 6, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announcing a delay in the implementation of two services from the list of Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model items and services. The two services for which the prior authorization or pre-payment review process are delayed are 1) Deep Brain Stimulation for Essential Tremor and Parkinson's Disease (NCD 160.24) and 2) Percutaneous Image-Guided Lumbar Decompression for Spinal Stenosis (NCD 150.13). This notice is effective April 6, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 6, 2026 - Notice of a proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updating the hospice wage index, payment rates, and aggregate cap amount for fiscal year 2027. Among other things, this rule proposes conforming regulation text changes to discharge from hospice care regulations; regulation text changes to the face-to-face encounter regulations; and includes requests for information on community palliative care services, the construction of a hospice specific wage index, and the overlap between hospice and medical aid in dying (MAID). This rule also includes an analysis of Medicare non-hospice spending and proposes changes to the Hospice Quality Reporting Program. Comments are due by June 1, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 6, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) making typographical and technical corrections to the July 1, 2025 notice titled "Medicare Program; Implementation of Prior Authorization for Select Services for the Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) Model." Corrections are effective April 6, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 6, 2026 - Notice of a proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeking comments on updates to the prospective payment system (PPS) for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) for fiscal year 2027. Among other things, this rule proposes classification and weighting factors for the IRF prospective payment system's case-mix groups, continues the third year of the 3-year phase-out of the rural adjustments, and includes proposals for the IRF Quality Reporting Program. CMS also seeks comments on alternative data sources for the IRF PPS wage index, potential future IRF PPS payment reform, and more. Comments are due June 1, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 6, 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: Original Medicare Physician & Other Practitioners; Original Medicare Inpatient Hospitals; Original Medicare Outpatient Hospitals; Medicare Part D Prescribers; Original Medicare Durable Medical Equipment, Devices and Supplies (DMEPOS) by referring provider and service; DMEPOS by supplier and service; and Medicaid Provider Spending.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 6, 2026 - Notice from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announcing that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) intends to reestablish the Veterans Rural Health Advisory Committee for a 2-year period. The committee advises the Secretary of VA on rural healthcare issues affecting Veterans, examines programs and policies that impact the delivery of VA rural health care to Veterans, and discusses ways to improve and enhance VA access to rural healthcare services for Veterans.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 1, 2026 - Notice from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) making technical corrections to the February 5, 2026, final rule.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 1, 2026 - The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is accepting nominations for appointment to the Board of Governors of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). Specifically, GAO is accepting nominations in the following categories: a physician, a quality improvement or health services researcher, and a representative of private payers who represents employers who self-insure employee benefits. Nominations are due by May 1, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 1, 2026 - Notice from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reversing the July 29, 2024, notice that moved technology and data policy and strategy functions from the Assistant Secretary for Administration to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC). This notice restores ONC as a singularly titled office. In addition, the roles and responsibilities of the HHS Chief Technology Officer, Office of the HHS Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer, and Office of the HHS Chief Data Officer will no longer be part of ONC.
Source: Federal Register
Mar 31, 2026 - The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is allowing an additional 30 days for comments on proposed revisions to an information collection titled "Medical Expenditures Panel Survey—Household Component, OMB No. 0935-0118." Proposed changes include revising the wording of 24 questions for clarity and to improve the response rate; replacing two exercise items on the 2022 MEPS Preventive Care Self-Administered Questionnaire (PSAQ) with five new items for exercise and strength training; adding questions to the PSAQ about use of sleep medication, trouble getting to sleep, screen time, use of wearable devices, self-assessed diet quality, fruit and vegetable consumption, meals eaten away from home, former smoking, and weight loss attempt; and more. Comments are due by April 30, 2026.
Source: Federal Register