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Rural Health Information Hub
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
News by Topic: Policy

Jul 10, 2025 - Notice of final rule from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announcing that it will no longer utilize the race- and sex-based "socially disadvantaged" designation to provide increased benefits based on race and sex. USDA has transitioned to race- and sex-neutral frameworks to ensure compliance with constitutional principles and the equal protection of all farmers and ranchers under the law. Impacted programs include, but are not limited to, loans and grants, guaranteed loans, pandemic assistance programs, and general administrative regulations. This rule is effective July 10, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Jul 10, 2025 - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will hold a public meeting of the Advisory Committee on Tribal and Indian Affairs from September 3-5, 2025. The Committee will provide advice and guidance to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on all matters relating to Indian tribes, tribal organizations, Native Hawaiian organizations, and Native American Veterans. The agenda will include, among other things, updates from the VA Office of Tribal Government Relations, Office of Hawaiian Veteran Affairs, VA Readjustment Counseling Services—Vet Center Program, and VHA Suicide Prevention/Behavioral Health.
Source: Federal Register
Jul 9, 2025 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) correcting a date in the July 2, 2025, proposed rule.
Source: Federal Register
Jul 9, 2025 - Notice of final rule from the Federal Communications Commission announcing that the Office of Management and Budget has approved an information collection related to certain rules related to the FCC's August 17, 2023, Enhanced A-CAM Order and April 14, 2024, Connect America Fund Order. The revised information collection is effective July 9, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Jul 3, 2025 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services seeking comments on the following information collections: 1) National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES) Supplemental Data Collection; and 2) Medicare Registration Application. Comments are due by September 2, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Jul 3, 2025 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services seeking comments on the extension of an information collection titled "Medicare Participating Physician or Supplier Agreement." By signing the agreement to participate in Medicare, the physician, supplier, or their authorized official agrees to accept the Medicare-determined payment for Medicare covered services as payment in full and to charge the Medicare Part B beneficiary no more than the applicable deductible or coinsurance for the covered services. Comments are due by August 4, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Jul 2, 2025 - Notice of proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updating the home health payment rates for calendar year (CY) 2026. This rule also proposes changes to the Home Health Quality Reporting Program (HH QRP) and the expanded Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Model requirements; updates to the Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program (CBP); technical changes to the home health conditions of participation; permanent and temporary behavior adjustments; and the recalibration of the case-mix weights and update the functional impairment levels, among other things. Comments are due by September 2, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Jul 2, 2025 - Notice of proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) making changes related to End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System (PPS) for calendar year 2026 and proposing updates to the payment rate for renal dialysis services furnished by an ESRD facility to individuals with acute kidney injury (AKI). Among other things, this rule also proposes updated requirements for the ESRD Quality Incentive Program and modifying and terminating requirements for the ESRD Treatment Choices Model. Comments are due by August 29, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Jul 1, 2025 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announcing a 6-year model, the Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) Model. The WISeR Model will test the implementation of technology-enabled prior authorization processes for select services, with the aim of reducing fraud, waste (including low-value care), and abuse in Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) in six states: Arizona, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, and Washington. This notice is effective January 1, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Jul 1, 2025 - Notice from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration (VHA) seeking comments on a proposed information collection titled "Suicide Prevention 2.0 Program—Community Opinion Survey." The information collected will be used to measure baseline data on the knowledge and attitudes of adult U.S. citizens living in specified communities about Veterans, Veteran suicide, and resources available to Veterans to reduce suicide, prior to the implementation of suicide prevention programs; measure follow-up data in the same communities to assess whether knowledge and attitudes have changed over time; and determine whether the programs and policies implemented by a community resulted in positive change in knowledge and attitudes. Comments are due by September 2, 2025.
Source: Federal Register