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Rural Health Information Hub
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
News by Topic: Specialty care

Jun 1, 2026 - Notice of a final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updating and revising the Increasing Organ Transplant Access Model (IOTA Model) for Performance Year (PY) 2. The IOTA Model tests whether performance-based upside risk payments or downside risk payments paid to or owed by participating kidney transplant hospitals increase access to kidney transplants for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) while preserving or enhancing the quality of care and reducing Medicare expenditures. This rule is effective July 1, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
May 27, 2026 - Describes a telehealth program connecting patients in New Hampshire and Vermont rural hospitals with neonatologists. Notes that nearly half of babies receiving a consult are able to stay at their local facility. Success of the program led to expanding into outpatient high-risk obstetrics care and fetal-maternal medicine services. Expansion into emergency obstetrics is also planned.
Source: HealthLeaders Media
May 13, 2026 - A new survey by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) highlights the challenges rural cancer patients face in accessing screening, finding affordable care, and arranging followup treatment. Patient navigation services help address barriers to care in rural areas and improve quality of care.
Source: American Cancer Society
Apr 30, 2026 - Summarizes recent research finding a barrier in access to newer neuroendocrine tumor screening and treatment equipment for rural communities. The study compares use of gallium-based and copper-based tracers with patient commute, finding that copper-based tracers were more likely to be used in rural communities due to a significantly longer half-life of the copper agent. Discusses the benefits of copper agents in reducing access challenges for rural communities.
Source: Radiology Business
Apr 20, 2026 - Describes a pilot program using telehealth that aims to expand access to cardiology care in rural Arkansas.
Source: KNWA/KFTA
Apr 17, 2026 - Researchers from Harvard have found that millions of Americans face serious barriers to dental care, and the barriers are especially severe in rural areas. Rural patients face considerably longer travel times, especially for specialty dental care.
Source: The Harvard Gazette
Apr 16, 2026 - The Birmingham, Alabama VA Health Care System is starting a mobile prosthetics program, which will make it easier for rural veterans to get specialty care. The unit will visit 3 community outpatient clinics, and can provide on-site evaluations, adjustments, and fittings.
Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Apr 15, 2026 - Chadron Community Hospital in rural Nebraska closed its dialysis unit in March, due to low reimbursement rates that did not cover costs, causing patients to travel further distances for dialysis care. Nebraska will receive $219 million in first-year funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program, but this may not be enough to keep existing services in place in rural areas.
Source: KFF Health News
Apr 10, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeking comments on a proposed information collection titled "Self-Attestation for Recertification of CORFs, OPT/SLP, and RHCs Providers and PXR Suppliers." The information collected will be used as part of a new program to allow Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facility (CORFs), Outpatient Physical Therapy/Speech Language Pathology (OPT/SLP), Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) Providers, and Portable X-Ray (PXR) Suppliers to attest to meeting the applicable CMS Conditions of Participation in lieu of undergoing a recertification survey by state survey agencies every six years. Comments are due by June 9, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 9, 2026 - Describes cardiovascular health disparities in rural Oklahoma, driven in part by limited access to healthcare facilities, specialists, and transportation.
Source: KOKH