Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Legislation and regulations
2021 RHC Billing and Coding Update
Recording of a March 9, 2021, webinar providing an overview of coding and billing changes relevant to Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Discusses guidelines for reporting COVID-19 immunizations and monoclonal antibody infusions, telehealth coding and billing during the COVID-19 public health emergency, ICD-10-CM diagnosis coding for COVID-19, and RHC lab billing and COVID test reporting. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: AMA Code & Guideline Changes, COVID Vaccine Log, Presentation Slides, Transcript
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Recording of a March 9, 2021, webinar providing an overview of coding and billing changes relevant to Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Discusses guidelines for reporting COVID-19 immunizations and monoclonal antibody infusions, telehealth coding and billing during the COVID-19 public health emergency, ICD-10-CM diagnosis coding for COVID-19, and RHC lab billing and COVID test reporting. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: AMA Code & Guideline Changes, COVID Vaccine Log, Presentation Slides, Transcript
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Medicare Hospital Payments: Adjusting for Variation in Geographic Area Wages
Provides an overview of the use of the hospital wage index applied to the Medicare inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) to account for geographic differences in hospitals' labor costs. Discusses the effect of the wage index on Medicare payments for inpatient hospital services, exceptions to wage index adjustments, and proposals for wage index reforms.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Provides an overview of the use of the hospital wage index applied to the Medicare inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) to account for geographic differences in hospitals' labor costs. Discusses the effect of the wage index on Medicare payments for inpatient hospital services, exceptions to wage index adjustments, and proposals for wage index reforms.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Critical Access Hospital Requirements: CMS Emergency Preparedness Final Rule
Provides a reference source for Critical Access Hospital (CAH) requirements related to the final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), "Emergency Preparedness Requirements for Medicare and Medicaid Participating Providers and Suppliers." Includes excerpts from the final rule as well as related CMS interpretive guidelines for CAHs. Addresses the development of an emergency plan, related policies and procedures, communications, training, and more.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response
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Provides a reference source for Critical Access Hospital (CAH) requirements related to the final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), "Emergency Preparedness Requirements for Medicare and Medicaid Participating Providers and Suppliers." Includes excerpts from the final rule as well as related CMS interpretive guidelines for CAHs. Addresses the development of an emergency plan, related policies and procedures, communications, training, and more.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response
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Pennsylvania Mental Health Services for Victims of Sexual Assault and Rape: A Staff Study
Examines existing laws and services in Pennsylvania and offers recommendations to ensure that sexual assault victims receive quality, trauma-informed medical care. Includes recommendations to promote a certified sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) program, increase the use of telehealth, and provide for a designation for hospitals, based on their ability to provide comprehensive sexual assault services. Features a section comparing availability of certified SANE nurses in rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Yvonne Llewellyn Hursh, Allison N. Kobzowicz, Grant Rosul, Wendy L. Baker
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: Joint State Government Commission, General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
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Examines existing laws and services in Pennsylvania and offers recommendations to ensure that sexual assault victims receive quality, trauma-informed medical care. Includes recommendations to promote a certified sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) program, increase the use of telehealth, and provide for a designation for hospitals, based on their ability to provide comprehensive sexual assault services. Features a section comparing availability of certified SANE nurses in rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Yvonne Llewellyn Hursh, Allison N. Kobzowicz, Grant Rosul, Wendy L. Baker
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: Joint State Government Commission, General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
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Investing in a Health Workforce that Meets Rural Needs
Offers suggestions for advancing sustainable financing of rural training and practice and developing strategic planning to build a more flexible, dynamic, and interprofessional rural workforce. Includes a brief overview of current graduate medical education financing in the United States.
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: Council on Graduate Medical Education
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Offers suggestions for advancing sustainable financing of rural training and practice and developing strategic planning to build a more flexible, dynamic, and interprofessional rural workforce. Includes a brief overview of current graduate medical education financing in the United States.
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: Council on Graduate Medical Education
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Medicaid's Role in Health Care for American Indians and Alaska Natives
Provides an overview of the federal government's role in providing healthcare to American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN). Discusses AI/AN demographics, economic and health disparities, and access to healthcare and insurance coverage. Describes the structure of the Indian Health Service (IHS), services provided, and IHS financing and spending. Highlights special rules and protections that apply to AI/AN Medicaid beneficiaries. Presents a series of policy issues that have been raised regarding the Medicaid and IHS relationship, as well as opportunities for improving Medicaid's role in providing healthcare to AI/AN populations.
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Provides an overview of the federal government's role in providing healthcare to American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN). Discusses AI/AN demographics, economic and health disparities, and access to healthcare and insurance coverage. Describes the structure of the Indian Health Service (IHS), services provided, and IHS financing and spending. Highlights special rules and protections that apply to AI/AN Medicaid beneficiaries. Presents a series of policy issues that have been raised regarding the Medicaid and IHS relationship, as well as opportunities for improving Medicaid's role in providing healthcare to AI/AN populations.
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Medicaid and CHIP in the U.S. Virgin Islands
Summarizes key requirements and design features of Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Features statistics on program costs from fiscal years 2011-2019, with breakdowns by federal spending and U.S. Virgin Islands spending.
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Summarizes key requirements and design features of Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Features statistics on program costs from fiscal years 2011-2019, with breakdowns by federal spending and U.S. Virgin Islands spending.
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Medicaid and CHIP in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Summarizes key requirements and design features of Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in the Northern Mariana Islands. Features statistics on program costs from fiscal years 2011-2019, with breakdowns by federal spending and Northern Mariana Islands spending.
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Summarizes key requirements and design features of Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in the Northern Mariana Islands. Features statistics on program costs from fiscal years 2011-2019, with breakdowns by federal spending and Northern Mariana Islands spending.
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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MBQIP Fundamentals Guide for State Flex Programs
Provides information about the history and status of the Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP). Developed for the benefit of Flex Program personnel and subcontractors and includes resources to support their work, including data report release timelines, MBQIP acronyms, and MBQIP measure change summaries.
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: Stratis Health
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Provides information about the history and status of the Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP). Developed for the benefit of Flex Program personnel and subcontractors and includes resources to support their work, including data report release timelines, MBQIP acronyms, and MBQIP measure change summaries.
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: Stratis Health
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New HIPAA Privacy Rule: What RHCs Need To Know
Recording of a January 27, 2021, webinar providing information about proposed and existing Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) compliance rules affecting Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Covers individual right of access to protected health information (PHI), fees for health records, patient identification verification, third party disclosures, and clarification of healthcare operations including care coordination and case management. Discusses proposed PHI changes regarding substance use disorders and serious mental illness, and changes in notice of privacy practices (NPP) requirements. Includes a fee calculator for medical record requests. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: HIPAA Record Fee Calculator, Presentation Slides, Q&A, Transcript
Date: 01/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Recording of a January 27, 2021, webinar providing information about proposed and existing Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) compliance rules affecting Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Covers individual right of access to protected health information (PHI), fees for health records, patient identification verification, third party disclosures, and clarification of healthcare operations including care coordination and case management. Discusses proposed PHI changes regarding substance use disorders and serious mental illness, and changes in notice of privacy practices (NPP) requirements. Includes a fee calculator for medical record requests. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: HIPAA Record Fee Calculator, Presentation Slides, Q&A, Transcript
Date: 01/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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