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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Legislation and regulations

Health Coverage Options for American Indians and Alaska Natives
Fact sheet details the healthcare coverage options for American Indian and Alaska Native populations. Provides guidance for accessing healthcare coverage through the Marketplace, Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and breaks down the various verification and eligibility requirements.
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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The 2018 Farm Bill (P.L. 115-334): Summary and Side-by-Side Comparison
Analyzes the 2018 Farm Bill by comparing House and Senate versions of the bill and the previous 2014 bill. Includes important rural provisions addressing substance abuse treatment, telemedicine funding, broadband access, and rural hospital loans.
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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National Health Service Corps Site Reference Guide
Provides clarification for National Health Service Corps (NHSC) sites regarding eligibility requirements, qualification factors, compliance, roles and responsibilities, and other factors for becoming an NHSC approved site. Acts as a supplemental resource to the information provided in the online NHSC Site Application.
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
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Fatal Overdoses Among Vermont Residents
Offers data on overdose deaths in Vermont through 2023 including drug types, manner of death, trends over time, demographic characteristics, and policy measures. Includes county-level data in Appendix 1 and 2.
Date: 04/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Vermont Department of Health
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SBA's Rural Activities
Describes the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) programs targeting rural small businesses. Discusses how SBA coordinates with the U.S. Department of Agriculture on rural small business issues, the history of the SBA Office of Rural Affairs, and considerations for Congress.
Date: 04/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Medicare and Medicaid Programs: Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting Final Rule (CMS 3442-F)
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule for minimum staffing standards for long-term care facilities. Details three core staffing proposals: 1) minimum nurse staffing standards; 2) a requirement to have an RN onsite 24 hours a day, seven days a week; and 3) enhanced facility assessment requirements. Outlines a staggered implementation approach, including a later implementation date for rural facilities, and hardship exemption qualification requirements. Also describes Medicaid payment transparency reporting provisions for nursing and intermediate care facilities related to the percentage of Medicaid funds spent on compensation to direct care workers and support staff.
Additional links: External FAQs
Date: 04/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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With Current Staffing Levels, About 1 in 5 Nursing Facilities Would Meet Fully-Implemented Minimum Staffing Standards in the Final Rule
Describes a proposed federal standard for nursing home nurse staffing levels and analyzes current nursing home staffing levels, noting the percentage of facilities that will meet the proposed staffing level requirements when fully implemented.
Author(s): Priya Chidambaram, Alice Burns, Tricia Neuman, Robin Rudowitz
Date: 04/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Health Subcommittee Hearing: "Legislative Proposals to Support Patient Access to Telehealth Services"
Recording of an April 10, 2024, House Energy & Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Health, hearing on legislative proposals that would support patients' access to telehealth services. Discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic-era regulatory flexibilities on telehealth use and access to care.
Additional links: Ateev Mehrotra, Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center - Testimony, Hearing Memorandum
Date: 04/2024
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: House Energy and Commerce Committee, Subcommittee on Health
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Medicare Payment for Rural or Geographically Isolated Hospitals
Displays data on Medicare payment adjustments for Sole Community Hospitals, Medicare-Dependent Hospitals, Low-Volume Hospitals, and Critical Access Hospitals. Includes information on the number of qualifying hospitals by state and eligibility criteria.
Date: 04/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Interim Final Rule on Non-Congregate Summer Meals: What It Means for You This Summer
A recorded webinar that discusses the interim final rule (IFR) on non-congregate summer meals in rural areas. Provides information on definitions, eligibility, and allowable models and flexibilities.
Additional links: Slide Deck
Date: 03/2024
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
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