Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Legislation and regulations
When Will the U.S. Territories Exhaust Federal Medicaid Funding?
Issue brief exploring the projected effects on healthcare expense funding in American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands if all sources of federal funding are allowed to expire in 2019. Features statistics for Medicaid funding and spending in the territories for fiscal year 2018, and sources of federal Medicaid funding and periods during which the funding is available.
Date: 07/2019
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Issue brief exploring the projected effects on healthcare expense funding in American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands if all sources of federal funding are allowed to expire in 2019. Features statistics for Medicaid funding and spending in the territories for fiscal year 2018, and sources of federal Medicaid funding and periods during which the funding is available.
Date: 07/2019
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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HELP Committee Executive Session: S. 1199, S. 1173, and S.1895
Congressional hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, Pensions (HELP) Committee focused on: the Poison Center Network Enhancement Act of 2019, Emergency Medical Services for Children Reauthorization Act of 2019, and Lower Health Care Costs Act of 2019. Focuses on ending surprise medical billing, creating price transparency, increasing prescription drug competition, improving public health, and improving health information exchange. Legislation would extend funding for community health centers, the National Health Service Corps, and the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) Program. Addresses rural throughout.
Date: 06/2019
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
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Congressional hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, Pensions (HELP) Committee focused on: the Poison Center Network Enhancement Act of 2019, Emergency Medical Services for Children Reauthorization Act of 2019, and Lower Health Care Costs Act of 2019. Focuses on ending surprise medical billing, creating price transparency, increasing prescription drug competition, improving public health, and improving health information exchange. Legislation would extend funding for community health centers, the National Health Service Corps, and the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) Program. Addresses rural throughout.
Date: 06/2019
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
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Broadband Mapping: Small Carrier Perspectives on a Path Forward
Congressional hearing before the U.S. House Committee on Small Business Subcommittee on Contracting and Infrastructure regarding challenges to developing accurate broadband access maps to help direct funding to rural areas without broadband services. Includes testimony from the Competitive Carriers Association, The Rural Broadband Association, WTA-Advocates for Rural Broadband, and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.
Additional links: Beth Osler Testimony, Dan Stelpflug Testimony, Jason Hendricks Testimony, Tim Donovan Testimony
Date: 06/2019
Sponsoring organization: U.S. House of Representatives
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Congressional hearing before the U.S. House Committee on Small Business Subcommittee on Contracting and Infrastructure regarding challenges to developing accurate broadband access maps to help direct funding to rural areas without broadband services. Includes testimony from the Competitive Carriers Association, The Rural Broadband Association, WTA-Advocates for Rural Broadband, and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.
Additional links: Beth Osler Testimony, Dan Stelpflug Testimony, Jason Hendricks Testimony, Tim Donovan Testimony
Date: 06/2019
Sponsoring organization: U.S. House of Representatives
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MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on the Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System and the Long-term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System for FY 2020
Comments on a May 3, 2019, Federal Register proposed rule revising the hospital inpatient and long-term care hospital (LTCH) prospective payment systems. Addresses proposed changes to the hospital wage index, including rural floor calculations, uncompensated care measurements that affect disproportionate share (DSH) payments, inpatient and outpatient proposals related to drugs and devices, and the LTCH prospective payment system.
Date: 06/2019
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Comments on a May 3, 2019, Federal Register proposed rule revising the hospital inpatient and long-term care hospital (LTCH) prospective payment systems. Addresses proposed changes to the hospital wage index, including rural floor calculations, uncompensated care measurements that affect disproportionate share (DSH) payments, inpatient and outpatient proposals related to drugs and devices, and the LTCH prospective payment system.
Date: 06/2019
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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In Support of Family Caregivers: A Snapshot of Five States
Examines policies developed in Washington, Minnesota, Hawaii, Tennessee, and Maine to support family caregivers, including those in rural areas. Features demographic characteristics of the states profiled, state expenditures by the Administration for Community Living in FY2016 on older adults and caregivers, and data on state Medicaid policies affecting these groups.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Author(s): Jennifer Aufill, Julia Burgdorf, Jennifer Wolff
Date: 06/2019
Sponsoring organizations: Milbank Memorial Fund, The John A. Hartford Foundation
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Examines policies developed in Washington, Minnesota, Hawaii, Tennessee, and Maine to support family caregivers, including those in rural areas. Features demographic characteristics of the states profiled, state expenditures by the Administration for Community Living in FY2016 on older adults and caregivers, and data on state Medicaid policies affecting these groups.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Author(s): Jennifer Aufill, Julia Burgdorf, Jennifer Wolff
Date: 06/2019
Sponsoring organizations: Milbank Memorial Fund, The John A. Hartford Foundation
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Lower Health Care Costs Act
Recording of a U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions hearing on the Lower Health Care Costs Act, which covers access to healthcare, surprise medical bills, market competition, drug prices, and other issues. Includes testimony from an organization that works primarily with small and rural practices, the American Hospital Association, American Enterprise Institute, and others.
Additional links: Benedic N. Ippolito Testimony, Sean Cavanaugh Testimony, Tom Nickels Testimony
Date: 06/2019
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
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Recording of a U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions hearing on the Lower Health Care Costs Act, which covers access to healthcare, surprise medical bills, market competition, drug prices, and other issues. Includes testimony from an organization that works primarily with small and rural practices, the American Hospital Association, American Enterprise Institute, and others.
Additional links: Benedic N. Ippolito Testimony, Sean Cavanaugh Testimony, Tom Nickels Testimony
Date: 06/2019
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
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MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on the Skilled Nursing Facility PPS for FY 2020
Comments on an April 25, 2019, Federal Register proposed rule updating payments for Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) and SNF quality reporting. Addresses proposed changes to the wage index system that would adjust for geographical differences, potentially impacting rural areas.
Date: 06/2019
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Comments on an April 25, 2019, Federal Register proposed rule updating payments for Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) and SNF quality reporting. Addresses proposed changes to the wage index system that would adjust for geographical differences, potentially impacting rural areas.
Date: 06/2019
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on Hospice for FY 2020
Comments on an April 25, 2019, Federal Register proposed rule updating payments for hospice and hospice quality reporting. Addresses proposed changes to the wage index system that would adjust for geographical differences, potentially impacting rural areas.
Date: 06/2019
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Comments on an April 25, 2019, Federal Register proposed rule updating payments for hospice and hospice quality reporting. Addresses proposed changes to the wage index system that would adjust for geographical differences, potentially impacting rural areas.
Date: 06/2019
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility PPS for FY 2020
Comments on an April 24, 2019, Federal Register proposed rule updating payments for Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (IRFs) and IRF quality reporting. Addresses proposed changes to the wage index system that would adjust for geographical differences, potentially impacting rural areas.
Date: 06/2019
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Comments on an April 24, 2019, Federal Register proposed rule updating payments for Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (IRFs) and IRF quality reporting. Addresses proposed changes to the wage index system that would adjust for geographical differences, potentially impacting rural areas.
Date: 06/2019
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Investing in America's Health Care
Recording of a U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing on a wide variety of healthcare bills addressing funding for community health centers, teaching health centers, the National Health Service Corps, a tribal diabetes program, the National Quality Forum, Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments, and more. Includes testimony from Shasta Community Health Center, Vidant Health, SPAN Parent Advocacy Network, Medicare Rights Center, and others.
Additional links: C. Dean Germano Testimony, Diana Autin Testimony, Fred Riccardi Testimony, Michael Waldrum Testimony, Thomas Barker Testimony
Date: 06/2019
Sponsoring organization: House Energy and Commerce Committee, Subcommittee on Health
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Recording of a U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing on a wide variety of healthcare bills addressing funding for community health centers, teaching health centers, the National Health Service Corps, a tribal diabetes program, the National Quality Forum, Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments, and more. Includes testimony from Shasta Community Health Center, Vidant Health, SPAN Parent Advocacy Network, Medicare Rights Center, and others.
Additional links: C. Dean Germano Testimony, Diana Autin Testimony, Fred Riccardi Testimony, Michael Waldrum Testimony, Thomas Barker Testimony
Date: 06/2019
Sponsoring organization: House Energy and Commerce Committee, Subcommittee on Health
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