Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Legislation and regulations
Summer Food for Children: An Overview of Federal Aid
Provides an overview of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). Highlights changes to the SFSP made in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, including the permanent authorization of the nationwide Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (Summer EBT) Program for Children, and allowing Seamless Summer Option (SSO) sponsors to provide meals for off-site consumption to children in rural areas without access to congregate meal sites.
Date: 08/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Provides an overview of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). Highlights changes to the SFSP made in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, including the permanent authorization of the nationwide Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (Summer EBT) Program for Children, and allowing Seamless Summer Option (SSO) sponsors to provide meals for off-site consumption to children in rural areas without access to congregate meal sites.
Date: 08/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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PREVENT Pandemics Act (P.L. 117-328, Division FF, Title II)
Provides a section-by-section overview of the Prepare for and Respond to Existing Viruses, Emerging New Threats, and Pandemics Act (PREVENT Pandemics Act), enacted as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023. Describes the Continuing Education Support for Health Professionals Serving in Rural and Underserved Communities Program, which supports specialty training for primary care providers, as well as other rural-relevant provisions.
Date: 08/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Provides a section-by-section overview of the Prepare for and Respond to Existing Viruses, Emerging New Threats, and Pandemics Act (PREVENT Pandemics Act), enacted as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023. Describes the Continuing Education Support for Health Professionals Serving in Rural and Underserved Communities Program, which supports specialty training for primary care providers, as well as other rural-relevant provisions.
Date: 08/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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RHC Cost Reporting 101 Webinar
Recording of an August 7, 2023, webinar providing an overview of cost reporting for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Covers relevant Medicare regulations, differences between provider-based and independent RHC cost reporting, and key cost report drivers. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides, Transcript
Date: 08/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Recording of an August 7, 2023, webinar providing an overview of cost reporting for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Covers relevant Medicare regulations, differences between provider-based and independent RHC cost reporting, and key cost report drivers. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides, Transcript
Date: 08/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Tracking The Elusive Medicaid Workforce To Improve Access
Discusses challenges to evaluating Medicaid enrollees' access to primary care providers. Describes how the Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity used the Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System (T-MSIS) to examine the primary care workforce providing healthcare to Medicaid enrollees. Outlines Medicaid workforce policy challenges, including federal regulations, workforce composition and supply, and community and market factors.
Author(s): Candice Chen, Qian "Eric" Luo, Mandar Bodas, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Forefront
Date: 08/2023
Type: Document
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Discusses challenges to evaluating Medicaid enrollees' access to primary care providers. Describes how the Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity used the Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System (T-MSIS) to examine the primary care workforce providing healthcare to Medicaid enrollees. Outlines Medicaid workforce policy challenges, including federal regulations, workforce composition and supply, and community and market factors.
Author(s): Candice Chen, Qian "Eric" Luo, Mandar Bodas, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Forefront
Date: 08/2023
Type: Document
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FY 2024 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) and Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System (LTCH PPS) Final Rule — CMS-1785-F and CMS-1788-F Fact Sheet
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) fiscal year 2024 hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) and long-term care hospital prospective payment system (LTCH PPS) final rule. Includes information about the low-wage index hospital policy, Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) being allowed to receive Medicare Graduate Medical Education (GME) payments, changes to the rural wage index calculation methodology, and more.
Date: 08/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) fiscal year 2024 hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) and long-term care hospital prospective payment system (LTCH PPS) final rule. Includes information about the low-wage index hospital policy, Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) being allowed to receive Medicare Graduate Medical Education (GME) payments, changes to the rural wage index calculation methodology, and more.
Date: 08/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Critical Access Hospital Electronic Clinical Quality Measure (eCQM) Resource List
Resource list for electronic clinical quality measures (eCQMs), reflecting new materials and updates from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for 2022 reporting.
Date: 08/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Stratis Health
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Resource list for electronic clinical quality measures (eCQMs), reflecting new materials and updates from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for 2022 reporting.
Date: 08/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Stratis Health
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California Assembly Bill 2024: Report to the Legislature July 2023
Report analyzing hospital annual reports, surveys, and key informant interviews to determine the impact of California's Assembly Bill 2024 on physician recruitment and retention, discussing the benefits of employment versus contracting. Outlines how the bill addressed rural hospital-specific challenges and what challenges still remain.
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: California Department of Health Care Access and Information
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Report analyzing hospital annual reports, surveys, and key informant interviews to determine the impact of California's Assembly Bill 2024 on physician recruitment and retention, discussing the benefits of employment versus contracting. Outlines how the bill addressed rural hospital-specific challenges and what challenges still remain.
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: California Department of Health Care Access and Information
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COVID-19 Impact on Dental Service Delivery, Financing, Regulation, and Education Systems: An Environmental Scan
Describes the immediate and longer-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on dental care delivery, regulation, education, and finance. Mentions rural throughout.
Author(s): Margaret Langelier, Aubri Kottek, Theekshana Fernando, et al.
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Oral Health Workforce Research Center
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Describes the immediate and longer-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on dental care delivery, regulation, education, and finance. Mentions rural throughout.
Author(s): Margaret Langelier, Aubri Kottek, Theekshana Fernando, et al.
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Oral Health Workforce Research Center
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Council on Graduate Medical Education (COGME) Recruitment and Retention of General Surgeons in Rural Areas Support Letter
Letter from the Council on Graduate Medical Education (COGME) regarding two pieces of legislation: 1) the Ensuring Access to General Surgery Act of 2023, which would require a report from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) on "access by underserved populations to general surgeons"; and 2) the Specialty Physicians Advancing Rural Care (SPARC) Act, which would provide financial incentives to encourage more specialty clinicians, including general surgeons, to serve in rural areas. Also proposes a new general surgery scholarship and loan repayment program based on the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) model and the establishment of a rural graduate medical education (GME) program. Provides an overview of access to general surgeons in rural areas, the legislation and proposed programs, and how these programs could help meet the need for surgeons in rural areas and improve health outcomes.
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Council on Graduate Medical Education
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Letter from the Council on Graduate Medical Education (COGME) regarding two pieces of legislation: 1) the Ensuring Access to General Surgery Act of 2023, which would require a report from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) on "access by underserved populations to general surgeons"; and 2) the Specialty Physicians Advancing Rural Care (SPARC) Act, which would provide financial incentives to encourage more specialty clinicians, including general surgeons, to serve in rural areas. Also proposes a new general surgery scholarship and loan repayment program based on the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) model and the establishment of a rural graduate medical education (GME) program. Provides an overview of access to general surgeons in rural areas, the legislation and proposed programs, and how these programs could help meet the need for surgeons in rural areas and improve health outcomes.
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Council on Graduate Medical Education
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Delivery of High-Speed Broadband Services in Unserved and Underserved Areas of the Commonwealth (Pennsylvania): Fourth Annual Report
Provides an update on the role of broadband in education, telehealth, agriculture, and community and economic development; barriers to development; funding resources; developments in Pennsylvania state and local initiatives; and efforts to identify unserved and underserved Pennsylvania communities. Includes a discussion of the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority and new federal funding for expansion and development in Pennsylvania.
Additional links: Summary
Author(s): Yvonne Llewellyn Hursh, Lydia Hack, Allison N. Kobzowicz, Bryan W. DeWalt, Wendy L. Baker
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Joint State Government Commission, General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
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Provides an update on the role of broadband in education, telehealth, agriculture, and community and economic development; barriers to development; funding resources; developments in Pennsylvania state and local initiatives; and efforts to identify unserved and underserved Pennsylvania communities. Includes a discussion of the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority and new federal funding for expansion and development in Pennsylvania.
Additional links: Summary
Author(s): Yvonne Llewellyn Hursh, Lydia Hack, Allison N. Kobzowicz, Bryan W. DeWalt, Wendy L. Baker
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Joint State Government Commission, General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
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