Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) – News
News stories from the past 60 days.
May 14, 2019 - The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) is now accepting hardship exception applications for the meaningful electronic health record (EHR) use requirements from eligible hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Without the exemption, hospitals must show that they meet the Promoting Interoperability Program EHR requirements.
Source: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
May 9, 2019 - The Health Resources and Services Administration's cycle for the 2019 National Health Service Corp New Site Application is open and has expanded eligibility to include facilities that provide general substance use disorder treatment, medication assisted treatment, and/or opioid treatment services. Applications are due by May 30, 2019.
Source: HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce
May 3, 2019 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services of a proposed rule regarding changes to critical access hospital (CAH) payments, Medicare graduate medical education for teaching hospitals, and Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment systems (IPPS) for capital and operating costs of acute care hospitals. The rule also proposes new quality requirements and revisions related to current requirements. Comments are due June 24, 2019.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 26, 2019 - The Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) is offering up to $725,000 over 3 years to expand or establish medication-assisted treatment (MAT) in high-risk rural communities. Eligible applicants include Rural Health Clinics, Critical Access Hospitals and other rural hospitals under 50 beds, Health Center Look-Alikes, and tribes and tribal organizations in HRSA-designated rural areas. Applications are due June 10, 2019 and a webinar will provide additional information on May 16, 2019.
Source: Health Resources and Services Administration
Apr 23, 2019 - Notice of from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services extending the comment period for the March 4th proposed rule with the same title. Comments are now due on June 3, 2019 and effective dates of policies related to the rule will be adjusted as necessary based on public comments.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 11, 2019 - While nearly all hospitals offer patient access to electronic health information, less than 25% of patients activate their online patient portals, and only 14% of rural hospital patients. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) also found that fewer rural and Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) provided patients with the ability to view and transmit their health data.
Source: HIT Infrastructure
Apr 10, 2019 - Highlights a partnership between a healthcare system and Critical Access Hospitals in La Crosse, Wisconsin that was presented at the American Hospital Association Rural Health Care Leadership Conference.
Source: American Hospital Association
Apr 9, 2019 - Press release from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on updates to their Promoting Interoperability Programs website. Highlights resources for Critical Access Hospitals and other hospitals.
Source: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Apr 7, 2019 - Rural Celina, Tennessee was positioning itself as a retiree destination, but the loss of its Critical Access Hospital has put those plans in jeopardy.
Source: National Public Radio
Mar 25, 2019 - The Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) released a grant opportunity for networks of rural hospitals, FQHCs, home visiting programs, and state Medicaid programs intended to improve maternal obstetrics care access and continuity in rural areas. The funding will test models in 4 areas: rural obstetric service aggregation, telehealth and specialty care, financial sustainability, and a network approach to coordinating care.
Source: Health Resources and Services Administration
Last Updated: 5/14/2019