Rural Healthcare Quality – News
News stories from the past 60 days.
Dec 17, 2025 - Comments are being accepted for the 2025 Measures Under Consideration (MUC) List which includes 24 unique measures under consideration by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid for quality reporting purposes. Comments are also requested on 5 measures aligned with Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) priorities. Written comments are due January 6, 2026. Also offers opportunities for live comments during January 2026 listening sessions.
Source: Partnership for Quality Measurement
Dec 17, 2025 - Request from the Public Health Accreditation Board for feedback on Standards & Measures Version 2026, the accreditation standards for public health departments. Feedback requested includes, but is not limited to, clarity of the requirements, feasibility of providing documentation, and the importance of the standards to public health. Comments are due December 31, 2025.
Source: Public Health Accreditation Board
CMS: Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request
Federal Register
Nov 28, 2025 - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is
seeking comments on the following information collections:
1) National Implementation of the Outpatient and Ambulatory
Surgery Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and
Systems (OAS CAHPS) and 2) Elimination of Cost-Sharing for
Full Benefit Dual-Eligible Individuals Receiving Home and
Community-Based Services. Comments are due by January 27,
2026.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 28, 2025 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
(CMS) making technical corrections to the
November 5, 2025, final rule. This correction is
effective January 1, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 25, 2025 - Notice of final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) making changes to the Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and the Medicare Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) payment system for calendar year 2026, including changes to the amounts and factors used to determine the payment rates for Medicare services paid under the OPPS and those paid under the ASC payment systems. Among other things, this rule also updates the requirements for the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting Program, Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting Program, Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting Program, Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating, and hospitals to make public their standard charge information and enforcement of hospital price transparency. This rule also announces the closure of a teaching hospital and the opportunity to apply for available slots. This rule is effective January 1, 2026. Applications for available resident spots are due by February 19, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Last Updated: 12/17/2025