Healthcare Access in Rural Communities – News
News stories from the past 60 days.
Jul 25, 2024 - Announces proposed legislation to require hospital systems either closing or eliminating services to notify the Department of Health and Human Services as well as develop with the public a plan for continuing accessible care for patients. The bill would also require annual Congressional reports on hospital closure trends and capacity for surge demand.
Source: Office of Senator Tammy Baldwin
Jul 15, 2024 - Highlights declines in birth rates across time and the associated impact on rural labor and delivery services. Discusses the impact of low service volume on maintaining labor and delivery services and offering high quality healthcare.
Source: KFF Health News, NPR
Jul 11, 2024 - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' proposed calendar year 2025 physician fee schedule rule includes new payments and coverage for digital health and telehealth services.
The draft rule contains significant provisions for Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers and gives opioid treatment programs more flexibility in their use of telehealth services.
Source: Fierce Healthcare
Jul 10, 2024 - The Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Ambulatory Surgical Center proposed rule would increase access to care and advance health equity. The proposal introduces new requirements for maternal quality improvement efforts, increases access to services in tribal, rural, and other underserved communities, addresses barriers to Medicare coverage for those recently incarcerated, and supports the agency's goals of reducing opioid overdoses.
Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Jul 10, 2024 - A new telehealth study done by the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians and Connected Nation Michigan provides insights into how tribal members use telehealth, what barriers exist, and attitudes toward telehealth. The study identifies ways tribal health clinics can expand telehealth efforts, identifies unmet demand, and addresses concerns that may prevent tribe members from adopting telehealth services.
Source: Connected Nation
Jul 10, 2024 - Describes the Juvenile Community Action Team in Stearns County, Minnesota, an initiative dedicated to proactively addressing issues that propel families to a breaking point. The team connects families to services such as counseling, access to food, childcare, or medical care.
Source: National Association of Counties
Jul 10, 2024 - Profiles a mobile clinic program based in Oklahoma City, which sends teams of physicians to 14 remote locations across Oklahoma, many of which have large Native American populations. The program aims to reduce healthcare disparities in areas with limited access to specialized medical care.
Source: Cardiovascular Business
Jul 10, 2024 - Grove Hill Memorial Hospital in Clarke County and East Alabama Medical Center-Lanier in Chambers County plan to convert to Rural Emergency Hospital status. This will mean closure of one of the last birthing units in rural south Alabama.
Source: AL.com
Jul 9, 2024 - Profiles the rural family medicine residency program in Winnemucca, Nevada. Describes the process through which physicians become connected to rural communities in which they practice.
Source: University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Jul 8, 2024 - Announces funding opportunities through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, to support women's behavioral health. The grants will help expand access to services and enhance the ability of healthcare providers to identify and address mental health conditions, substance use, and gender-based violence.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Last Updated: 7/26/2024