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Rural Hospitals – News

News stories from the past 60 days.

May 22, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services making technical and typographical corrections to the April 14, 2026, proposed rule. Comments on the proposed rule are due by June 9, 2026.
May 21, 2026 - Profiles Timothy Reed, CEO of Prosser Memorial Health, a rural Washington health system that has undergone significant expansion in recent years. Reed describes his plan to balance financial stewardship with expanded access to care.
Source: HealthLeaders
May 20, 2026 - The Helmsley Charitable Trust is funding a pilot program through the Civica Foundation that will give participating hospitals access to a consistent supply of drugs at wholesale prices, without having to buy in bulk. Dozens of independent hospitals in rural areas of Montana, Nevada, and Wyoming are eligible.
Source: Wyoming Public Media
May 12, 2026 - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is seeking comments on proposed revisions to an information collection project titled "National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Respiratory Data." The NHSN Respiratory Data collection provides situational awareness of the impact of respiratory diseases including information about COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Proposed revisions include the addition, modification, or removal of certain questions and the adjustment of burden to more accurately reflect the time needed to respond to the NHSN modules. Comments are due by July 13, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
May 12, 2026 - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is seeking comments on proposed revisions to an information collection project titled "National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN)." The NHSN is designed to provide facilities, states, regions, and the nation with data necessary to identify problem areas, measure the progress of prevention efforts, and ultimately eliminate healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) nationwide. Proposed revisions include the addition, modification, or removal of certain questions and the adjustment of burden to more accurately reflect the time needed to respond to the NHSN modules. Comments are due by July 13, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
May 4, 2026 - Several Oklahoma rural hospitals have created or expanded swing bed programs, which allow hospitals to use inpatient beds for post-acute care. The additional revenue stream helps facilities remain viable and avoid closure, and allows patients to receive follow-up care locally.
Source: Oklahoma Watch
Apr 20, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeking comments on a proposed information collection titled "Submissions of Acute Hospital Care at Home (AHCAH) Waiver Submission and Data Collection." The AHCAH initiative was codified in the Consolidate Appropriations Act, 2025. As a result, the AHCAH information collection request is being separated from the 1135 waiver information collection request. Comments are due by June 22, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 16, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) making technical corrections to the April 14, 2026, proposed rule. Comments on the proposed rule are due by June 9, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 14, 2026 - Notice of a proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding changes to the hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) for operating and capital-related costs of acute care hospitals for fiscal year 2027. Contains details of proposed changes related to Medicare graduate medical education (GME) for teaching hospitals; payment policies and the annual payment rates for the Medicare prospective payment system (PPS) for inpatient hospital services provided by long-term care hospitals; and certain quality programs, among other things. Comments are due by April 10, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 9, 2026 - Announcement from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of receipt of an application from DNV Healthcare Inc. for continued recognition as a national accrediting organization for hospitals that wish to participate in the Medicare or Medicaid programs. Comments are due by May 11, 2026.
Source: Federal Register