Rural Hospitals – News
News stories from the past 60 days.
Apr 15, 2026 - Pre-publication 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
CMS: Medicare and Medicaid Programs: Application from DNV Healthcare USA Inc. for Continued CMS-Approval of Its Hospital Accreditation Program
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
CMS: Medicare Program: Fiscal Year 2027 Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities Prospective Payment System -- Rate Update
Federal Register
Apr 7, 2026 - Notice of a proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updating the FY 2027 prospective payment rates, outlier threshold, and wage index for Medicare inpatient hospital services provided by inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPF), including psychiatric hospitals and excluded psychiatric units of an acute care hospital or Critical Access Hospital. Among other things, this rule proposes refinement of the IPF PPS outlier policy, implementation of a standardized IPF patient assessment, and the removal of two measures used in the IPF Quality Reporting Program. Comments are due by June 1, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 6, 2026 - Notice of a proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeking comments on updates to the prospective payment system (PPS) for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) for fiscal year 2027. Among other things, this rule proposes classification and weighting factors for the IRF prospective payment system's case-mix groups, continues the third year of the 3-year phase-out of the rural adjustments, and includes proposals for the IRF Quality Reporting Program. CMS also seeks comments on alternative data sources for the IRF PPS wage index, potential future IRF PPS payment reform, and more. Comments are due June 1, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Mar 24, 2026 - Announces the National Rural Health Association's (NRHA) top 20 rural and community hospitals. The winners will be recognized at NRHA's Annual Rural Health Conference in May 2026.
Source: National Rural Health Association
Feb 23, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) making technical corrections to the November 25, 2025, final rule. This correction is applicable January 1, 2026.
Source: Federal Register