FCC: Promoting Telehealth in Rural America Federal Register

Oct 11, 2019 - Notice of rulemaking from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to promote transparency and predictability, and the efficient allocation of Rural Health Care Program resources while preventing waste, fraud and abuse. Many parts of the rule will be effective on November 12, 2019, with others sections to be announced in the Federal Register at a later date.

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CMS: Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Policy Changes and Fiscal Year 2020 Rates; Quality Reporting Requirements for Specific Providers; Medicare and Medicaid Promoting Interoperability Programs Requirements for Eligible Hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals; Correction Federal Register

Oct 8, 2019 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services correcting technical and typographical errors found in the August 16, 2019 final rule with the same title. Corrections apply to discharges that occur on or after October 1, 2019.

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CMS: Medicare and Medicaid Programs: Revisions to Requirements for Discharge Planning for Hospitals, Critical Access Hospitals, and Home Health Agencies, and Hospital and Critical Access Hospital Changes to Promote Innovation, Flexibility, and Improvement in Patient Care Federal Register

Sep 30, 2019 - Notice of final rule from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to revise discharge planning requirements that hospitals, Critical Access Hospitals, and home health agencies participating in the Medicare and Medicaid programs must meet. Also implements discharge planning requirements to provide patients and their families with access to information that will help them make informed decisions about post-acute care, and updates a provision regarding patient rights which is intended to promote innovation and flexibility to improve patient care. The final rule will be effective on November 29, 2019.

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CMS: Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Regulatory Provisions to Promote Program Efficiency, Transparency, and Burden Reduction; Fire Safety Requirements for Certain Dialysis Facilities; Hospital and Critical Access Hospital (CAH) Changes to Promote Innovation, Flexibility, and Improvement in Patient Care Federal Register

Sep 30, 2019 - Notice of final rule from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid that removes unnecessary and burdensome regulations, reduces requirements that impede or divert resources away from providing high quality care, and updates fire safety standards for End-State Renal Disease (ESRD) facilities participating in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Also updates the requirements that hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) must meet to participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Includes implementation dates for CAHs related to Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement Programs (QAPI) and for hospitals and CAHs related to antibiotic stewardship programs. The final rule will be effective on November 29, 2019.

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MedPAC Announces Public Meeting Schedule for 2019-2020 Cycle

Sep 4, 2019 - Brief announcement from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission with dates for public meetings to be held September 2019 through April 2020.

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HRSA: National Advisory Council on the National Health Service Corps Meeting Cancellation Federal Register

Aug 28, 2019 - Announcement that the September 17-18, 2019 meeting of the National Advisory Council on the National Health Service Corps has been cancelled.

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The Impact of Rural Hospital Closures and State Responses

Aug 27, 2019 - Provides an overview state legislation from across the country to address the issue of hospital closures, including options to increase technical assistance to support rural facilities, new value-based payment models, new licensure options that serve rural populations, and more.

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Rural Health Task Force Accepting Comments for Policy Solutions

Aug 23, 2019 - The Bipartisan Policy Center's Rural Health Task Force is seeking comments and suggestions by September 7, 2019 on the development of policy recommendations to address challenges for rural populations in accessing healthcare. Recommendations should focus on supporting the current rural healthcare system, addressing barriers and opportunities for participation in new service delivery models, and building on successful health workforce and graduate medical education proposals.

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Rural Access to Health Care Services Request for Information

Aug 22, 2019 - The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) seeks public input regarding how to measure access to rural healthcare. Questions for public comment cover core rural health services, ratios of healthcare providers, methods of measuring care access and care quality, and other factors to consider. Comments are due October 9, 2019.

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White House Committed to Ending Rural America's Addiction Crisis

Aug 20, 2019 - Guest column by Anne Hazlett, senior rural affairs advisor in the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, about addressing drug addiction in the rural U.S. Includes examples of partnerships with local leaders and faith communities and federal funding to help prevent and address substance abuse.

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