Month: May 2023

USDA Mental Health Awareness Month Workshop Series Starts in May

May 2, 2023

USDA Mental Health Awareness Month Workshop Series Starts in May

You’re invited to the USDA Mental Health Awareness Month Workshop Series taking place on Tuesdays starting May 9 through June 6, 2023 from 2:00-3:30pm ET. The workshop series convenes farmers and ranchers, faith leaders, rural health providers, USDA employees, and Federal, state, and university partners to dialogue and discuss mental health challenges, stressors, and the resources and services available to address them. Click here and see below for more information and to register.  

Farm Stress and Suicide Prevention: Data, Challenges, and Opportunities co-hosted by the American Farm Bureau Federation
Tuesday, May 9, 2023, 2:00 – 3:30 PM ET
Register

This session provides context for the issue of farm stress and suicide by focusing on available data, challenges, and opportunities for farm stress researchers, practitioners, and service providers. Panelists include the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, the American Farm Bureau Federation, Farm Aid, and others to discuss the state of the field and offer insights into their respective partner programs, resources, and emergent needs.

Veteran’s Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Workshop
Tuesday, May 16, 2023, 2:00 – 3:30 PM ET
Register

Rural Veterans experience a significantly increased risk of suicide. In this workshop, you will learn how to act with care and compassion if you encounter a Veteran who is in crisis or experiencing suicidal thoughts.

Rural Mental Health Matters: Challenges, Opportunities & Resources for Communities cohosted by the National Association of Behavioral Health and Development Disability Directors
Tuesday, May 23, 2023, 2:00 – 3:30 PM ET
Register

This session focuses on the resources and tools that are available in rural places, where over 60% of Americans live in mental health provider shortage areas. Speakers will examine current programs focused on giving rural and frontier communities the tools they need to thrive through creative problem solving. With perspectives rooted in rural services, behavioral health, and technology, the presentations and follow-on conversation will explore the importance of increasing the efficiency of providers in rural areas and other solutions, to challenges that rural communities face to ensure community wellbeing and economic prosperity.

Farm Stress and Suicide: Faith, Place, and Community Health
Tuesday, May 30, 2:00 – 3:30 PM ET
Register

This session provides an overview of the USDA Center for Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships and highlights the challenges faced by many Americans during Mental Health Awareness Month. A training on farm stress, health and wellbeing will be provided by The Well Church Initiative of Texas A&M Extension, to discuss and highlight tools and resources available to faith and community-based organizations as they support their congregants and communities.

LGBTQ+ Mental Health in Rural Communities
Tuesday, June 6, 2023, 2:00 – 3:30 PM ET
Register

This session will focus on the lived experienced of LGBTQ+ identifying folks in rural communities across the country. Discussion and dialogue will focus on mental health, the relationship to stress, and more.

These meetings will be conducted virtually using Zoom.gov. A link to the workshop will be provided upon registration; please contact center@usda.gov with any questions.

NRHA Webinar – Keeping Care in our Communities: Telehealth as a Lifeline for Rural Healthcare

May 2, 2023

NRHA Webinar – Keeping Care in our Communities: Telehealth as a Lifeline for Rural Healthcare

Thursday, May 4, 2:00 – 3:00 pm CST

Join healthcare experts Steve Barnett (President and CEO, McKenzie Health System), Corey Scurlock (CEO and Founder, EQUUM Medical), and Rodney Buchanan (Hospital Administrator, Westfield Memorial Hospital) in an informative webinar on telehealth for rural healthcare facilities. With their combined experience of over 60 years in successful rural hospital operations, healthcare management, financial analysis, strategic planning, and business development, the panelists will provide tangible insights into implementing telehealth solutions that are both successful and profitable.

In this discussion-driven webinar, the panelists will share how to identify where telehealth can fit in your organization and how to get started. They will debunk myths about the cost and complexity of telehealth and provide best practices for implementation. Additionally, the benefits of ongoing program measurement and goal communication will be discussed to help you gain buy-in over time.

As a rural healthcare facility, you will learn how to evaluate telehealth as a solution for your organization by outlining its components and understanding its potential benefits.

Register

NRHA Webinar – Recruiting and Retention for Rural Hospitals

May 2, 2023

NRHA Webinar – Recruiting and Retention for Rural Hospitals

Wednesday, May 3, 2:00 – 3:00 pm CST

Join Jimmie Bilby, Chief Growth Officer at TRS Healthcare, for a webinar on creating a competitive advantage in recruiting and retention for rural hospitals. Jimmie has over 23 years of leadership experience and will share proven strategies, including leveraging a hospital’s Mission/Vision/Values. His presentation, “Radical Recruiting and Retention for Rural Hospitals,” will challenge you to think outside the box and explore new concepts.

Register

2023 NOSORH Annual Meeting – Call for Speaker Proposals

May 2, 2023

2023 NOSORH Annual Meeting – Call for Speaker Proposals

The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) is now accepting speaker proposals for the 2023 NOSORH Annual Meeting! You are invited to submit your proposal(s) to present rural innovations, research findings, model programs, resources, and projects to all 50 State Office of Rural Health.

The NOSORH Annual Meeting will be held in Traverse City, Michigan on September 19-21, 2023.

Proposals are due by Friday, May 26, 2023

Click below to learn more about the Annual Meeting, topics of interest, and to submit your speaker proposal.

Learn More

Rural Health Clinical Congress – May 20, 2023

May 2, 2023

Rural Health Clinical Congress – May 20, 2023

Attention primary care clinicians: Don’t miss Rural Medical Education (RME) Collaborative’s Rural Health Clinical Congress (RHCC) Spring 2023 on Saturday, May 20! This unique virtual live CME/CE event features updates from experts on a wide variety of clinical topics relevant to the needs of rural and underserved communities.

RME Collaborative is partnering with the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) for the Rural Health Clinical Congress Spring 2023. This FREE virtual CME/CE conference is designed specifically for primary care clinicians who provide care to patients in rural and underserved communities.

This multi-topic event will be broadcast live on Saturday, May 20, 2023, starting at 9:00 am ET and will offer 6.0 CME/CE credits.

This event is designed specifically for:

  • Primary care clinicians
  • Registered nurses
  • Advanced practice registered nurses

who care for patients from rural and underserved areas

Why attend:

  • Learn evidence-based recommendations on topics relevant to primary care
  • Gain practical insights to meet the needs of patients in rural and underserved areas
  • Participate in live polls and ask questions to experts in real time
  • Earn free live CME/CE credit for each session you attend

Learn more and register at rhcc2023.com.

Updates to Coverage for COVID-19 Tests

May 3, 2023

Update to Coverage for COVID-19 Tests

The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency is to end on May 11, 2023. The ending of the Public Health Emergency may impact an individual’s coverage of COVID-19 tests. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has provided a New Consumer Fact Sheet in both English and Spanish.

Consumer Fact Sheets:

English

Spanish

What to tell consumers:

Before May 11, 2023

If you have any type of health insurance, you can get up to eight over-the-counter tests per month with no out-of-pocket costs. Over-the-counter tests are available in most pharmacies and may also be available online for delivery.

After May 11, 2023

Laboratory tests for COVID-19 that are ordered by your provider will still be covered with no out-of-pocket costs for people with Medicare. Over-the-counter tests will still be available, but there may be out-of-pocket costs. Coverage of over-the-counter tests may vary by your insurance type, as described below.

What does this mean for Medicare Beneficiaries?

Generally, Medicare doesn’t cover or pay for over-the-counter products. The demonstration that has allowed us to offer coverage for COVID-19 tests at no cost ends on May 11, 2023.

However, if you are enrolled in Medicare Part B, you will continue to have coverage with no out-of-pocket costs for appropriate laboratory-based COVID-19 PCR and antigen tests, when a provider orders them (such as drive-through PCR and antigen testing or testing in a provider’s office).

If you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, you may have more access to tests depending on your benefits. Check with your plan.

What does this mean for people with Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program?

If you have coverage through Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program, you will have access to COVID-19 over-the-counter and laboratory-based COVID-19 tests after May 11, 2023.

If your insurance chooses to cover COVID-19 testing, they may require cost sharing, prior authorization, or other forms of medical management.

EMS Missouri Conference & Expo – Registration Now Open

May 3, 2023

EMS Missouri Conference & Expo – Registration Now Open

Register now for the Missouri EMS Conference & Expo presented by Missouri AAMS, memsa, and the Missouri Ambulance Association, where quality education meets fabulous networking. You will receive the latest info in training, equipment, and tools to make your job easier while providing the highest quality care for your patients.

When: August 1 – 3, 2023

Where: St. Charles Convention Center, St. Charles, MO

Register Here

CMS Issues FY 2024 IPPS/LTCH PPS Proposed Rule

May 4, 2023

CMS Issues FY 2024 IPPS/LTCH PPS Proposed Rule

On April 6, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule to update fiscal year (FY) 2024 Medicare payment policies and rates under the Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) and the Long-Term Care Hospital (LTCH) Prospective Payment System (PPS).

The FY 2024 IPPS/LTCH PPS proposed rule went on display at the Office of the Federal Register Public Inspection Desk and www.federalregister.gov on April 6, 2023, and was published today May 1, 2023. To view the published version of the FY 2024 IPPS/LTCH PPS proposed rule, go to the following web address and click on PDF under Printed Version: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/05/01/2023-07389/medicare-program-proposed-hospital-inpatient-prospective-payment-systems-for-acute-care-hospitals

Proposed changes to the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR) Program and other quality reporting programs are included in the regulation. Details regarding proposals for various quality reporting programs can be found on the pages listed below:

  • Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) pp. 27024
  • Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program pp. 27024 – 27051
  • Hospital-Acquired Condition (HAC) Reduction Program pp. 27051 – 27055
  • Hospital IQR Program pp. 27078 – 27117
  • PPS-Exempt Cancer Hospital Quality Reporting (PCHQR) Program pp. 27117 – 27138
  • Promoting Interoperability Program pp. 27155 – 27173

CMS will accept comments on the FY 2024 IPPS/LTCH PPS proposed rule until June 9, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time and will respond to comments in the FY 2024 IPPS/LTCH PPS final rule, to be issued by August 1, 2023. Comments can be submitted electronically or via regular mail or express/overnight mail. Please review the FY 2024 IPPS/LTCH PPS proposed rule for specific instructions for each method and submit using only one method.

For further assistance regarding the information, please contact the Inpatient Value, Incentives, and Quality Reporting (VIQR) Outreach and Education Support Team at https://cmsqualitysupport.servicenowservices.com/qnet_qa?id=ask_a_question or (844) 472-4477.

Mental Health Awareness Month Promotional Toolkit

May 4, 2023

Mental Health Awareness Month Promotional Toolkit

MU Extension, the Farm and Ranch Stress Alliance Network (FRSAN) and their statewide partners join the national movement to raise awareness about mental health. Together, they work to fight stigma, provide support, educate the public, make referrals to teletherapy counseling, and advocate for polices that support the millions of Missourians affected by stress, anxiety, and mental illness.

MU Extension and the FRSAN compiled a list of helpful resources to provide all Missourians in a free online publication called the “Mental Health Awareness Month Promotional Toolkit.” The toolkit provides credible resources and reliable tools to promote and support the mental health and well-being of rural individuals, farmers, ranchers, and their families in agricultural communities.

The mental health awareness toolkit includes:

  • Outreach ideas
  • News Release
  • Interview Talking Points
  • Social Media Posts
  • Referral Resources
  • Signs and Symptoms List
  • Tips for managing stress
  • Hashtags
  • Infographics
  • Videos
  • Articles
  • Print Resources
  • Webinars
  • Suicide and Crisis Lifelines

Access Mental Health Awareness Toolkit

Free Virtual RHC Summit: Harnessing Opportunities in Rural Health

May 4, 2023

Free Virtual RHC Summit: Harnessing Opportunities in Rural Health

Join Wintergreen, The Compliance Team, and Lilypad for the 2nd annual RHC Summit on June 21-22, 2023. This free, virtual educational event features industry experts from across the rural health landscape.

Learn innovations and best practices to improve:

  • Quality
  • Performance
  • Management
  • Outcomes in rural health clinics

Knowledgeable speakers will present their latest thinking on post-pandemic, forward-looking opportunities as they reflect on lessons learned and recent developments.

Hear about changes regarding:

  • Telehealth
  • Staff recruitment
  • Financial management and revenue potential
  • Rural health advocacy
  • Legislative impacts

This highly successful annual meeting is open to providers, management, and all stakeholders involved in rural healthcare, at no cost.

Agenda

Registration