Month: February 2025

Opening Soon: Applications for the 2025 NHSC Corps Loan Repayment Programs

February 26, 2025

Opening Soon: Applications for the 2025 NHSC Corps Loan Repayment Programs

The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) and Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Programs help repay part of school loan debt. In exchange, clinicians serve in eligible health care sites in communities in need.

The 2025 Application and Program Guidance documents (in PDF) for these programs are now available:

These documents provide essential details on eligibility requirements, award amounts, and service commitments for each program.

Click Here to Compare Loan Repayment Programs

Diabetes and Other Telehealth Resources from The Office for the Advancement of Telehealth

February 25, 2025

Diabetes and Other Telehealth Resources from The Office for the Advancement of Telehealth

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one in every ten people in America have diabetes and an additional 96 million people are living with pre-diabetes.

Telehealth and telemedicine can be effective tools to manage diabetes. Telehealth and technologies for diabetes management include:

  • Live video (synchronous telemedicine),
  • Smartphones and mobile applications, and
  • Remote monitoring using asynchronous technology to share information with health care providers.

Click Here to read how to use telehealth in this Best Practice Guide

Patient Resource: How to Use Telehealth for Diabetes Care

Telehealth helps patients with diabetes track and manage their health. Share this page with patients so they can learn more about how they can use telehealth for diabetes care.

Click Here to Learn More

Tip Sheet: Telehealth Privacy Tips for Providers

Providers can take steps to ensure the privacy and security of patient health information. This is essential for patients to feel comfortable using telehealth.

Click Here to Learn More

Telehealth Resources

Telehealth.HHS.gov has a variety of telehealth resources for health care providers, including doctors, practitioners, and hospital staff. These include tips on how to get started planning workflows, telehealth policy and billing, and licensure.

Click Here to Find Telehealth Resources

Capital Link Webinar: Introduction to Mobile Health, February 26

February 25, 2025

Capital Link Webinar: Introduction to Mobile Health, February 26

Mobile healthcare is an alternative, flexible, and cost-effective approach to bringing a wide range of healthcare services-such as medical, dental, behavioral, vision, and even mammography – directly to hard-to-reach patients.

This training will:

  • Describe the mobile health landscape, with an emphasis on health center presence,
  • Share key mobile health resources, and
  • Provide practical advice for mobile programs.

Additionally, Capital Link will introduce the first offering of their new four-session Mobile Health Learning Collaborative, beginning in March.

Capital Link offers webinars designed to offer useful information for health centers on a wide range of topics, at no charge.

Cost: Free

When: Wednesday, February 26, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. ET

Click Here to Register

DEA & HHS Delay Implementation of Final Rules

February 25, 2025

DEA & HHS Delay Implementation of Final Rules

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have announced a delay in the effective date for the recently issue final rules regarding the telemedicine prescribing of buprenorphine and telemedicine for Veterans Affairs Patients. Originally scheduled to become effective February 18, the rules will now take effect on March 21, 2025.

This decision aligns with the White House memorandum issued on January 20, which called for “A Regulatory Freeze Pending Review” to allow agencies further review of any fact, law, and policy considerations prior to proposing, issuing, or finalizing any regulatory activities. In particular, the DEA/HHS announcement cites the third paragraph of the Freeze Memo, which ordered agencies to consider postponing the effective dates for any recently published rules that have yet to take effect.

The DEA and HHS have also confirmed that the waiver provisions established in the third extension of telemedicine flexibilities for prescribing controlled substances will remain in effect through December 31, 2025, ensuring that in-person visit requirements continue to be waived for the remainder of 2025.

Click Here to Read More

Click Here to Read Buprenorphine Rule

Click Here to Read Veterans Affair Rule

Click Here to Read Telemedicine Special Registration Rule

Save the Date – Faith and Health: Purple Sundays Offer Education and Support for Memory Loss, February 26

February 25, 2025

Save the Date – Faith and Health: Purple Sundays Offer Education and Support for Memory Loss, February 26

Raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease through Purple Sunday events. Participants will learn how to access free care and support services, engage in research, and educate members of the faith community about Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

Cost: Free

When: Wednesday, February 26, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Click Here to Register

MRHA Webinar: Colorectal Cancer in Younger Patient Populations and the Impact of Non-Invasive Testing

February 25, 2025

MRHA Webinar: Colorectal Cancer in Younger Patient Populations and the Impact of Non-Invasive Testing

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is not only rising in prevalence but affecting younger patient populations at an alarming rate. Traditional approaches, focused solely on colonoscopies, may not reach enough at-risk individuals, especially in rural communities. Exact Sciences’ non-invasive test, Cologuard, offers a groundbreaking way to improve screening accessibility and help prevent CRC.

Target Audience

  • Primary Care Providers,
  • Population Health Professionals,
  • CMOs,
  • Healthcare leaders dedicated to improving patient outcomes and accessibility in rural communities.

Cost: Free

When: Thursday, February 27, 12:00 p.m.

Click Here to Register

Registration is Now Open: NRHA’s 48th Annual Conference

February 21, 2025

Registration is Now Open: NRHA’s 48th Annual Conference

Join the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) and hundreds of rural health leaders from across the country to help raise the standard for rural health with more than 80 innovative, practical, and cost-saving sessions and much more.

Don’t miss NRHA’s expanded Rural Health Equity Conference May 19 – 20 and Rural Medical Education Conference occurring immediately beforehand on May 20.

When: May 20 – 23, 2025

Where: Atlanta, GA

Click Here to See Agenda and Full Details of Conference

Register Now: Missouri Immunization Conference 2025, April 24-25

February 19, 2025

Register Now: Missouri Immunization Conference 2025, April 24-25

The purpose of this conference is to provide immunization education to increase immunization rates and protect all Missourians.

The conference brings together bright minds to give talks that are action-oriented on a wide range of subjects related to immunizations to foster learning and inspiration, as well as provoke conversations that matter and actions that lead to increased vaccination rates for Missourians.

Learning Outcomes:

  • Participants will self-report increased confidence in their ability to provide effective education by delivering a strong recommendation to patients when discussing vaccines.
  • Participants will self-report increased knowledge about evidence-based strategies designed to address vaccine hesitancy, and combat misinformation.
  • Participants will self-report increased confidence in their ability to advocate for and effectively educate patients on vaccine preventable diseases.
  • Participants will self-report increased knowledge of how state legislative actions play a role in Missouri’s immunization rates.
  • Participants will self-report increased knowledge of the increasing number of vaccine exemptions and the potential community health implications.

Target Audience Includes:

  • Public health professionals
  • Nurses
  • Physicians
  • School nurses
  • Pharmacists
  • Advanced practice providers
  • Hospital & ambulatory care staff
  • Social workers
  • Psychologists
  • CHWs
  • Health care administrators
  • Individuals working to promote immunizations, prevent disease and protect Missourians through immunization education.

Where: Lodge of Four Season, Lake of the Ozarks

Click Here to Learn More and Register

Registration Open: Rural Health Workforce Development Conference, April 1 – 2

February 19, 2025

Registration Open: Rural Health Workforce Development Conference, April 1 – 2

The Rural Health Workforce Conference provides professional development, sharing of best practices, and mentorship opportunities that are key to successful recruitment and retention of rural health professionals.

This will be an avenue to provide:

  • Hospital administrators with information on rural recruitment/retention strategies, and community engagement;
  • Faculty development for individuals who teach health-profession students;
  • Networking for rural-health professionals to share and showcase best practices;
  • Residents and students with information on rural opportunities and to prepare them for rural practice (i.e., rural practice (i.e., rural residencies, rural leadership, etc.;
  • A venue for residents/students to present relevant rural-focused research projects;
  • Professional development for rural-health professionals, administrators, and preceptors;
  • Recruitment opportunities for rural hospitals, and
  • Recognition of rural-health champions in Missouri.

Target Audience

  • Rural health administrators,
  • Educators,
  • Students,
  • Community advocates, and
  • Healthcare professionals.

Click Here to Learn More and Register

CMS Provides Billing Instructions for Opioid Treatment Programs (OTP) Telecommunications Add-On Codes

February 18, 2025

CMS Provides Billing Instructions for Opioid Treatment Programs (OTP) Telecommunications Add-On Codes

In the 2025 Final Physician Fee Schedule, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized important updates for Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs) aligning with regulations previously adopted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). These changes aim to enhance access to care for individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) by expanding telehealth options.

Key Updates include:

  • Periodic assessments may now be conducted via audio-only technology on a permanent basis if live video is unavailable, as long as they meet all applicable SAMHSA and DEA requirements.
  • The OTPs intake add-on code (G2076) can now be billed when using live video for the initiation of methadone treatment.

As a result of these changes, CMS has updated its Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) webpage to reflect proper billing practices. OTPs should use the following HCPCS add-on codes when treating eligible patients:

  • G2076 – Used to initiate buprenorphine or methadone treatment via two-way interactive audio-video or audio-only technology when video is unavailable.
  • G2077 – covers periodic patient assessments via audio-only technology when video is unavailable.
  • G2080 – Applies to additional counseling or therapy provided via audio-only technology when video is unavailable.

For more details on the finalized policy, review the 2025 Final Physician Fee Schedule.

To learn more about billing and G-codes for OTPs, visit the CMS Opioid Treatment Program webpage.

Click Here to go to 2025 Final Physician Fee Schedule

Click Here to go to CMS Opioid Treatment Program webpage.