November 22, 2024
Health Equity: Research Recap
This research recap describes how telehealth impacts health equity and opportunities for reducing health disparities.
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Author: dianawinder
DEA Extends Telehealth Flexibilities
November 22, 2024
DEA Extends Telehealth Flexibilities
This week, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), in concert with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), issued a third extension of telemedicine flexibilities for the prescribing of controlled medications through December 31, 2025.
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Upcoming Webinar: The Early Project Planning Phases of a Capital Development Project, December 12
November 22, 2024
Upcoming Webinar: The Early Project Planning Phases of a Capital Development Project, December 12
Is your health center planning a capital project in the next 1-5 years, but you’re not sure where to start? Consider joining Capital Link, on December 12, for The Early Project Planning Phases of a Capital Development Project webinar to learn the foundational steps for developing facilities that provide access to comprehensive, affordable health services tailored to meet the cultural and linguistic needs of diverse communities.
Capital Link will also introduce their Capital Development Learning Collaborative – Early Project Planning Stages, launching in January 2025. This collaborative will provide actionable guidance and tools for successfully planning, financing, and completing a capital project.
Cost: Free
When: Thursday, December 12, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. EST
Click Here to Register
Telehealth Policy Update
November 19, 2024
Telehealth Policy Update
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued the CY 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule final rule and CY2025 Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System final rule, which include telehealth policies.
Absent Congressional action, the statutory limitations in place for Medicare telehealth services prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency will take effect for most telehealth services beginning January 1, 2025.
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Rural Health Research – Understanding the Impact of Medical Debt in Rural Communities: Perspectives from Rural Hospital Administrators
November 18, 2024
Rural Health Research – Understanding the Impact of Medical Debt in Rural Communities: Perspectives from Rural Hospital Administrators
This policy brief presents findings from key informant interviews with nine administrators representing rural hospitals in seven states (Arkansas, California, Illinois, Texas, Vermont, Washington, and West Virginia).
Using content analysis of interview data, researchers share findings around hospital and community-level implications of medical debt, and policies that may help or hinder this issue.
Click Here to Read Policy Brief
HRSA Announces Complete Lists of Health Professional Shortage Areas
November 18, 2024
HRSA Announces Complete Lists of Health Professional Shortage Areas
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) new lists, maintained and updated by HRSA’s Data Warehouse, were announced in the Federal Register last week. The lists identify all geographic areas, population groups, and facilities designated as Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs). Designations that are currently proposed for withdrawal will remain in this status until a second notice is published in the Federal Register.
Click Here to See New Lists
NCOA Expanding Evidence-Based Programs in Rural Communities, November 19
November 18, 2024
NCOA Expanding Evidence-Based Programs in Rural Communities, November 19
Older adults and adults with disabilities residing in rural communities across the nation are aging in place while managing ongoing health conditions. While rural communities may offer close community connections and critical networks o support, they can also present challenges in accessing health care and community-based services. Evidence-based health education, such as chronic disease self-management programs is vital in complementing clinical care and building the everyday skills to improve quality of life.
This webinar hosted by the nonprofit National Council on Aging (NCOA) will introduce and explore the practical and adaptable toolkit developed from roundtable discussions on engaging rural communities in health education. The toolkit offers best practices for:
- Building and advancing community partnerships
- Enhancing participant engagement
- Adapting and effectively delivering evidence-based programs, and
- Overcoming key barriers (i.e., transportation and connectivity), in rural communities.
Cost: Free
When: Tuesday, November 19, 3:00 p.m. ET
Click Here to Register
Research and Data Update: Access to Health Care in Rural America: Current Trends and Key Challenges
November 14, 2024
Research and Data Update: Access to Health Care in Rural America: Current Trends and Key Challenges
This research report describes patterns in insurance coverage and uninsurance rates in rural and urban areas, review non-financial challenges in accessing care face by many rural residents, and describes disparities in health outcomes between urban and rural areas.
The report goes on to discuss policies, programs and resources designed to address barriers to care in rural America and the important role that federal and state health car coverage programs like Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, Marketplace, and Medicare play in providing health insurance coverage for rural residents.
Click Here to Read Full Report
Newly Released: CMS Framework for Health Equity
November 14, 2024
Newly Released: CMS Framework for Health Equity
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Office of Minority Health released the CMS Framework for Health Equity to address health disparities as a foundational element across all work, in every program, and across every community.
Using five priority areas, CMS will use this framework to design, implement, and operationalize policies and programs to support health for all people served by CMS programs, eliminating avoidable differences in health outcomes experienced by people who are disadvantaged or underserved, and providing the care and support that CMS enrollees need to thrive.
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CMS Releases CY 2025 Physician Fee Schedule with Telehealth Policy Updates and Key Modifications
November 14, 2024
CMS Releases CY 2025 Physician Fee Schedule with Telehealth Policy Updates and Key Modifications
On November 1, 2024, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Final Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS), outlining important Medicare policy updates for the coming year.
As in previous years, the PFS contains multiple proposals affecting telehealth policy. Many temporary federal telehealth waivers in Medicare are set to expire this year, and their extension would require congressional action. However, CMS has made adjustments within its authority to mitigate the effects of these expirations if Congress does not act to extend statutory flexibilities further.
For those interested in further detail, CCHP has released a fact sheet with specific page references to the unpublished version of the PFS, outlining telehealth-specific proposals and updates in depth.
Click Here for Fact Sheet
Click Here to Read Final Calendar Year 2025 Physician Fee Schedule