January 13, 2023

NRHA in The News – Year-end Legislation Includes Funds for Rural Projects

The recently passed end-of-year government funding bill includes several bipartisan efforts that benefit rural, including a two-year extension of telehealth and hospital-at-home waivers and the Summer Barrow Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Act introduced by Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.). “This legislation will increase access to needed services in our rural communities,” says NRHA CEO Alan Morgan. The $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill also includes changes to federal health policy, including easing Medicare provider pay cuts, restarting Medicare redeterminations, and extending federal rural hospital programs. Act by 11:59 p.m. CST today to save hundreds on your chance to advocate for health policy and make our rural voices louder Feb. 7-9 at NRHA’s 34th Rural Health Policy Institute.

January 9, 2023

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Announces NCHHSTP’s Equity Initiative

The CDC National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP) would like to share their Equity Initiative. This transformational long-term strategy is designed to achieve equity within the Center’s workplace and eliminate health disparities by addressing racism and other systems of oppression that hinder our mission. The Initiative builds on decades of successful work—by NCHHSTP staff, our partners, and advocates—giving us a strong foundation of proven strategies and bold ideas to advance equity.

The Initiative includes an Implementation Plan that outlines the first steps of a long-term process to place equity squarely at the forefront of all internal and external Center activities. The Plan is organized into three focus areas with goals, objectives, and activities to support achieving the goals:

• Ensuring a workplace culture that is inclusive, collaborative, and anti-racist, and one that encourages all staff to engage in dialogue about racism and other systems of oppression.
• Establishing workplace practices and policies that further increase diversity, ensure fair and equitable opportunities for advancement, and eliminate discrimination.
• Refining our systems and processes for designing, funding, and evaluating research, programs, policy, and partnerships to ensure they are intentionally, systematically, and consistently focused on addressing the social and structural causes of health disparities.

Additional information about the Initiative, the Implementation Plan, and work completed to-date is now online.

January 6, 2023

January MBQIP Monthly

Now Available! MBQIP Monthly – January 2023

MBQIP Monthly is an e-newsletter that highlights current information about the Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) and provides critical access hospitals (CAHs) information and support for quality reporting and improvement. MBQIP Monthly is produced through the Rural Quality Improvement Technical Assistance program by Stratis Health.

• January 2023 content:

CAHs Can! National Rural Virtual Quality Improvement Mentor Profile Series: Tammy Sudtelgte

Data: CAHs Measure Up – MBQIP Annual Reports: What Are They, and What Do They Tell Us?

Tips: Robyn Quips – Year-end and New Year Abstraction Reminders

Tools and Resources – Helping CAHs succeed in Quality Reporting & Improvement

• Reminder! MBQIP Data Reporting Reminders – January 2023
  Quality data reporting for critical access hospitals including upcoming data submission deadlines, corresponding collection time periods, and submission tools.
• Updated! Critical Access Hospital eCQM Resource List

This list of resources related to electronic clinical quality measure (eCQM) reporting is intended to aid critical access hospitals seeking to meet the quality measure reporting requirements for the Promoting Interoperability Program (formerly known as the Medicare EHR Incentive Program). Calendar Year (CY) 2022 submission deadline is February 28, 2023.

Upcoming Office Hours!  Ask Robyn – Quarterly Open Office Hour Call for Data Abstractors | Tuesday, January 24, 2023, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. CT Register  
Sometimes it just helps to talk to someone! Quality Reporting Specialist Robyn Carlson offers open office hour calls to discuss your MBQIP abstraction questions. Sessions are free of charge, but registration is required. For more information about the Ask Robyn calls, contact Robyn Carlson (rcarlson@stratishealth.org).

If you have MBQIP questions, please contact tasc@ruralcenter.org.

January 4, 2023

CMS OMH Recognizes National Poverty in America Awareness Month

National Poverty in America Awareness Month

During January, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health (CMS OMH) recognizes National Poverty in America Awareness Month. The United States measures poverty based on how income compares to a federal guide. In 2021, an individual was considered to be living in poverty if their income was lower than $12,880, $26,500 for a family of four.  The poverty rate in 2021 was 12.8%, an increase from the 11.4% rate recorded in 2020. American Indian/Alaskan Native individuals were the most impacted (25.9%), followed by Black Americans (21.7%), Hispanic Americans (17.6%), Asian/Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders (10.2%), and White Americans (9.5%).

Poverty in the United States is concentrated in specific regions, counties, and neighborhoods. These areas face obstacles such as poor housing and health conditions, higher crime and school dropout rates, lower employment opportunities, and lack of healthy foods, contributing to social determinants of health. Rural poverty rates continue to be higher than urban rates, with Black Americans being the most likely to live in poverty in nonmetro areas. The Southern United States had the highest rural and urban poverty rates (19.7% and 13.8) between 2015 and 2019 while the Northeast had the lowest (12.9% and 12%).

Poverty is shown to influence health outcomes, with unmet social needs, environmental factors, and barriers to accessing health care contributing to worse health outcomes for people with lower incomes. Those who qualify as impoverished may have more difficulty obtaining health insurance or paying for expensive procedures and medications. Children comprise the largest age group experiencing poverty and childhood poverty is associated with developmental delays, toxic stress, chronic illness, and nutritional deficits.

CMS OMH calls for an advancement in health equity for American’s during National Poverty in America Month. Visit the below resources for additional information on how to help during National Poverty in America Awareness Month.

Resources

• Review the CMS Framework for Health Equity 2022–2032 to learn how we’re working to further advance health equity, expand coverage, and improve health outcomes for those supported by CMS programs, including those affected by persistent poverty.
• See the Medicare Savings Program website for Medicare qualifications.
• Details on insulin savings within Medicare can be found here
• Insure Kids Now has an Outreach Tool Library to identify resources to help connect kids to coverage and spread the word about Medicaid and CHIP resources.
• Medicaid has Outreach Tools that provide materials and messages states may use and adapt to support outreach activities.
• Prevention Resources to learn more about preventive services available to adults, teens, children, and infants at no cost.
• See the CDC’s Social Determinants of Health Map for more information on poverty percentages by state.
• Check out the Health People 2030 website to learn more about economic stability’s impact on health.
• Visit the ASPE’s FAQs for poverty guidelines and general poverty.