Category: HRSA

2024 NOSORH Rural Health Grant Writing Institute: Register by Friday, February 16

February 9, 2024

2024 NOSORH Rural Health Grant Writing Institute: Register by Friday, February 16

The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) invites you to a unique learning experience where you can enhance your grant writing skills, turn rurality to your advantage, learn to connect with funders and more.

This virtual learning series is tailor-made for beginners aiming to develop the skills needed to research and draft winning program proposals from various funders.

The institute runs March 4 – April 29, 2024. Virtual learning sessions will take place Mondays from 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. ET

Curriculum Highlights:

  • Getting Started on Writing a Proposal
  • Developing a Strong Evaluation
  • How to Use Data to Make the Case for Rural
  • Finding Funding and other Resources to Support Your Proposal

Participants will benefit from:

  • Tools, templates and tips to assist in grant writing
  • Opportunities for
  • One-on-one support
  • Peer review
  • Discussion with other new and experience grant writers

Interested persons must register by Friday, February 16.

Cost: $750

Register Here

Request for Information (RFI) on Severe Maternal Morbidity Measurement

February 7, 2024

Request for Information (RFI) on Severe Maternal Morbidity Measurement

The Agency for Healthcare, Research and Quality (AHRQ) released a Request for Information (RFI) on Severe Maternal Morbidity (SMM). AHRQ is seeking public input on the usability, feasibility and likely uptake of an SMM measure, produced through the Quality Indicators Program.

AHRQ invites stakeholders representing:

  • Consumers
  • State/Regional/Local Health Departments
  • Accountable Care Organizations
  • Community Health Centers
  • Birthing Centers
  • Providers/Health Systems
  • Critical Access/Rural Hospitals
  • Professional Associations
  • Payers
  • Rural and Community Groups
  • Community Health Groups
  • Community Health Workers
  • Doulas
  • Maternal Health Advocacy Groups
  • Researchers
  • Members of the Public

The comment period closes on March 4.

Still have questions? Please contact Judy George, Program Lead for AHRQ, judy.george@ahrq.hhs.gov

Submit comments to askahrq@ahrq.hhs.gov

CMS Request for Information on Medicare Advantage Data – Comment by May 29

February 2, 2024

CMS Request for Information on Medicare Advantage Data – Comment by May 29

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeks feedback on enhancing Medicare Advantage (MA) data capabilities and increase public transparency.

With over half of Medicare beneficiaries and 45% of rural beneficiaries enrolled in MA, transparency about the program has become increasingly important.

CMS is seeking information on common challenges and experiences in the MA program for which limited data are currently available.

  • Feedback may include:
    • Data-related recommendations related to beneficiary access to care
    • Prior authorization and utilization management strategies
    • Cost and utilization of supplemental benefits
    • All aspects of MA marketing and consumer decision making
    • Care quality and outcomes
    • Health equity
    • Market competition
    • Special populations
  • Who Should Comment:
    • Beneficiaries
    • Beneficiary advocates
    • Plans
    • Providers
    • Community-based organizations
    • Researchers
    • Employers
    • Unions
    • Public at large

Click Here to Learn More

Submit a Formal Comment

Open for Comment: Input to CMS on Burden of Information Collection Requirements – Comment by February 26

February 2, 2024

Open for Comment: Input to CMS on Burden of Information Collection Requirements – Comment by February 26

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is announcing an opportunity for the public to comment on the information collection requirements in two key areas for rural stakeholders:

  1. CMS Plan Benefit Package and Formulary 2025
    • Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plan organizations are required to submit plan benefit packages for all Medicare beneficiaries residing in their service area
      • Includes information on:
        • Premiums
        • Formularies
        • Cost sharing
        • Prior authorizations
        • Supplemental benefits
    • Allows beneficiaries to access and compare Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug plans
  1. Satisfaction of Nursing Homes, Hospitals, and Outpatient Clinicians Working with the CMS Network of Quality Improvement and Innovation Contractors Program
    • Seeking input on revisions to its data collection requirements for several health care provider-focused quality improvement surveys
      • Changes are to inform CMS on evaluation of technical assistance provided to nursing homes and outpatient clinicians in community settings

Submit Comment Here

HRSA Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program – Apply by March 7

February 2, 2024

HRSA Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program – Apply by March 7

This program provides funds to repay a portion of their outstanding qualifying educational loans.

Eligible Applicants

  • If employed in an eligible public or private Critical Shortage Facility
  • Registered Nurses
  • Advanced Practice Registered Nurses
  • If employed at an eligible school of nursing
  • Nurse Faculty

Have Questions?

Join this two-hour webinar, on Tuesday, February 13, 2:30 for answers and assistance in completing the application.

Upcoming Webinar: HRSA Loan Guarantee Program

January 31, 2024

Upcoming Webinar: HRSA Loan Guarantee Program

Many health centers face challenges and/or delays in obtaining affordable loans for their capital projects because of credit or collateral shortfalls. A loan guarantee from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Health Center Facility Loan Guarantee Program (LGP) can enhance a health center’s credit profile and cover up to 80% of the principal amount of loans made by non-federal lenders.

Join Capital Link’s webinar on February 6 for an overview of the HRSA LGP and get a preview of an upcoming HRSA Loan Guarantee Program Learning Collaborative, starting at the end of February 2024.

Please contact Chloe Bahnan cbahnan@caplink.org, if you have questions.

When: Tuesday, February 6, 2:00 -3:00 p.m. ET

Register Here

Click Here to Apply

Call for Questions – Physician Fee Schedule Webinar

January 30, 2024

Call for Questions – Physician Fee Schedule Webinar

The Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) has coordinated with the Rural Health Information (RHI) Hub and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to hold a webinar on February 27, at 3 pm ET, to discuss the CY 2024 Physician Fee Schedule final rule.

This webinar will focus heavily on the community Health Integration Services and the Behavioral Health billing codes for Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT)/Mental Health Counselors (MHC). CMS will also review telehealth policies outlined in the PFS final rule.

FORHP is working to gather questions from rural stakeholders as CMS is developing the webinar in response to questions that are received.

Additional Information

Please submit questions by close of business, Thursday, February 1.

Submit Questions to Jemima Drake: jdrake@hrsa.gov

Registration for this webinar will be available soon.

HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson, Joined by Representative Lauren Underwood, Launches New National Maternal Health Initiative

January 26, 2024

HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson, Joined by Representative Lauren Underwood, Launches New National Maternal Health Initiative

On Thursday, January 25, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Administrator Carole Johnson, joined by Representative Lauren Underwood (D-IL), co-chair of the Black Maternal Health Caucus, launched a year-long Enhancing Maternal Health Initiative. The initiative will strengthen, expand, and accelerate HRSA’s maternal health work to address maternal mortality and maternal health disparities in partnership with mothers, grantees, community organizations, and state and local health officials across the country.

The kick-off event at the Kaiser Family Foundation in Washington, DC, included:

  • HRSA maternal health grantees form 11 states
  • District of Columbia
  • Key national organizations
  • Experts, providers, and individuals with lived experience
    • Attendees shared personal perspectives on maternal health care and support
    • Innovative ways HRSA grantees are making an impact on maternal health
    • How maternal mental health is addressed.

HRSA’s Enhancing Maternal Health initiative aims to:

  • Achieve measurable progress in maximizing the impact of HRSA grants and programs to address maternal mortality and improve maternal health
  • Foster new partnerships and collaborations among HRSA grantees in high need, high opportunity jurisdictions to address maternal mortality and improve maternal health
  • Strengthen HRSA’s internal capacity to maximize the impact of HRSA’s maternal health grants, programs and resources

This initiative focuses on parts of the country where:

  • HRSA has significant investments
  • There are significant opportunities for new partnerships and collaborations
  • There is high need
    • Arizona
    • Alabama
    • Georgia
    • Illinois
    • Kentucky
    • Maryland
    • Michigan
    • Missouri
    • Montana
    • North Carolina
    • Oregon
    • District of Columbia

HRSA brings grantees from across the states of focus to foster cross-program and cross-state relationships, to drive progress in maternal health and end the maternal mortality crisis.

Learn More about the HRSA Maternal Health work

You’re Invited! – Advancing Community Paramedicine in Kansas: Policy Options & Considerations, January 30

January 26, 2024

You’re Invited! – Advancing Community Paramedicine in Kansas: Policy Options & Considerations, January 30

This event will focus on policy considerations and opportunities related to community paramedicine.

Community paramedicine is an emerging model of care that allows and enables paramedics, EMTs and other clinicians to deliver non-emergent public health, primary and preventive services to populations in the community.

These services extend beyond the roles of traditional transportation and emergency care and generally seek to increase access to care, improve patient outcomes, and avoid duplication of existing services.

The event will feature an expert panel, including individuals with experience implementing and delivering community paramedicine services, national policy experts in the field of mobile integrated health, and Kansas policymakers.

Attend in-person or virtually!

Where: Kansas Health Institute, 212 SW 8th Avenue, Topeka, KS

When: Tuesday, January 30, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.

Register for to attend In-Person

Register to Attend Virtually