Category: HRSA

Medicare Finalizes New Standards for Hospital Obstetric Care

November 8, 2024

Medicare Finalizes New Standards for Hospital Obstetric Care

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Medicare Outpatient Hospital Prospective Payment System (OPPS) Final Rule for Calendar Year 2025.

In addition to annual updates in outpatient hospital Medicare payment rates, this rule finalizes new standards for hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) with obstetric (OB) units regarding maternal quality assessment and performance improvement, the organization, staffing, and delivery of OB care, and staff training on evidence-based maternal health practices.

For hospitals and CAHs with emergency services, it adds standards on facility readiness in caring for emergency services’ patients, including pregnant, birthing, and postpartum women.

The rule also finalizes new transfer policies for hospitals that mirror the current CAH and Rural Emergency Hospital standards. These Conditions of Participation (CoPs) will be phased in over two years.

Click Here to Read Final Rule

Policy Update: Medicare Finalizes Changes to Medicare Home Health Program, Effective January 1, 2025

November 8, 2024

Policy Update: Medicare Finalizes Changes to Medicare Home Health Program, Effective January 1, 2025

On November 1, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Home Health Prospective Payment System (HH PPS) Rate Update final rule, which updates the Medicare payment policies and rates for home health agencies (HHAs).

CMS projects an increase in aggregate payments by 0.5 percent, and finalizes a permanent prospective adjustment of 1.975% to the CY 2025 home health payment rate.

CMS finalized a new standard for acceptance to service policy in the Home Health Conditions of Participation (HH CoPs) and their proposal with modification to require ongoing respiratory illness reporting for Long-Term Care (LTC) facilities. The rule is effective January 1, 2025.

Click Here to see 2025 Home Health Prospective Payment System Rate Update final rule

Rural Health Research: Medical Debt in Collections Among Counties by Rural-Urban Location and Racial-ethnic Composition

November 8, 2024

Rural Health Research: Medical Debt in Collections Among Counties by Rural-Urban Location and Racial-ethnic Composition

Medical debt, or medical costs owed for health care services, is a pressing issue across the U.S., with implications for health and well-being for those facing debt burden. While recognition of medical debt as a social problem is growing, details about who is most at risk of holding this debt remain less clear.

This policy brief addresses this gap by examining the differences in the proportion of people with medical debt in collections and median amount of medical debt by rural-urban communities of color.

Key Findings:

  • Rural counties have a higher proportion of people with medical debt in collections than urban counties (15.7% vs 14.8%), and this difference is associated with lower average household incomes in rural counties in general.
  • The county-level median amount of medical debt in collections held by rural residents is $62 higher compared to their urban counterparts, even after accounting for income differences.
  • The proportion of people with and amount of medical debt in collections are both higher in rural and urban communities of color than in rural and urban communities overall.

Click Here to Read Brief

NARHC Webinar: Regulatory Changes for Rural Health Clinics in 2025, November 18

November 8, 2024

NARHC Webinar: Regulatory Changes for Rural Health Clinics in 2025, November 18

The nonprofit National Association of Rural Health Clinics (NARHC) is hosting a free, FORHP-supported webinar with information about changes for RHCs in the federal regulation that determines how much physicians and other providers are paid for treating Medicare beneficiaries.

Experts will discuss changes that include:

  • Removal of RHC productivity standards
  • New billing processes for care coordination
  • Streamlining required lab services
  • Extending telehealth flexibilities

Advance registration is required.

Cost: Free

When: Monday, November 18, 1:00 p.m. CT

Click Here to Register

HHS: Current Trends and Key Challenges to Health Care in Rural America

November 8, 2024

HHS: Current Trends and Key Challenges to Health Care in Rural America

A new report evaluates programs at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) and finds that uninsured rates among adults under age 65 in rural areas have fallen substantially since the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), from 23.8 percent in 2010 to 12.6 percent in 2023.

Uninsured rates among rural residents are much higher is states that have not yet expanded Medicaid and analysts acknowledge ongoing disparities in health outcomes between rural and urban areas.

Research has shown, for instance, disparities in maternal outcomes, behavioral and mental health outcomes, risk factors for chronic disease such as obesity, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease as well as in potentially harmful health behaviors such as smoking and physical inactivity to name a few.

Click Here to read full report

Webinar: The Power of Rural in Action: RCORP Success Stories & Strategies, November 21

November 4, 2024

Webinar: The Power of Rural in Action: RCORP Success Stories & Strategies, November 21

Join the National Organization for State Offices of Rural Health in celebration of National Rural Health Day! This year’s event shines a spotlight on the transformative impact of the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP), featuring powerful success stories and innovative strategies from grantees and key partners.

Discover how these community-driven approaches can be adapted to drive lasting change in your own community.

Cost: Free

When: Thursday, November 21, 1:00 p.m.

Click Here to Register

Webinar: How Federal Funds are Being Used to Support Rural Communities, November 19

November 4, 2024

Webinar: How Federal Funds are Being Used to Support Rural Communities, November 19

This webinar features a panel discussion to include the Utah State Office of Rural Health, Uintah Basin Medical center, a rural hospital and Blue Mountain Hospital, a critical access hospital.

The panelists will share their experiences with leveraging combined federal funding to improve financial performance and enhance quality data outcomes in rural healthcare settings.

By the end of the webinar, participants will:

  • Understand the value of partnerships with SORHs, vendors, and hospitals
  • Learn how multiple funding streams can be combined to support hospitals

Cost: Free

When: Tuesday, November 19, 2:00 p.m.

Click Here to Register

Upcoming HRSA Webinar – Addressing the Intersection of Intimate Partner Violence and Substance Use in Maternal Health Care, November 7

October 31, 2024

Upcoming HRSA Webinar – Addressing the Intersection of Intimate Partner Violence and Substance Use in Maternal Health Care, November 7

The Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Office of Women’s Health invites you to a webinar, “Addressing the Intersection of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and Substance Use in Maternal Health Care”.

The webinar will feature speakers from HRSA’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), Office on Women’s Health.

Attendees will learn about the National Strategy to Improve Maternal Mental Health Care as well as HRSA and OASH’s initiatives that are integrating prevention and care for IPV, substance use, and maternal health.

Cost: Free

When: Thursday, November 7, 1:00 p.m. CT

Click Here to Register

Best Practices Guide: Using Telehealth in Hybrid Care

October 29, 2024

Best Practices Guide: Using Telehealth in Hybrid Care

A hybrid care approach uses a combination of virtual and in-person appointments to deliver appropriate care.

Hybrid telehealth, also called integrated care, combines in-person health care appointments with telehealth. This approach prioritizes the joint decision between the patient and their provider regarding whether and when a virtual visit is appropriate. A hybrid care approach offers flexible access to health care. This is especially useful for people who have difficulty getting to the provider’s office or need frequent care.

This best practice guide provides detailed information and resources for providers and health care organizations on how to use a hybrid care approach that integrates telehealth and in-person care.

What’s in the guide:

  • How to get started
  • Developing a strategy for hybrid care
  • Billing for hybrid care services
  • Preparing patients for hybrid care

Click Here to Access the Guide

Licensure Compacts: Increasing Access to Behavioral Health Care

October 29, 2024

Licensure Compacts: Increasing Access to Behavioral Health Care

Telehealth plays a significant role in meeting the need for behavioral health services and behavioral health professionals are subject to state licensure regulations, including for telehealth.

Learn how licensure compacts can improve access to behavioral health care.

Click Here to Watch the Video

Click Here to Learn more about Licensure Compacts

Click Here to Learn more about Licensure for Behavioral Health