Category: Resources

An Expanded Look at Recent State Developments in CCHP’s Telehealth Policy Finder

May 16, 2025

An Expanded Look at Recent State Developments in CCHP’s Telehealth Policy Finder

The Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP) closely monitors federal telehealth developments through the Telehealth Policy Finder, which is updated year-round, as CCHP ensures that each state undergoes three rounds of comprehensive policy review annually.

Each fall, CCHP compiles a full snapshot of the telehealth policy landscape in their 50-State Summary Report, covering all 50 states, Washington, DC, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This report includes:

  • Medicaid reimbursement status for live video,
  • Store-and-forward,
  • RPM, and
  • Audio-only services, as well as
  • State-level requirements related to patient consent, cross-state licensing, and private payer laws.

To view the most recent version, visit: Fall 2024 State Telehealth Laws and Reimbursement Policies Report.

July 2025 Public Reporting Preview Data Available

May 16, 2025

July 2025 Public Reporting Preview Data Available

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) created the Care Compare website to allow consumers to compare health care providers based on quality and other information and to make more informed choices when choosing a health care provider. Users of the site can compare providers in several categories of care settings.

Today through June 13, 2025, on the CMS Hospital Quality Reporting (HQR) page (https://hqr.cms.gov/hqrng/login), you can preview:

  • Your hospital,
  • Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating, or
  • Inpatient psychiatric facility’s quality data

This information will publicly appear in the July 2025 release on the Compare tool on Medicare.gov and the Provider Data Catalog at data.cms.gov/provider-data/. Medicare beneficiaries and the public can use these tools to view quality measure data for participating hospitals and facilities.

Questions about the information listed?

  • Submit questions to the Inpatient and Outpatient Healthcare Quality Systems Development and Program Support Contract Team via the QualityNet Question and Answer Tool or phone assistance:
    • For inpatient questions call (844) 472-4477 or (866) 800-8765 weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time (ET).
    • For outpatient questions call (866) 800-8756 weekdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET.

Requesting a Letter of Support

May 16, 2025

Requesting a Letter of Support

Are you thinking about applying for one of the many federal grants available to rural hospitals to improve the delivery of healthcare in rural areas? While not a guarantee, a strong letter of support can significantly enhance the competitiveness of a grant application, add credibility, and demonstrate commitment to a project, showing it has the backing of relevant stakeholders.

The Missouri Office of Rural Health (MORH) is happy to provide letters of support to our rural health partners, upon request.

To Request a Letter of Support:

  • Please allow a minimum of 5-7 business days for the letter to be written, signed, and returned to you.
  • All requests for letters of support shall be sent to ORHPCinfo@health.mo.gov. Please include:
    • Your abstract or a summary of your planned project
    • Name and address of your organization
    • Name of the project director
    • Contact information to include
    • Full name
    • Email address
    • Phone number
  • If you have submitted a request and have not received a reply within 2 business days, please contact:

 

Pediatric Mental Health Care Access (PCMHA) Program

May 15, 2025

Pediatric Mental Health Care Access (PCMHA) Program

According to the most recent National Survey of Children’s Health, nearly 26 percent of children ages 3-17 had a mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral problem. Of those children, approximately 20 percent did not receive needed mental health treatment or counseling from a mental health professional in the past 12 months.

The Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA’s) Maternal and Child Health Bureau is working to close that gap through the Pediatric Mental Health Care Access (PMHCA) program. This program offers free teleconsultation services for health professionals to help them better care for children and youth in their practice with behavioral health concerns. Most consultations are competed in as little as 30 minutes and almost always within one business day.

Click Here to Learn More

Telehealth Best Practice Guides

May 6, 2025

Telehealth Best Practice Guides

Whether you are an administrator, hospitalist, or private practitioner – learn how others in your field are using telehealth to connect with patients. Get practical recommendations on billing, strategy, and more to help understand if telehealth is right for you.

Telehealth.HHS currently has 22 Telehealth Best Practice Guides, including but not limited to:

Click Here to explore all Telehealth Best Practice Guides

Free Medical Flights with LifeLine Pilots – New Resource

May 6, 2025

Free Medical Flights with LifeLine Pilots – New Resource

Transportation continues to be one of the most challenging needs for patients in rural communities, especially for those needing repeating long-term transportation for treatments in faraway areas. LifeLine Pilots is a service that is free to patients and serves 10 states including Missouri, taking people to their non-emergency medical appointments with no limit on the number of flights taken.

How do people access the services offered by LifeLine?

It is easy to work with LifeLine Pilots. A flight request is made using the easy-to-complete online flight request form. The form can be completed by:

  • the passenger,
  • a family member or caregiver, or
  • a social worker/case manager/medical professional.

Once the form is complete the LifeLine Pilots team faxes a physician release to the referring doctor for confirmation and safety considerations. Once the doctor’s form is returned, a call goes out to pilots with the flight details.

If a provider is unsure if the patient is a good fit for a LifeLine Pilots flight, call 800 822-7292 to discuss the situation with the flight coordination team.

If LifeLine Pilots is unable to help, they may have additional resources to share with the patient.

Click Here to Learn More about LifeLine Pilots

Click Here to Access Flight Request Form or Contact LifeLine Pilots

Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week is May 5 – 11

May 1, 2025

Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week is May 5 – 11

Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week is May 5 – 11, help spread the word about the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA’s) National Maternal Mental Health Hotline (1-833-TLS-MAMA).

  • This free and confidential service offers 24/7 support via call or text to new and expecting moms and their loved ones.
  • The Hotline’s trained counselors help thousands of women and their families needing emotional support during or after pregnancy.
  • The Hotline is available in English and Spanish and offers interpreters in more than 60 languages.

Take advantage of HRSA’s promotional toolkit or order a limited number of printed products for free to share the Hotline with someone who is currently pregnant or postpartum, their loved ones, or caregivers – the Hotline is here for them.

Click Here to go to HRSA’s National Maternal Mental Health Hotline

Click Here to access HRSA’s Free Promotional Toolkit/Order printed products

Sign up for the Cybersecurity Program for Rural Hospitals

April 29, 2025

Sign up for the Cybersecurity Program for Rural Hospitals

Protect your rural hospital with Microsoft security solutions, resources and training at no cost.

Rural hospitals provide critical services to the communities they serve across the United States, but they are under significant pressure. Cyberattacks on hospitals are a growing threat that can severely impact patient care and compromise private data.

Microsoft is committed to helping rural hospitals keep their health services sage and secure by investing in the new Microsoft Cybersecurity Program for Rural Hospitals. This program provides affordable access to Microsoft security solutions, builds cybersecurity capacity, and helps solve root challenges through innovation.

Who is Eligible:

  • The Microsoft Cybersecurity Program for Rural Hospitals is available to all rural hospitals in the United States.
    • The following are ineligible for the program:
      • Urban hospitals,
      • Healthcare networks
      • Health plans
      • Ambulatory/outpatient healthcare organizations, and
      • Hospitals located outside the United States

What is Included in the Program?

  • Free Cybersecurity Assessment
    • Offered through a trusted Microsoft Cybersecurity Partner to evaluate and mitigate your hospital’s cybersecurity risks.
  • Curated Learning Pathways and Resources
    • Free cyber awareness training for frontline staff and foundational cyber risk management certification for IT staff.
  • One Year of Free Windows 10 Extended Security Update
    • Offers additional year of product support on Windows 10, when available in Winter 2025.
  • Security Product Discounts/Offers
    • Rural independent Critical Access Hospitals and Rural Emergency Hospitals are eligible for Microsoft nonprofit pricing. Check eligibility Here.
    • All other rural hospitals using Office 365/Microsoft 365, can get one year free of Advanced Security Suite, Microsoft 365 ES Security, and EMS E3 (up to 250 new licenses).
  • Click Here to visit Microsoft Healthcare for more information about licensing and support options for ineligible organizations.

Click Here to Learn More and Sign Up

HRSA Recognizes National Nutrition Month

March 18, 2025

HRSA Recognizes National Nutrition Month

Poor nutrition can increase your risk of oral health problems. Food and drinks high in sugar may cause tooth decay and cavities, while missing key nutrients can lead to problems with your teeth, gums, or other parts of the mouth.

This National Nutrition Month, take steps to protect your oral and overall health by choosing nutrient-rich foods. Visit HRSA’s oral health and nutrition webpage for resources.