April 28, 2023

CMS Releases Intermediate Policy on Rural Health Clinic (RHC) Rurality Determinations

In late March, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the interim process that will be used in determining Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) rural location determination following the Census Bureau’s definition changes.

The interim process is as follows:

  • RHC applicants or relocating RHCs will meet the rural location requirement if the physical address is “non-urbanized” or in an “urban cluster” per 2010 Census Bureau Data, OR if the physical address is not an urban area per the 2020 Census Bureau Data
  • Both 2010 and 2020 Census Bureau Data can be found here

For questions, please contract Nathan Baugh, NARHC Executive Director at Nathan.Baugh@narhc.org or Sarah Hohman, NARHC Director of Government Affairs at Sarah.Hohman@narch.org 

Click Here for Full Details

April 17, 2023

Webinar – Rural Emergency Hospital Conversion and Technical Assistance Educational Webinar

Medicare designated the Rural Emergency Hospitals (REH) as a new provider type through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 to address concerns that some rural hospitals would not be able to sustain operations and are at risk of closure. Under the new REH designation, which became effective January 1, 2023, CAHs and certain rural hospitals can convert to a REH, allowing continued access to certain health services in the communities they serve.

On May 1, 2023, 11:00 a.m. – noon ET, the Rural Health Redesign Center (RHRC) and Mathematica, will host a 60-minute webinar to provide an overview of the REH program. During the webinar, participants will learn about the REH provider type, conversion and participation requirements, and no-cost technical assistance available through the Rural Emergency Hospital Technical Assistance Center (REH-TAC) for hospitals considering a conversion. If you have questions about this event, please email ctalkington@mathematica-mpr.com.

Register Here

April 13, 2023

MBQIP Data Reporting Reminders – April 2023

Important Notice

Dates for measure submission and manual/CART versions are based on currently available information and may be subject to change.

April 30, 2023

Emergency Department Transfer Communication (EDTC)

  • Patients seen Q1 2023 (January, February, March)

May 1, 2023

CMS Population and Sampling (optional)*

  • Patients seen Q4 2022 (October, November, December)
  • Inpatient** and outpatient
  • Entered via the Hospital Quality Reporting (HQR) HARP account

May 1, 2023

CMS Outpatient Measures:

  • Patients seen Q4 2022 (October, November, December)
  • CMS Hospital Outpatient Reporting Specifications Manual version 15.0b 
  • Submitted to HQR via CART or by vendor
  • CART version – 1.21.0

May 15, 2023

Healthcare Personnel Influenza Vaccination – HCP/IMM-3

  • For data October 1, 2022 – March 31, 2023
  • Submitted through the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN)

May 15, 2023

CMS Outpatient Web-based Measure:

  • Measure OP-22: Patient Left Without Being Seen – full calendar year 2022
  • CMS Hospital Outpatient Reporting Specifications Manual version 15.0b
  • Entered via HQR HARP account

May 15, 2023

CMS Inpatient Measures**:

  • Patients seen Q4 2022 (October, November, December)
  • CMS Hospital Inpatient Reporting Specifications Manual version  5.12
  • Submitted to HQR via CART or by vendor
  • CART version –  4.30.0

*Population and sampling refers to the recording of the number of cases the hospital is submitting to Hospital Quality Reporting thru a HARP account.

** Currently there are no inpatient core MBQIP measures required.

For questions:  Stroudwater Associates, Carla Wilber, cwilber@stroudwater.com

April 13, 2023

MBQIP Monthly – April 2023 Now Available

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.

April content:

  • CAHs Can! Engaging Hospital Boards in Quality
  • Data: CAHs Measure Up – New Birthing-Friendly Hospital Designation
  • Tips: Robyn Quips – Annual Measures OP-22 and HCP
  • Tools and Resources – Helping CAHs succeed in Quality Reporting & Improvement

MBQIP Monthly – April 2023

April 12, 2023

CMS Proposes Policies to Improve Patient Safety and Promote Health Equity Thursday, May 4, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. CST

On April 10, 2023 the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule for inpatient and long-term care hospitals that builds on the Biden-Harris Administration’s key priorities to advance health equity and support underserved communities. As required by statute, the fiscal year (FY) 2024 inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) and long-term care hospital prospective payment system (LTCH PPS) rule updates Medicare payments and policies for hospitals. The rule would also adopt hospital quality measures to foster safety, equity, and reduce preventable harm in the hospital setting. CMS is proposing to recognize homelessness as an indicator of increased resource utilization in the acute inpatient hospital setting, which may result in higher payment for certain hospital stays. This action aligns with the Administration’s goal of providing support to historically underserved and under-resourced communities.

“CMS is helping to build a resilient health care system that promotes good outcomes, patient safety, equity, and accessibility for everyone,” said CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. “This proposed rule reflects our person-centric approach to better measure health care quality and safety in hospitals to reduce preventable harm and our commitment to ensure that people with Medicare in rural and underserved areas have improved access to high-quality care.”

For acute care hospitals paid under the IPPS that successfully participate in the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting program and are meaningful electronic health record users, the proposed increase in operating payment rates for FY 2024 is projected to be 2.8%. This reflects an FY 2024 projected to be 2.8%. This reflects an FY2024 projected hospital market basket update of 3.0%, reduced by a projected 0.2 percentage point productivity adjustment. For FY 2024, CMS expects the proposed increase in operating and capital IPPS payment rates would generally increase hospital payments by $3.3 billion. For LTCHs, CMS proposed to increase the LTCH PPS standard Federal payment rate by 2.9%. Overall, CMS expects LTCH payments under the dual-rate payment system to decrease by 0.9%, or $24 million, primarily due to a projected decrease in high-cost outlier payments in FY 2024 compared to FY 2023.

“With this proposed rule, CMS is more accurately paying hospitals and recognizing for the first time that homelessness, as a social determinant of health, also impacts resource utilization,” said CMS Deputy Administrator Dr. Meena Seshamani. “Creating incentives for hospitals to provide excellent care for underserved populations lays the foundation for a health system that delivers higher-quality, more equitable, and sager care for everyone.”

Advancing Health Equity

CMS is proposing to make health equity adjustments in the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program by providing incentives to hospitals to perform well on existing measures and to those who care for high proportions of underserved individuals, as defined by dual eligibility status.  This builds on previous efforts to advance health equity through the finalized health equity adjustment in the Medicare Shared Savings Program and finalized policies in Medicare Advantage and Part D Star Ratings Program. CMS also proposes to recognize the higher costs that hospitals incur when treating people experiencing homelessness, when hospitals report social determinants of health codes on claims. In addition, CMS is requesting comment on how to further support safety-net hospitals.

CMS is also proposing that rural emergency hospitals could be designated as graduate medical education training sites. As a result, more medical residents would be able to train in rural settings, which can help address workforce shortages in these communities. This proposal builds on other policies to support access to care in rural and other underserved communities.

Promoting Patient Safety

Consistent with the CMS National Quality Strategy and the HHS National Healthcare System Action Alliance to Advance Patient Safety goals to promote the highest quality outcomes and safest care for all individuals, the proposed set of quality measures aims to foster safety and equity, and to reduce preventable harm in hospital settings. Among this set is a proposal to measure the rate of patients and residents in long-term care hospitals who are up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations and new, additional measures for screenings for cancer and social drivers of health.

For a fact sheet on the proposed payment rule, visit: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/fy-2024-hospital-inpatient-prospective-payment-system-ipps-and-long-term-care-hospital-prospective

The FY 2024 IPPS/LTCH PPS proposed rule has a 60-day comment period. The proposed rule can be downloaded from the Federal Register at: https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2023-07389/medicare-program-proposed-hospital-inpatient-prospective-payment-systems-for-acute-care-hospitals

April 12, 2023

NRHA Upcoming Webinar: Keeping Care in Our Communities: Telehealth as a Lifeline for Rural Healthcare

Thursday, May 4, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. CST

Join healthcare experts Steve Barnett, Corey Scurlock, and Rodney Buchanan in an informative webinar on telehealth for rural healthcare facilities. With their combined experience of over 60 years in successful rural hospital operations, healthcare management, financial analysis, strategic planning, and business development, the panelists will provide tangible insights into implementing telehealth solutions that are both successful and profitable.

In this discussion-driven webinar, the panelists will share how to identify where telehealth can fit in your organization and how to get started. They will debunk myths about the cost and complexity of telehealth and provide best practices for implementation. Additionally, the benefits of ongoing program measurement and goal communication will be discussed to help you gain buy-in over time.

Register

April 12, 2023

NRHA Upcoming Webinar: Swing Bed Culture and Attention to Rural Healthcare, a Transitional Care Model

Thursday, April 27, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. CST

Allevant, a joint venture between Mayo Clinic and Select Medical, helps Critical Access Hospitals by developing post-acute Transitional Care programs using available Swing Beds. Focused on assisting patients to transition to their highest level of independence, Transitional Care is a program that involves the patient and family, makes available the total resources of the Critical Access Hospital, and focuses on measured outcomes and evidence-based processes to ensure patients get the best care possible.

Allevant has supported approximately 100 Critical Access Hospitals across 22 states, including independent and part of health systems. Allevant clients have cared for over 12,000 patients, representing over 158,000 swing bed days.

With a strong focus on quality, outcomes, and growth, Allevant clients saw an average increase in swing bed days of 55% by the second year. 64% of patients were categorized as complex medical or complex surgical, a growing patient population. Only 7% of Transitional Care patients were discharged directly back to acute care during a program stay of fewer than 30 days. 76% of patients were discharged from Transitional Care back to independence. The average patient rating was 4.83 out of 5 when asked if patients would “recommend the program to others.”

Learn more at www.Allevant.com

Register

April 11, 2023

USDA Unveils Resource Guide to Help Rural Colleges and Universities Identify Resources to Improve Facilities and Educational Opportunities for Students

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has launched a resource guide to help colleges and universities in rural areas find low-interest loans and grants to build or improve their facilities, infrastructure, equipment and educational programs.

The resource guide outlines loan and grant programs that are available to eligible colleges and universities. These programs can be used to advance community and economic development through three USDA Rural Development program areas:

  • Community Programs
  • Rural business-Cooperative Service Programs
  • Rural Utilities Service Programs

These programs can be used to:

  • Help finance distance learning technologies to assist student’s access to remote learning opportunities
  • Help students and teachers access high-speed internet
  • Help universities and colleges make improvements to their campus and facilities
  • Click here for additional resources, forms and program information

Click here for resource guide

April 10, 2023

USDA Workshop: Community Connect Grant Workshop

The USDA Rural Development’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is hosting a webinar to provide information about the Community Connect Program and will cover the recently published Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA).
This webinar will include:

A brief overview of the Community Connect Program
The current FOA
A walkthrough of the application process
Next steps and important dates
An opportunity to ask questions about the FOA

Slides, a transcript, and a recording of the webinar will be posted at the Community Connect website after the session.

Register

April 6, 2023

Notice of Funding Opportunity – HRSA-23-085 – Screening and Treatment for Maternal Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders (MMHSUD) program

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is accepting applications for the fiscal year (FY) 2023 Screening and Treatment for Maternal Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders (MMHSUD) program – HRSA-23-085. Applications are due by June 2, 2023.

The purpose of this program is to expand health care providers’ capacity to screen, assess, treat, and refer pregnant and postpartum people for maternal mental health and substance use disorders. This will be accomplished by establishing, improving, and/or maintaining statewide or regional networks that provide real-time psychiatric consultation, care coordination support services, and culturally and linguistically appropriate training to maternity care providers and clinical practices. This program is also intended to help reduce maternal health inequities.

This program addresses all of MCHB’s goals. Award recipients will address these goals by:

  • Establishing new or enhancing existing statewide, tribal, or regional networks that expand health care provider capacity to assess
  • Treat, and refer pregnant and postpartum people with behavioral health concerns, especially in rural and medically underserved areas.

MCHB is committed to promoting equity in rural and medically underserved areas. MCHB is committed to promoting equity in health programs for mothers, children, and families.

Eligible applicants:

  • States
  • Indian Tribes, and Tribal organizations

Apply Here