Read this is your browser April 9, 2026What's NewBecome a New Site for the National Health Service Corps – Apply by May 19. Eligible health care facilities can apply to become NHSC-approved sites. To be eligible, sites must provide outpatient, comprehensive primary health care services to people located in Health Professional Shortage Areas. Once approved, you can use your status as an NHSC site to recruit, hire, and retain clinicians. Attend the NHSC Site Application Point of Contact Webinar on Tuesday, April 14 at 1:00 pm Eastern to learn more. Save the Date: HRSA Virtual Job Fair – Wednesday, April 15 at 6:00 pm Eastern. This free online event connects health care professionals with representatives from health care facilities that are recruiting for open positions. Learn about job opportunities, hear details about benefits packages, and explore ways to serve communities in need. To prepare, update your profile on HRSA’s Health Workforce Connector that includes your experience, education, training, certifications, and employment preferences so health care sites can find and recruit you. Register to attend. The Networking Model for State-wide Rural Health Care Collaboration. A new profile of innovation in rural health care delivery showcases a network of 31 rural public hospitals in Washington state formally organized as the Rural Collaborative. Through 15 active committees and five affinity groups, members benefit from shared services, peer learning, operational support, and preferred pricing.
- Over the past year, FORHP has been exploring the evolution of rural health networks, particularly among independent rural hospitals, and a growing shift toward collaboration to address structural challenges facing rural providers. These efforts reflect a rethinking of traditional models to build size and scale through clinical and operational integration while maintaining local autonomy. These models are informing new program and policy approaches to strengthen both existing and emerging rural health networks over the long term, for example the forecasted Rural Health Network Advancement Program and Delta Rural Integrated Health Network Program.
- In addition to the Rural Collaborative above, the FORHP-supported initiative, Rural Health Value, has completed other state-based profiles highlighting the value-based care.
Two New Resources for Critical Access Hospitals. The Flex Monitoring Team (FMT) is a consortium of researchers from the Universities of Minnesota, North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Southern Maine. The team is funded by FORHP to assess the quality and viability of a specific type of rural hospital, the Critical Access Hospital (CAH). The FMT has two new briefs available:
- Trends in Inpatient Revenue and Volume Among CAHs, examining post–COVID-19 care patterns. Results show that growth in outpatient revenue—rather than steep inpatient declines—is driving changes in CAH revenue mix, with implications for sustainability, service availability, and potential REH transitions.
- A Chartbook on the Characteristics and Needs of Frontier CAHs, presenting national survey findings on the operational challenges facing frontier CAHs—including workforce constraints, limited service availability, and barriers related to distance, travel, and access to care—while using contextual population and financial data to inform Flex Program efforts to support sustainability and access in frontier communities.
Funding and OpportunitiesDOJ Programs to Supplement Rural SUD Efforts – Initiate application by April 27. The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is offering a suite of funding opportunities to support their efforts to address Substance Use Disorder (SUD) in local-level courts and re-entry programs. Governmental entities, public housing organizations, educational, nonprofit, and for-profit organizations are also eligible to apply. Recipients of FORHP’s Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) grants may be well-positioned to address rural challenges through the strong clinical and recovery infrastructure built with RCORP funding. More details about each funding opportunity related to rural SUD efforts:
All applicants to DOJ’s funding must submit a Standard Form 424 (SF-424) to Grants.gov by April 27. The SF-424 is a cover sheet, submitted electronically, for most federal grants and cooperative agreements with basic information that helps track your organization through the funding process. The deadline to submit to DOJ’s online system for managing funds, JustGrants, is May 4, 2026.
Rural Health ResearchResearch in this section is provided by the HRSA/FORHP-supported Rural Health Research Gateway. Sign up to receive alerts when new publications become available. Student Enrollment in Rural Medical Schools. Physicians who complete their training in rural settings demonstrate a higher likelihood of practicing in rural and underserved communities in the future. The purpose of this data brief is to summarize the distribution of student enrollment across Doctor of Medicine- and Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine-granting medical schools or training sites situated in rural versus urban areas.
Policy UpdatesSend questions to ruralpolicy@hrsa.gov. CMS Issues New Alert on Hospital Nutrition Service Requirements. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a Quality and Safety Special Alert Memo on March 30, 2026, reminding hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals about their obligations related to patient food and nutrition services. The memo clarifies that facilities must provide organized dietary services that support patient health and align with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, ensuring meals are safe, appropriate, and nutritionally balanced to comply with federal regulations and guidance. It also makes recommendations for hospital inpatient menus, including limiting ultra-processed foods; replacing refined grains with whole grains; prioritizing minimally processed protein sources; and emphasizing vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, seafood, and healthy fats. CMS Finalizes Medicare Advantage and Part D Program Policy Changes and Pay Rates for 2027. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released two updates related to Medicare Advantage and prescription drug (Part D) plans for Contract Year 2027:
CMS Releases Healthcare Utilization and Payment Data. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced it will release new public data sets in machine-readable formats under an open license. These data are intended to support efforts to identify and prevent fraud, waste, and abuse, and to increase transparency and accountability, while protecting sensitive information. The data include Original Medicare utilization and payment information for inpatient and outpatient hospitals, physicians and other practitioners, Part D prescribers, and medical equipment, devices, and supply providers. CMS has also released Medicaid provider spending data, grouped by provider and service. CMS Now Accepting Applications for the LEAD Model for ACOs – Apply by May 17. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center is accepting applications for the Long-term Enhanced ACO Design (LEAD) Model, a new opportunity for Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), including those with small, independent, and rural health care providers who may be new to ACOs. The model will run for 10 years beginning on January 1, 2027, and it focuses on establishing long-term benchmarks and improving care coordination for patients with high needs, including individuals who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid or homebound. It also includes features to support rural providers, such as add-on payments for infrastructure and lower patient minimum requirements. Applications are due May 17. For more information, subscribe to the LEAD Model listserv or contact the LEAD Model team at LEAD@cms.hhs.gov. CMS Delays Prior Authorization for Two Services Under WISeR Model. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced an update to the Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) Model, a six-year effort to reduce fraud, waste, and abuse in Medicare fee-for-service by using technology-enabled prior authorization for selected services. CMS will delay prior authorization and pre-payment review for two services—deep brain stimulation for essential tremor and Parkinson’s disease, and percutaneous image-guided lumbar decompression for spinal stenosis—to allow more time for operational readiness. A new implementation date for these services will be announced in a future Federal Register notice. Proposed 2027 Hospice Rule: Higher Payments Paired with New Oversight Tools – Comment by June 1. April 2, 2026, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update proposed rule for fiscal year (FY) 2027, which annually updates the Medicare hospice payment rate and the aggregate cap amounts paid to hospice providers. For FY 2027, CMS proposes a 2.4% payment increase, an estimated $785 million in additional payments, and would raise the hospice cap to approximately $36,210 per beneficiary, an estimated 2.4% increase from FY 2026. The rule also updates the Hospice Quality Reporting Program, in which hospices that fail to submit the required data would receive a 4-percentage-point reduction, resulting in a net 1.6% payment reduction, and beginning FY 2028, CMS proposed adding a Medicare Care Compare icon for hospices that are non-compliant. Finally, the rule maintains the current wage index methodology while updating geographic classifications and while also strengthening oversight through new measures like the Service and Spending Variation Index (SSVI) and required election statement addenda. CMS Proposes Updates for the FY 2027 Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System – Comment by June 1. This week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a proposed rule for Medicare Skilled Nursing Facility Payment Rates for FY 2027. The proposed rule indicates a 2.4 percent increase for non-rural SNFs and a 2.7 percent increase in payments for rural SNFs. In addition to payment updates, the rule proposes changes to the Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Program (QRP), including the removal of two COVID-19 vaccination measures, revised data submission deadlines to improve timeliness of public reporting, and a new requirement to submit Minimum Data Set (MDS) data on all residents receiving skilled care, regardless of payer. The proposal also includes updates to the Skilled Nursing Facility Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program, which withholds 2% of SNF payments and redistributes a portion based on performance, along with technical updates to align measure calculations and reporting timelines. Additionally, CMS is seeking stakeholder input through Requests for Information on topics such as advanced care planning and potential refinements to the Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM) to address case-mix coding practices. CMS Proposes Updates for the FY 2027 Inpatient Rehabilitation Prospective Payment System Facilities – Comment by June 1. This week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a proposed rule for Medicare Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (IRF) Payment Rates for fiscal year (FY) 2027. The proposed rule indicates a 2.4 percent increase for IRFs. In addition to payment updates the rule proposes applying the third and final year of the phase-out of the rural adjustment for IRFs transitioning from rural to urban that were reclassified due to Core-Based Statistical Area Delineations. CMS also proposes changes to the IRF coverage rules stating that current functional status be documented at admission, the initial Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) meeting must take place on or before the fourth day of admission, and all therapies must be started within 36 hours of admission. Additionally, CMS proposes to shorten the timeframe for data submission from 4.5 months to 45 days beginning in FY 2029. CMS has also included a request for information on modernizing the IRF PPS methodologies for classifying patient case-mix. CMS Releases 2027 Medicare Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Prospective Payment System Proposed Rule - Comment by June 1. On April 2, 2026, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposal to update Medicare payment policies and rates for Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities (IPF) under the IPF Prospective Payment System (PPS) for fiscal year 2027. CMS is proposing to update the IPF PPS payment rates by 2.3% and is modifying the outlier payment policy. CMS is proposing to cap outlier payments at the provider level so that the most expensive IPFs do not receive the majority of all available outlier payments. CMS is also proposing changes to the IPF quality reporting program measures.
CDC Drug Free Communities (DFC) Support Program – NEW – April 14 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Wildfire Smoke Preparedness in Community Buildings – April 15 HRSA National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Scholarship Program – April 16 Request for Information: HRSA 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program – Deadline extended to April 20 SAMHSA Implementing Zero Suicide in Health Systems – April 20 DOJ Adult Treatment Court Program – April 27 CDC Million Hearts Hypertension Control Challenge – April 30 CMS Now Accepting Applications for the LEAD Model for ACOs – May 17 Become a New Site for the National Health Service Corps – May 19 DOT’s Safe Streets for All Grant Program – May 26 CMS Proposes Updates for the FY 2027 Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System – Comment by June 1 Proposed 2027 Hospice Rule: Higher Payments Paired with New Oversight Tools – Comment by June 1 CMS Proposes Updates for the FY 2027 Inpatient Rehabilitation Prospective Payment System Facilities – Comment by June 1 CMS Releases 2027 Medicare Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Prospective Payment System Proposed Rule - Comment by June 1 NIH Native Collective Research Effort to Enhance Wellness (N CREW) Phase II – July 31
HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) - Planning – Estimated Post Date April 9 HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) – Impact – Estimated Post Date April 9 HRSA Rural Residency Planning and Development (RRPD) Program – Estimated Post Date April 14 HRSA Delta Rural Integrated Health Network Program – Estimated Post Date April 17
Ongoing Opportunities - Updated March 2026Bold indicates HRSA- and/or FORHP-funded opportunities. Administration for Children & Families: Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency – Rural Emergency Medical Communications Demonstration Project Delta Region Community Health Systems Development Program General Services Administration: Federal Surplus Property Available for Public Use HRSA Needs Rural Reviewers for Grant Applications HRSA National Health Service Corps Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Training HRSA Look-Alike Initial Designation for the Health Center Program Indian Health Service/Department of Defense: Medical Supplies and Equipment for Tribes (Project TRANSAM) Licensure Portability: The Multi-Discipline Licensure Resource Project National Rural Health Resource Center: Rural Hospital Stabilization Program ProviderBridge: Mobilizing Health Care Workforce via Telehealth Rural Graduate Medical Education Planning and Development Small Business Administration Rural Businesses Small Business Administration Guaranteed Loans for Small Business Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration/Federal Emergency Management Agency/: Post-Disaster Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program Targeted Technical Assistance for Rural Hospitals Program USDA: National School Lunch Afterschool Snack Program USDA: Summer Food Service Program USDA/National Rural Health Association: Rural Hospital Technical Assistance USDA Rural Development: America’s Healthy Food Financing Initiative USDA Rural Development: Circuit Rider Program – Technical Assistance for Rural Water Systems USDA Rural Development: Community Facilities Programs USDA Rural Development: Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants USDA Rural Development: Grants for Rural and Native Alaskan Villages USDA Rural Development: Intermediary Relending Program – Ongoing with deadlines every quarter USDA Rural Development: Multifamily Housing Loan Guarantees USDA Rural Development: Rural Business Investment Program USDA Rural Development: Rural Energy Savings Program USDA Rural Development: SEARCH – Special Evaluation Assistance for Rural Communities and Households (for Water/Waste Projects) USDA Rural Development: Telecommunications Infrastructure Loans and Loan Guarantees U.S. Department of Transportation: Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success (R.O.U.T.E.S) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Drinking Water State Revolving Fund U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Physical Therapy Telehealth Research Study for Older Veterans – Ongoing until October 2026 UVM Center on Rural Addiction Contingency Management Certificate Course |
