December 3, 2020 What's New Updated Provider Relief Funds FAQs. In support of the national response to COVID-19, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is distributing $175 billion from the CARES Act Provider Relief Fund (PRF) to hospitals and healthcare providers. The PRF Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) provide guidance to recipients regarding terms and conditions, attestation, reporting and auditing requirements, and the general and targeted distributions. On November 18, new questions were added under the headings Use of Funds and Miscellaneous. Indian Health Service (IHS) Pandemic Vaccine Plan. The plan details how the IHS health care system will prepare for and operationalize a vaccine when it becomes available. It also provides important guidance for all IHS federal tribal health programs and urban Indian organizations that choose to receive COVID-19 vaccine coordinated through IHS. HHS Request for Information on Redundant, Overlapping, or Inconsistent Regulations – December 21. On November 27, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking input from the public to improve existing regulations, and eliminate unnecessary or duplicative regulations, through future exercise of rulemaking authority. As this RFI seeks input on regulations issued by any HHS office or agency, those responding may consider addressing regulatory issues of particular interest to rural health. HHS Request for Information on Best Practices in Response to COVID-19 – December 24. There are a number of innovative programs, policies, and best practices that prevent and mitigate the consequences of COVID–19 in urban and rural areas, while also preserving access to healthcare services for non-COVID-19 medical conditions. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) requests information on these innovative approaches and best practices in health care for both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 conditions to inform and improve HHS priorities and programs. Comments Requested: Paperwork Reduction for the FCC – December 24. As part of its Measuring Broadband America Program, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) seeks input from the public on the types of information that should be collected to determine the speed and performance of broadband connections. Specifically, the FCC would like to receive comments on how they might "further reduce the information collection burden for small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees." Currently, there are software-based tools and online tools that can test consumers' broadband connections. However, these tools track speeds experienced by consumers, rather than speeds delivered directly to a consumer by an internet service provider. The Measuring Broadband America Program will focus on the broadband performance delivered. COVID-19 Resources Federal Office of Rural Health Policy FAQs for COVID-19. A set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) from our grantees and stakeholders, including Updated FAQ for Rural Health Clinics (RHC) Testing Program, with a link to the RHC COVID-19 Reporting Portal, where tests and spending categories must be reported monthly. COVID-19 FAQs and Funding for HRSA Programs. Find all funding and frequently asked questions for programs administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). CDC COVID-19 Updates. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides daily updates and guidance, including a section specific to rural health care, and a Toolkit for Tribal Communities. New: COVID-19 Incidence, by Urban-Rural Classification – United States, January 22-October 31 shows a higher number of cases in small metropolitan and micropolitan areas beginning in late August of this year. CMS Coronavirus Stakeholder Calls. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) hosts recurring online sessions to share information related to COVID-19. These sessions are open to members of the health care community and are intended to provide updates, share best practices among peers, and offer attendees an opportunity to ask questions of CMS and other subject matter experts. HHS Coronavirus Data Hub. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) launched a website in July with data on the COVID-19 response at federal, state, and local levels. The hub includes estimated and reported hospital capacity by state, with numbers updated daily. It also links to the weekly list of hospitals completing their daily COVID-19 data reporting. COVID-19 Data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Updated regularly, the site provides access to demographic and economic data that may be useful in decision-making, including state and local data on at-risk populations, poverty, health insurance coverage, and employment. ATTC Network COVID-19 Resources for Addictions Treatment. The Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) Network was established in 1993 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The online catalog of COVID-related resources includes regularly-updated guidance and trainings for professionals in the field. GHPC's Collection of Rural Health Strategies for COVID-19. With support from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP), the Georgia Health Policy Center (GHPC) provides reports, guidance, and innovative strategies gleaned from their technical assistance and peer learning sessions with FORHP grantees. Confirmed COVID-19 Cases, Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Counties. The RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis provides up-to-date data on rural and urban confirmed cases throughout the United States. An animated map shows the progression of cases beginning January 21 to the present. Rural Response to Coronavirus Disease 2019. The Rural Health Information Hub posted a guide to help you learn about activities to address COVID-19. The online resource now includes Rural Healthcare Surge Readiness, a tool with resources for healthcare systems preparing for and responding to a COVID-19 surge in their communities. SAMHSA Training and Technical Assistance Related to COVID-19. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) created this list of resources, tools, and trainings. Mobilizing Health Care Workforce via Telehealth. ProviderBridge.org was created by the Federation of State Medical Boards through the CARES Act and the FORHP-supported Licensure Portability Program. The site provides up-to-date information on emergency regulation and licensing by state as well as a provider portal to connect volunteer health care professionals to state agencies and health care entities. CARES Act Supports Online Resource for Professional Licensure. The website for the Multi-Discipline Licensure Resource Project was created to support pandemic response through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the FORHP-supported Licensure Portability Program. Created by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards, the site provides up-to-date information on emergency regulation and licensing in each state for psychologists, occupational therapists, physical assistants, and social workers. Funding and Opportunities USDA Solid Waste Management Program – December 31. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will make 30 awards with total funding of $4 million to provide communities with technical assistance and training in the operation of active landfills that may pose a threat to water resources in rural areas. Eligible applicants are public and/or private entities, including federally- or state-recognized Tribes, and academic institutions. Separately, the USDA Technical Assistance Training and Grant Program – also due on December 31 – will invest $30 million to pay expenses associated wastewater assistance. Eligible applicants are private nonprofit organizations qualified to identify and evaluate water and waste disposal solutions in rural areas. CMS Value in Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Demonstration – January 3. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seek participants in a four-year demonstration project designed to improve treatment for opioid use disorder and reduce Medicare costs. Eligible participants include physicians, hospital outpatient departments, Rural Health Clinics, Critical Access Hospitals, and opioid treatment programs. USDA Farm to School Grants – January 8. The U.S. Department of Agriculture will make 150 awards from total funding of $10 million to improve access to local foods in schools. Eligible applicants include state and local governments, independent school districts, Native American tribal organizations, and nonprofit organizations. NIH Promoting HIV Viral Suppression Among Disparity Populations – January 15. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will support up to five projects with $500,000 to test interventions promoting antiviral therapy and suppressed viral load for people living with HIV. The research focus is on health disparity populations in areas with a high rate of new HIV infections. Priority Jurisdictions for the Federal Ending the HIV Epidemic: Plan for America include seven states – Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and South Carolina – with a substantial number of HIV diagnoses in rural areas. HRSA Nursing Workforce Diversity Program – January 19. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will make 32 awards with total funding of $16.1 million to increase nursing education opportunities for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. Eligible applicants include accredited schools of nursing, nursing centers, academic health centers, State or local governments, and other private or public non-profit entities. Policy Updates Visit the FORHP Policy page to see all recent updates and send questions to ruralpolicy@hrsa.gov. Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for 2021. This week the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the final policy, payment, and quality updates for the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, the Medicare Shared Savings Program, the Quality Payment Program, and the Diabetes Prevention Program for calendar year 2021. In addition to payment updates, it adds new services to the telehealth list, updates the scope of practice policies to allow teaching physicians to use interactive, real-time audio/video to interact with residents, and finalizes billing codes for Principal Care Management (PCM) services for Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers. Proposed Changes to Individual Insurance Market for 2022. Last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released proposed regulations for states and health insurers planning on offering Qualified Health Plans (QHPs) through Federal and State Health Exchanges in 2022. In addition to proposing new special enrollment periods and options for direct enrollment through private sector entities, this rule also proposes to make QHP Enrollee Experience Survey results publicly available in an annual public use file. Accountable Health Communities (AHC) Model – Two Rural Participants' Experiences – This Rural Health Value Rural Innovation Profile describes the successes and challenges of two AHCs serving rural populations. The CMS Innovation Center Accountable Health Communities (AHC) Model seeks to identify and address health-related social needs of Medicare, Medicaid, and dual-eligible beneficiaries. Waiver to Provide Acute Hospital Care At Home. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is accepting requests for hospitals to waive certain Medicare Conditions and Participation (CoPs) in order to provide acute care hospital services in a patient's home. Stark Law and Anti-Kickback Statute Changes Finalized. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finalized changes to two rules that will allow healthcare providers to participate in care coordination activities and value-based arrangements without violating laws. The first rule creates exceptions to the Physician Self-Referral law (aka the Stark Law), which prohibits a physician from referring a patient to any entity with which they have a financial relationship. The second rule adds safe harbors to the Anti-Kickback Statute, which imposes criminal penalties when someone solicits, pays, or receives a reward in exchange for referrals. Learning Events and Technical Assistance NCTRC Telehealth Hack Webinar Series – Monday, December 7 at 2:00 pm ET . In this hour-long learning session hosted by the National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers (NCTRC), experts will discuss how to set up telehealth programs on college campuses. NCSL: Pharmacists Role in Public Health – Monday, December 7 at 3:00 pm ET. The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) will hold a one-hour webinar to examine policy options for increasing access to health care through pharmacists. Speakers will highlight national trends in pharmacist scope of practice including, for example, prescribing medications for tobacco cessation and administering vaccines. AgriSafe: Understanding Back Injury – Tuesday, December 8 at 1:00 pm ET. The AgriSafe Network hosts a one-hour webinar focused on the causes of back injuries for agricultural workers with strategies for prevention and management of chronic pain. ONDCP: Workshop for Rural Faith Leaders Addressing Substance Use Disorder – Tuesday, December 8 at 1:00 pm ET. The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) will hold the first of four workshops to help faith leaders support families experiencing substance use disorder. The workshop will last 90 minutes; additional sessions will take place in February, March, and April. CMS Webcast on Hospital Price Transparency Rule – Tuesday, December 8 at 2:00 pm ET. On January 1, 2021, each hospital and Critical Access Hospital (CAH) will be required to provide pricing information online about the items and services they provide, as specified in the Final Price Transparency Rule. During this webcast, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will share resources available to help with compliance and answer questions following the presentation. See Resource of the Week below for guidance developed for small, rural hospitals. Smartphone-based Financial Incentives to Promote Smoking Cessation Among Pregnant Women – Wednesday, December 9 at 12:00 pm ET. The University of Vermont's Center on Rural Addiction also will host an hour-long webinar reviewing the research, development, and outcomes produced by an innovative, remotely-delivered financial incentives intervention for reducing cigarette smoking during pregnancy. Rural America: The Current State of Health Care Access – Wednesday, December 9 at 2:00 pm ET. The National Association of Community Health Centers and Capital Link will host a one-hour webinar featuring Alan Morgan, the CEO of the National Rural Health Association. ESRD Treatment Choices Model – Wednesday, December 9 at 1:00 pm ET. The CMS Innovation Center is holding this one-hour introductory webinar to prepare participants for the End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Treatment Choices (ETC) Model, which is a new payment model testing whether greater use of home dialysis and kidney transplantation for Medicare beneficiaries with ESRD will reduce Medicare expenditures. The model begins January 1. MATRC: Answering questions About Telehealth and Telemental Health – Second and Fourth Fridays at 12:00 pm ET. The Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center (MATRC) holds a live, one-hour event to answer questions about the basics. The MATRC is one of 14 FORHP-Supported Telehealth Resource Centers. Resource of the Week Hospital Price Transparency: Guidance for Small, Rural Hospitals. The National Rural Health Resource Center created the Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program (SHIP) Pricing Transparency Guide to help navigate the November 2019 Price Transparency Rule. State Office of Rural Health Directors, SHIP Coordinators, and other rural hospital stakeholders can also view a webinar with further explanation that was recorded last month. Approaching Deadlines National Health Service Corps Students-to-Service Loan Repayment Program – Extended to December 3 HHS/ASN KidneyX COVID-19 Kidney Care Challenge – December 4 Comments Requested: Proposed DATA 2000 Training Payment Application – December 7 HUD Indian Housing Block Grant Program – December 10 HRSA Rural Policy Analysis Program – December 14 EPA Research to Reduce Wildland Fire Smoke Exposures – December 15 HRSA Rural Health Care Services Outreach Program – Extended to December 15 Indian Health Service (IHS) Community Opioid Intervention Pilot Project – December 15 NBCC Minority Fellowship Program for Mental Health Counselors – December 15 Open Enrollment for the Health Insurance Marketplace – December 15 Request for Information: Maternal and Child Health Bureau Strategic Plan – December 18 HHS Request for Information on Redundant, Overlapping, or Inconsistent Regulations – December 21 USDA Community Connect Grants – December 23 Comments Requested: Paperwork Reduction for the FCC –December 24 HHS Request for Information on Best Practices in Response to COVID-19 – December 24 NIH Digital Interventions to COVID-19 Secondary Effects – December 30 FCC Extends Purchasing Deadline for COVID-19 Telehealth Program – December 31 Medicare Extreme and Uncontrollable Exceptions Applications – December 31 NACCHO Model Practices Award – December 31 USDA Solid Waste Management Program – December 31 USDA Technical Assistance and Grants for Wastewater Management – December 31 CMS Value in Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Demonstration – January 3 Comments Requested: CMS Fourth COVID-19 Interim Final Rule – January 4 AmeriCorps State and National Grants for Community Service – January 6 NIH Pilot and Feasibility Studies for Drug/Alcohol Prevention Trials – January 8 USDA Farm to School Grant Program – January 8 USDA Tribal Colleges Research Grants – January 13 NIH Promoting HIV Viral Suppression Among Disparity Populations – January 15 CMS Community Health Access and Rural Transformation Model (CHART) – Letters of Intent January 18 HRSA Nursing Workforce Diversity Program – January 19 HRSA Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program (BHWET) – January 21 HRSA National Telehealth Resource Center Program – January 21 HRSA Regional Telehealth Resource Center Program – January 21 National Environmental Public Health Internship – January 22 Host Site Application for National Environmental Public Health Internship – January 22 AAP Community Access to Child Health (CATCH) Grants – January 27 FEMA Grants for Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities – January 29 APA Minority Externship in Addiction Psychiatry – January 31 CDC National Center for Prevention of Childhood Agricultural Injury – February 9 Indian Health Service (IHS) Loan Repayment Program – February 15 CMS Community Health Access and Rural Transformation Model (CHART) – February 16 CDC Research to Inform Pandemic Response for Displaced Persons – February 18 NIH Research on Biopsychosocial Factors of Connectedness/Isolation – March 17 Ongoing Opportunities AHRQ Research to Improve Patient Transitions through HIT – December 2022 ASA Rural Access to Anesthesia Care Scholarship CDC Training Pediatric Medical Providers to Recognize ACEs Delta Region Community Health Systems Development Program Dept of Commerce: Economic Development Assistance Programs DRA Technical Assistance for Delta Region Community Health Systems Development EPA Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Housing Assistance Council: Housing Loans for Low-Income Rural Communities HUD Hospital Mortgage Insurance Program IHS Tribal Forensic Healthcare Training IHS/DOD Medical Supplies and Equipment for Tribes (Project TRANSAM) NARHC Certified Rural Health Clinic Professional Course NIH Research for AI/AN End-of-Life Care – January 8, 2022 NIH Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health – May 2022 NIH Research – Alcohol and Other Substance Use – Dates Through August 2022 NIH Research on Minority Health/Health Disparities – September 8, 2022 NIH Research on Palliative Care in Home/Community Settings – September 8, 2022 NIH Research to Improve Health Care Quality and Outcomes Through HIT NIH Strategies for Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in HIT Nominations for Federal Advisory Commission on HIV, Viral Hepatitis, and Sexually Transmitted Diseases Nominations for National Advisory Committee on Migrant Health Opportunity Zones for Economic Development Primary Care Development Corporation Community Investment Loans Rural Graduate Medical Education Planning and Development RWJF Investigator-Initiated Research to Build a Culture of Health RWJF Pioneering Ideas Brief Proposals SBA Guaranteed Loans for Small Business Southeast Rural Community Assistance Loans USDA Community Facilities Program USDA Community Food Projects Technical Assistance USDA Drinking Water and Waste Disposal for Rural and Native Alaskan Villages USDA Economic Impact Initiative Grants USDA Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants USDA Guaranteed Loans for Rural Rental Housing – through 2021 USDA Intermediary Relending Program USDA Rural Business Development Grants USDA Rural Business Investment Program USDA Rural Energy Savings Program USDA Summer Food Program USDA Technical Assistance for Healthy Food Financing Initiative USDA Telecommunications Infrastructure Loans USDA Funding for Rural Water and Waste Disposal Projects USDOT Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success (R.O.U.T.E.S) | 
Connect with HRSA
No comments:
Post a Comment