November 3, 2022 What's New CMS Finalizes Medicare Policies for Rural Emergency Hospitals. This week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the final payment policies for the Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System for calendar year 2023. This rule also includes payment, enrollment, and conditions of participation policies for the new provider type, Rural Emergency Hospitals. Finally, CMS is codifying in regulation the location and distance requirements that Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) must meet for certification, including a new definition for "primary road' used for determining the driving distance of a CAH and its proximity to other providers. FORHP is funding technical assistance to support rural hospitals exploring the Rural Emergency Hospital option. CMS Finalizes Medicare Policies for ACOs. CMS also released the Physician Fee Schedule final rule for calendar year 2023 this week, addressing new policies for Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) in the Medicare Shared Savings Program that support providers treating rural and underserved populations. The final includes updates to policies on evaluation/management services, telehealth services, behavioral health services, and Opioid Treatment Programs. Additionally, CMS incorporated new chronic pain management and behavioral health integration services to the Rural Health Clinic and Federally Qualified Health Center specific general care management HCPCS code, G0511. Marketplace for Health Insurance Enrollment is Open. Beginning Tuesday, November 1, consumers are able to sign up for high-quality, affordable health insurance or change their existing plan on HealthCare.gov. Anyone who enrolls by midnight December 15 can get full-year coverage that starts on January 1, 2023. Depending on income, some consumers may qualify for an insurance plan with tax credits, or coverage through Medicaid/the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Some states have expanded their Medicaid programs to cover more people, and 18 states have their own Marketplace website. Marketplace plans are an important source of coverage for people in rural areas, who represent approximately 15 percent of Marketplace enrollees in states using HealthCare.gov. An HHS report shows that while the uninsured rate in rural areas has fallen in recent years, it continues to be about 2-3 percentage points higher than in urban areas over the 2018-2019 period. Learn more about what's new in 2023 on the Marketplace Open Enrollment Fact Sheet. See Rural Health Research below for more on health care access in rural areas. COVID-19 Death Rates in Urban and Rural Areas. The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that, in 2020, deaths due to COVID-19 became the third leading cause of death in the United States. The death rate that year was highest in the most urban areas at 97.7 deaths per 100,000 people. But the second-highest rate of death was in the most rural areas at 90.6 deaths per 100,000 people. Among males under age 65, those in the most urban areas had the highest COVID-19 death rates; among females, rates were highest in the most rural areas. Telemedicine for Geriatric Care in Rural Areas. In spring 2021, researchers interviewed 30 rural, older (>65) patients enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration geriatric specialty telemedicine service to assess the program's quality and value. Along with their caregivers, participants reported improved patient health; increased patient and caregiver understanding of symptom management; and greater feelings of empowerment, hopefulness, and support. AmeriCorps Public Health Program Recording. Last week, FORHP and the Rural Health Information Hub hosted a webinar for interested organizations to learn more about the Public Health AmeriCorps, a new national service program in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that will recruit and train nearly 3,000 AmeriCorps Members to address COVID-19 recovery, health equity, and local public health concerns. The webinar featured an overview of the program by the AmeriCorps Public Health Director and speakers from Idaho State University's Gem State Public Health AmeriCorps program and the American Heart Association's HeartCorps program who discussed how they leveraged AmeriCorps funding, and the impact of AmeriCorps volunteers to support program goals. The webinar recording, slides, and transcript are now available on the Rural Health Information website. Ongoing: HRSA Payment Program for RHC Buprenorphine-Trained Providers. In June 2021, HRSA launched an effort to improve access to substance use disorder treatment by paying for providers who are waivered to prescribe buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid use disorder. Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) still have the opportunity to apply for a $3,000 payment on behalf of each provider who trained to obtain the waiver necessary to prescribe buprenorphine after January 1, 2019. Approximately $1.2 million in program funding remains available for RHCs and will be paid on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted. Send questions to DATA2000WaiverPayments@hrsa.gov. There is ongoing availability of a free online course for waiver eligibility training from the Providers Clinical Support System. COVID-19 Resources *New: Updated Guidance on COVID-19 Booster Shots. On October 12, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended the following bivalent booster shots for children: Pfizer-BioNTech booster for patients ages 5-11; Moderna booster for patients ages 6-17. This recommendation follows FDA's authorization of these products on the same day. This announcement rescinded FDA's authorization of the monovalent Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 as a booster dose for ages 5-11; however, the monovalent vaccines will continue to be used for primary vaccination in patients that have never been vaccinated against COVID-19. In September, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services announced that people with public, private, or no insurance coverage can get COVID-19 vaccines at no cost, for as long as the federal government continues purchasing and distributing them. To find nearby locations for vaccines, masks, testing, and treatment, visit COVID.gov. HHS/DoD National Emergency Tele-Critical Care Network. A joint program of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is available at no cost to hospitals caring for COVID-19 patients. Teams of critical care clinicians - critical care physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, and other specialized clinical experts – are available to deliver virtual care through telemedicine platforms, such as an app on a mobile device. Hear from participating clinicians, and email to learn more and sign up. 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 Grant 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. Online Resource for Licensure of Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, Psychologists, and Social Workers. The site provides up-to-date information on emergency regulation and licensing in each state. Rural Health Clinic Vaccine Distribution (RHCVD) Program. Under the program, Medicare-certified RHCs will receive direct COVID-19 vaccines in addition to their normal jurisdictions' weekly allocation. Contact RHCVaxDistribution@hrsa.gov for more information. Webinar recordings explaining RHC vaccine programs are available on the National Association of Rural Health Clinics website. Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Resources for COVID-19. A set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) from our grantees and stakeholders. Reaching Farm Communities for Vaccine Confidence. The AgriSafe Network is a nonprofit organization that provides information and training on injury and disease related to agriculture. Their health professionals and educators created a social media toolkit that aims to provide clear messages about COVID-19 vaccination for agriculture, forestry, and fishing workers. Funding and Opportunities SAMHSA Crisis Mapping Suicide Prevention for Veterans - November 30. Through its Service Members, Veterans and Families (SMVF) Technical Assistance Center, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will offer workshops for Crisis Intercept Mapping, a coordinated approach to crisis care at the community level. Applicants are expected to be an interagency group of key stakeholders, including but not limited to emergency health care services, law enforcement, recovery support services, and persons with lived experience. Applications from rural and tribal communities and projects that address SMVF special populations are encouraged. CDC Grants for Injury Control Research Centers – January 6. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will make 10 awards with total funding of $42.5 million for high quality research, training, and outreach, as well as effective translation of scientific discoveries into practice for the prevention and control of injuries and violence. Injury Center research priorities include adverse childhood experiences, drug overdose, suicide prevention, and intimate partner violence. Applicants are expected to focus on people and populations who are disproportionately affected by injury and violence, and to consider the underlying social and structural conditions that contribute to inequities in risk for, and public health burden of injury and violence. This includes but is not limited to rural and tribal communities; neighborhoods with high rates of crime, violence, and social disadvantage; racial, ethnic, sexual, or gender minority groups; veterans, and people with disabilities. United South and Eastern Tribes, Inc Tribal Health Program Support – Ongoing. The nonprofit organization offers public health training and technical assistance – including advocacy tools, policy analysis, health promotion, and disease prevention programming – for tribes nationwide. Rural Health Research Research in this section is provided by the HRSA/FORHP-supported Rural Health Research Gateway. Sign up to receive alerts when new publications become available. An Insurance Profile of Rural America: Chartbook. This chartbook from the RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis covers findings on overall coverage (insured and uninsured rates), employer sponsored insurance, marketplace coverage, and Medicare and Medicaid coverage. The demographic and economic characteristics of rural persons and their coverage rates are described, as well as how coverage impacts health status, access to care, and costs. New Recaps on Aging, Maternal Health, Mental Health, and Travel Burdens. The Rural Health Research Gateway identifies the key findings on specific topics. Aging in Place finds a higher share of the population aged 65 and older in rural areas and examines their preferences for long-term care. Maternal Health Disparities: An Intersection of Race and Rurality shows that, from 2012 to 2018, non-Hispanic Black mothers had the highest rate of preterm birth. Rural Mental Health finds that nearly a third of rural adults with serious mental illness received no mental health treatment in 2018. Travel Burden to Receive Health Care shows that, in 2017, the average rural resident traveled 120 percent more miles per one-way trip to receive medical or dental care than the average urban resident. Policy Updates Send questions to ruralpolicy@hrsa.gov. CMS Finalizes Updates to Medicare Enrollment and Eligibility Policies. Last week, CMS issued a final rule implementing changes made by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 to make it easier for people to enroll in Medicare and to eliminate delays in coverage. Among these changes, individuals will now have Medicare coverage the month immediately after their enrollment. In addition, the rule expands access through Medicare special enrollment periods and allows certain eligible beneficiaries to receive Medicare Part B coverage without a late enrollment penalty. Nearly one-fifth of Medicare beneficiaries live in rural areas, according to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's July 2022 Data Book. CMS Finalizes Medicare Policies for Home Health. This week, CMS issued the calendar year 2023 Home Health Prospective Payment System (HH PPS) Rate Update final rule, which updates Medicare payment policies and rates for home health agencies (HHAs). This rule includes routine updates to the Medicare Home Health PPS and the home infusion therapy services' payment rates for CY 2023. CMS estimates that Medicare payments to HHAs in CY 2023 will increase in the aggregate by 0.7%, and by 0.6% for rural HHAs. The final rule also indicates that CMS will issue further guidance in January 2023 on the voluntary and required reporting of telehealth data on claims. Learning Events and Technical Assistance Second Roundtable on Safety Net Provider Participation in CMMI Models – November 3 at 12:30 pm ET. The CMS Innovation Center (CMMI) will be hosting a Safety Net Provider Roundtable discussion on increasing safety net participation in CMMI models. This event will be a follow-up to the March 2022 Equity Roundtable with Safety Net Providers and will cover updates on CMMI's approach to increase safety net participation in CMMI models, findings and recommendations from model application analysis and stakeholder interviews, and stakeholder input to enhance CMMI's proposed definition for safety net providers. Applying for the HRSA Rural Residency Planning and Development Program – Thursday, November 3 at 1:00 pm ET. HRSA's Federal Office of Rural Health Policy will invest $11.25 million to support the creation of new rural residency programs or rural track programs to strengthen the rural physician workforce. Learn more about the upcoming funding opportunity and eligibility requirements by joining this 90-minute technical assistance webinar. Applications for the HRSA Rural Residency Planning and Development Program are due January 27, 2023. White House Rural Partners Update – Thursday, November 3 at 3:00 pm ET. On this week's call, the Office of Public Engagement will provide a briefing on the White House Rural Economic Impact initiative. Community leaders from across the nation will discuss landmark economic investments and impacts. Rural Internal Medicine Program Development – Tuesday, November 8 at 12:00 pm ET. The FORHP-funded Rural Residency Planning and Development (RRPD) -Technical Assistance Center is hosting a one-hour webinar led by RRPD grantees and TA experts to discuss the successes and barriers of developing internal medicine residency programs in rural communities. The RRPD-TAC provides monthly webinars to support RRPD award recipients and are open to other organizations interested in learning more about rural residency program development and graduate medical education. USDA Farm to School Grant Program RFA Webinars – Tuesday, November 8 at 2:30 pm ET and Wednesday, November 9 at 2:30 pm ET. Learn more about the Fiscal Year 2023 Farm to School Grant Program Request for Applications (RFA) during two upcoming webinars. Register for the November 8 webinar here, which will provide an overview of the FY 2023 Farm to School Grant Program RFA, including updates to eligibility, turnkey programs, and how to submit a completed application on grants.gov. Register for the November 9 webinar here, which will explore the key characteristics of a competitive Farm to School Grant application. Both webinars will be recorded and made available on the Resources for Farm to School Grant Applicants page. HRSA on Federal and State Health Workforce Opportunities – Tuesday, November 8 at 10:00 am ET. HRSA's office in Region 7 – Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska – host a two-hour webinar along with representatives from each state-level department of health. Students and clinicians, training/education institutions and facilities, hospitals, Rural Health Clinics, and other health care facilities are all invited to learn more about federal and state programs meant to increase the health workforce in underserved areas. Application Assistance for the RCORP-Evaluation Program – Tuesday, November 8 at 1:00 pm ET. FORHP program staff will provide assistance for the cooperative agreement that provides evaluation tools for the Rural Communities Opioid Response (RCORP) initiative. The application deadline for RCORP-Evaluation is January 27. Exploring Multisector Collaboration for Rural Health Investments – Wednesday, November 9 at 1:00 pm ET. The national nonprofit Public Health Institute provides technical, administrative, and management services to nonprofit organizations in public health. To disseminate ideas from their Playbook for New Rural Healthcare Partnership Models of Investment, they've joined with the American Hospital Association to discuss how hospitals and health systems can collaborate. National Indian Health Board on Violence Against Women – Tuesday, November 9 at 2:00 pm ET. In a three-hour online event, the national nonprofit will provide an overview on cultural connectedness as primary prevention, key protective factors, and available resources. Rural Communities Opioid Response Program-Overdose Response Technical Assistance Webinar – Thursday, November 10 at 1pm ET. No registration is required. FORHP program staff will provide assistance for funding that supports the immediate needs in rural areas related to the drug overdose crisis. The application deadline for the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program – Overdose Response is January 19. HRSA Celebrates National Rural Health Day – November 14-18. Check the schedule for events happening each day of the week and join us on Thursday for a discussion with HRSA Administrator, Carole Johnson, and other HHS leaders to hear what the federal government is doing to increase behavioral health equity in rural communities, including substance use treatment. HRSA grantees will share best practices from their rural work on strengthening mental health, and other presentations will tackle important topics like intimate partner violence and workplace stress. Resource of the Week CDC Releases the Suicide Prevention Resource for Action. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated, expanded, and renamed its former guide Preventing Suicide: A Technical Package of Policy, Programs, and Practices. The resource now includes strategies with the best available evidence to prevent risk for suicide to lessen the immediate and long-term harms of suicidal behavior for individuals, families, and communities. Recent data from the CDC showed that suicide rates were consistently higher in rural areas than in metropolitan areas, with the highest rates among non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Natives in rural counties. Approaching Deadlines Department of Education Grants for School Based Mental Health Services – November 3 Department of Education Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Grant Program – November 3 CMS Seeks Feedback on Challenges During COVID-19 – November 4 National Library of Medicine Health Information Outreach – Region 1 – November 4 Comment on CMS Changes to Medicaid, CHIP, and Basic Health Program Application Process – November 7 RWJF Health Policy Fellows – November 7 HRSA Primary Care Training and Enhancement - Residency Training in Mental and Behavioral Health – November 15 NIH Extramural Loan Repayment Program – November 17 NIH Health Services Research on Minority Health and Health Disparities – November 17 NIH Common Fund: Community-Led Health Equity Structural Intervention Initiative – Letters of Intent November 18 NIH Researching Integrated HIV/AIDS, Addiction, and Primary Care Services – November 18 HRSA Preventive Medicine Residency Program – November 21 NIH HEAL Initiative: Prevention and Management of Chronic Pain in Rural Populations – November 21 Surveying the Experiences of Transgender People – November 21 EPA Brownfield Assessment Grants – November 22 EPA Brownfield Cleanup Grants – November 22 EPA Brownfield Multipurpose Grants – November 22 EPA Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund Grants – November 22 HRSA Rural Health Network Development Program – November 22 SAMHSA Crisis Mapping Suicide Prevention for Veterans - November 30 Commonwealth Fund Fellowship in Minority Health Policy – December 1 Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health Pilot/Feasibility Projects Academic Track – December 1 National Health Service Corp Students to Service Loan Repayment Program – December 1 CMS Wants Your Input on Establishing a National Directory of Health Care Providers and Services – December 6 DOT Assistance for Transportation Projects in Underserved Communities – December 6 VA Rapid Retraining Assistance Program – December 11 HRSA Teaching Health Center Planning and Development Program – December 12 ACL Small Business Innovation Research Program – December 16 CMS Kids Coverage Outreach to American Indian/Alaska Native Children – December 20 AmeriCorps State and National Grants – January 4 CDC Grants for Injury Control Research Centers – January 6 Department of Labor Nursing Expansion Grants – January 6 HRSA Rural Health Network Development Planning Program – January 6 USDA Farm to School Grant Program – January 6 HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program – Overdose Response – January 19 HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program – Evaluation – January 27 HRSA Rural Residency Planning and Development Program – January 27 Ongoing Opportunities CDC Monkeypox Vaccine Equity Pilot Program CFPB Rental Assistance Finder Extended Public Comment Period for FCC's COVID-19 Telehealth Program FCC Affordable Connectivity Program for Broadband Service FEMA COVID-19 Funeral Assistance HRSA Payment Program for Buprenorphine-Trained Clinicians – Until Funds Run Out SAMHSA 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Volunteer and Job Opportunities USDA Emergency Rural Health Care Grants (Track One only) – September 2023 or until funds run out ACF Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program ACF Rural Community Development Program for Rural Water Systems AgriSafe Mental Health Training for Agricultural Producers & Families AgriSafe Nurse Scholar Program – March 2023 AHRQ Health Services Research Demonstration and Dissemination Grants – October 2023 AHRQ Research to Improve Patient Transitions through HIT – December 2022 American Heart Association Rural Health Care Outcomes Accelerator American Indian Public Health Resource Center Technical Assistance Appalachian Regional Commission J-1 Visa Waivers for Doctors ASA Rural Access to Anesthesia Care Scholarship Burroughs Wellcome Fund Seed Grants for Climate Change and Health – Quarterly through August 2023 CDC Direct Assistance to State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Health Agencies CDC Training Pediatric Medical Providers to Recognize ACEs Delta Region Community Health Systems Development Program Delta Doctors J-1 Visa Waiver Program Department of Commerce: Economic Development Assistance Programs Department of Labor Dislocated Worker Grants DRA Technical Assistance for Delta Region Community Health Systems Development EPA Drinking Water State Revolving Fund EPA Water Infrastructure and Innovation Program FEMA/SAMHSA Post-Disaster Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program GPHC & RWJF: Rapid Cycle Research and Evaluation Grants for Cross-Sector Alignment HRSA Seeking Nominations for Migrant Health Advisory HRSA Technical Assistance for Look-Alike Initial Designation for the Health Center Program 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 Host Sites for National Environmental Public Health Internship NIH Project Talk Initiative Host Site Applications NIH Research to Improve Native American Health – Various Dates Until September 2023 NIH Practice-Based Research for Primary Care Suicide Prevention – February 2023 NIH Researching Mental Health Practices in Low-Resource Settings – September 2024 NIH Researching Social, Behavioral, and Economic Impact of COVID-19 in Underserved/Vulnerable Populations – September 2024 NIH Researching the Role of Work in Health Disparities – Various Dates Until September 2024 NIH Special Interest Research – Pandemic Impact on Vulnerable Children and Youth – May 2024 Nominations for Federal Advisory Commission on HIV, Viral Hepatitis, and Sexually Transmitted Diseases Oweesta Native CDFI Loan Funds and Technical Assistance Primary Care Development Corporation Community Investment Loans Rural Community Assistance Corporation Community Facility Loans for Western States and Pacific Islands Rural Community Assistance Corporation Environmental Infrastructure Loans for Western States Rural Graduate Medical Education Planning and Development RWJF Investigator-Initiated Research to Build a Culture of Health RWJF Pioneering Ideas Brief Proposals SAMHSA Training to Provide Medication Assisted Treatment SBA Guaranteed Loans for Small Business Southeast Rural Community Assistance Loans Tribal Grant Writing Training Treasury Department Opportunity Zone Economic Development Program United South and Eastern Tribes, Inc Tribal Health Program Support 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 Healthy Food Financing Initiative Technical Assistance USDA Multifamily Housing Loan Guarantees USDA Intermediary Relending Program USDA Rural Business Development Grants USDA Rural Business Investment Program USDA Rural Energy Savings Program USDA SEARCH – Special Evaluation Assistance for Rural Communities and Households (for Water/Waste Projects) 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 USDA Water and Waste Disposal Grants to Alleviate Health Risks on Tribal Lands and Colonias USDOT Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success (R.O.U.T.E.S) WWAMI Area Health Education Center Scholars Program | 
No comments:
Post a Comment