Read this in your browser January 16, 2025 What's New New Funding Available: HRSA Rural Residency Planning and Development Program – Apply by April 10. As we announced earlier this week, applications are being accepted for 15 awards for the planning and development of new and sustainable residency programs to train physicians in rural areas. A technical assistance webinar via Zoom will be held for applicants on Thursday, Jan 23 at 2:00 pm Eastern. (Not Wednesday, as indicated in the Special Announcement.) Applicants may also benefit from the resources and tools available in the Rural GME Development Portal at RuralGME.org. New Funding: HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program - Pathways – Apply by April 14. As part of HRSA's targeted efforts to address the opioid epidemic in rural communities, the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program – Pathways (RCORP-Pathways) is a new initiative designed to tackle behavioral health care challenges amongst rural youth while building career pathways in the behavioral health workforce. The initiative will support community networks in developing and expanding opportunities for youth in the behavioral health care field through engagement and training. The goals of this funding opportunity include the creation of innovative, youth-focused, peer-driven behavioral health care support programs and the development of career pathways to bolster the rural workforce. HRSA plans to make up to 12 awards and recipients can receive up to $400,000 per year over a three-year period of performance. Check this space for more information about a technical assistance webinar for applicants in the coming weeks. Expand GME Training at Your Rural Hospital: How to Apply for Section 126 and 4122 – Thursday, January 16 at 1:00 pm Eastern. Federal legislation under Section 126 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, and Section 4122 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, authorizes the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to distribute additional residency positions (also known as slots) for physician training. The application period for Medicare-funded slots opened the first week of January and runs through March 31, 2025. Eligible hospitals must use MEARIS, CMS's online application system to apply for 200 newly available Section 126 slots and the 200 Section 4122 slots. In a one-hour webinar, experts will provide background information on Section 126 and Section 4122 and show participants how to apply with a focus on considerations for rural hospitals. Most hospitals use Section 126 slots to expand existing residency programs. If you plan to start a new rural residency program, see the new funding announcement above. The session is hosted by RuralGME.org, the FORHP-supported organization that helps hospitals plan and develop rural residencies. Funding and Opportunities ACL Advancing Strategies to Deliver and Sustain Evidence-Based Chronic Disease Self-Management Education Programs to Support Older Adult Behavioral Health – February 19. The Administration for Community Living (ACL) aims for grantees to develop and implement multi-faceted strategies for evidence-based chronic disease self-management education programs for adults age 60 and older. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, rural residents are more likely than urban residents to die prematurely from five of the leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, stroke, unintentional injuries, and chronic lower respiratory disease. HRSA Maternal and Child Health Secondary Data Analysis Research – February 25. HRSA's Maternal and Child Health Program provides funding to support applied research through analysis of existing databases and/or administrative records to improve the quality, efficiency, and accessibility of healthcare services and health outcomes for underserved maternal and child health populations. Underserved populations include Indigenous and Native American persons, people in rural areas, persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality, among others. USDA Rural Business Development Grants – February 28. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) makes grants to government, tribal, and nonprofit entities in rural areas to promote economic development and job creation. Applications will compete in two separate categories, business opportunity grants and business enterprise grants, for use in various business and community projects that serve rural areas. VA Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program – March 3. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) estimates 200 awards with total funding of $799 million, with priority given to rural and tribal communities and U.S. territories. The program provides grants to nonprofit organizations and consumer cooperatives to provide supportive services for very low-income veterans and their families residing in or transitioning to permanent housing. HRSA Nursing Workforce Diversity Program – March 18. HRSA's Bureau of Health Workforce will award approximately $22.2 million to up to 40 grantees to increase nursing education opportunities for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. Eligible applicants include, but are not limited to: academic health centers, accredited schools of nursing, nursing centers, state and local governments, and tribal organizations. Rural Grocery Initiative: Rural Grocery Specialist Program – Ongoing. The Rural Grocery Initiative is a national nonprofit works to support healthy food options, jobs, local tax base, and attraction/retention of residents in rural communities. Their Rural Grocery Specialist Program is a training for resource professionals to better support rural grocers through business transition. Rural Health Research Research in this section is provided by HRSA/FORHP-supported Rural Health Research Centers and available on the Rural Health Research Gateway. Rural-Urban Differences in PACE Organization and Enrollee Characteristics. The Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) operates in the majority of states and numerous rural areas. Despite well-documented differences in population socio-demographic characteristics between rural and urban areas, as well as unique challenges and strengths related to providing long-term services and supports in rural areas, little is known about how PACE enrollee characteristics vary between rural and urban areas. This brief from the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center addresses that gap. Evaluating Medicare Advantage Benchmark Setting Methodology on Rural Counties. This brief explores how the process for setting benchmark payments for Medicare Advantage plans may create different incentives across rural and urban counties. Researchers at the RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis found that the benchmark setting process creates uneven incentives, leaving plans operating in nonmetropolitan counties with less incentive to offer supplemental benefits or reduced cost-sharing for enrolled beneficiaries. Policy Updates Send questions to ruralpolicy@hrsa.gov. Rural Health Clinics & Federally Qualified Health Centers: You May Need to Resubmit Claims. Starting October 1, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services incorrectly returned certain Rural Health Clinic (RHC) and Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) claims with reason code W7072: - Type of bill: 071X (RHC) and 077X (FQHC)
- HCPCS code 93010 (electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG)
RHCs and FQHCs should resubmit these claims that were returned in error. NARCH Virtual Office Hours for Rural Health Clinics. Every other Wednesday at 1:00 pm Eastern, the National Association of Rural Health Clinics (NARHC) will host free, FORHP-supported virtual office hours. This technical assistance offers an audience-driven format to ask questions on Rural Health Clinic (RHC) policy, Medicare, RHC certification, and other RHC topics. CMS Seeks Public Input on Updates to Medicare Advantage and Part D Payment Policies – Comment by February 10. In addition to proposals that impact the Medicare Advantage pay rates, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is proposing changes to payments for the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), a Medicare and Medicaid program that helps people meet their health care needs within the communities where they live. They are also considering additional ways to simplify and refocus quality measures used for the Medicare Advantage Star Ratings program and adding geography to the Health Equity Index, a composite score based on several existing Star Rating measures intended to incentivize plans to provide high quality care to at-risk enrollees. Updates to the Part D Prescription Drug program are described in the Calendar Year (CY) 2026 Advance Notice and the related Draft CY 2026 Part D Redesign Program Instructions. CMS will accept comments through 11:59 PM Eastern Time on February 10, 2025 before publishing the final Rate Announcement on or before April 7, 2025. According to a new policy brief from the Rural Health Research Gateway, rural enrollment in Medicare Advantage is expected to exceed 50 percent in 2025. CMS Proposed Collection for Updated PACE Audit Protocol – Comment by February 21. On December 23, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published a 60-day notice (CMS-10630; OBM control number: 0938–1327) seeking input on proposed updates to the audit protocol for Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). 2025 Physician Fee Schedule Webinar: Registration Required – Thursday, January 30 at 2:00 pm Eastern. Subject matter experts from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will present highlights of policy updates from the Calendar Year 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule final rule in a webinar produced by the Rural Health Information Hub. Covered topics will include: general care management, Advanced Primary Care Management, telehealth, policy updates for Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers, behavioral health, dental services, and more. The webinar is free, and you must register to attend. Learning Events and Technical Assistance Become a Rural Host Site for CDC's Public Health Associate Program (PHAP) – Thursday, January 23 at 2:00 pm Eastern. In this 90-minute session, learn about the benefits of a unique partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop the nation's next generation of public health professionals. The host site application cycle typically opens for 2-4 weeks in/around February. Keep Rural Communities Healthy: The Role of HPV Vaccination – Tuesday, January 28 at 1:00 pm Eastern. This webinar from the AgriSafe Network will focus on opportunities to increase vaccination coverage to prevent human papillomavirus (HPV) cancers in rural communities. Application Assistance: Rural Communities Opioid Response Program – Overdose Response – Thursday January 30 at 2:00 pm Eastern. FORHP will hold a technical assistance webinar to assist with applications for up to 20 grant awards who will support improving health care in rural areas by aiming to reduce and prevent the risk of overdoses in rural areas, first announced December 20, 2024. COVID-19 Resources Learn About Long COVID & Fatiguing Illness – Thursday, February 13 at 3:00 pm Eastern. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funds this monthly webinar-style Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) learning session to rapidly disseminate findings about Post-COVID Conditions (PCC) and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). The series offers presentations by subject matter experts, examples of emerging best practices and models of care, and a facilitated Q&A. This program is intended primarily for providers who care for patients with PCC and ME/CFS but is open to all health care professionals and all Long COVID and ME/CFS patient-lived experience experts interested in learning more about the treatment of Long COVID and ME/CFS. *New: a short course on Long COVID in Children and Adolescents opened on November 14 and runs until February 25, 2025. Mobilizing Health Care Workforce via Telehealth. ProviderBridge.org was created through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act by the Federation of State Medical Boards and HRSA's Office for the Advancement of Telehealth. 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. Approaching Deadlines NHTSA Road to Zero Community Traffic Safety Grants – January 17 HRSA Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program for Professionals – January 21 HRSA Graduate Psychology Education Program – January 21 CMS Proposed Changes to Medicare Part C and D – Comment by January 27 HRSA Centers of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health Education, Science, and Practice – January 27 HRSA Rural Health Care Services Outreach Program – January 27 OIG Updating Antikickback Safe Harbor Provisions – Comment by January 27 Enterprise Community Partners/HUD Section 4 Capacity Building Grants: Rural and Tribal Communities – January 31 HRSA Rural Veterans Health Access Program – February 5 RWJF Summer Health Professions Education Program – February 5 Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Funding: Broad Pragmatic Studies – Letters of Intent February 6 PCORI Maternal Morbidity and Mortality Topical Studies – Letters of Intent February 6 CMS Seeks Public Input on Updates to Medicare Advantage and Part D Payment Policies – Comment by February 10 HRSA Black Lung Clinics Program – February 11 HRSA Black Lung Data and Resource Center Program – February 11 CMS Seeking Input to Protect Medicare Beneficiary Identifiers – Comment by February 17 ACL Advancing Strategies to Deliver and Sustain Evidence-Based Chronic Disease Self-Management Education Programs to Support Older Adult Behavioral Health – February 19 HRSA Rural Health Network Development Planning Program – February 19 HRSA Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students Program (funding goes to schools, not individuals) – February 19 CMS Proposed Collection for Updated PACE Audit Protocol – Comment by February 21 HRSA Nurse Faculty Loan Program – February 24 HRSA Maternal and Child Health Secondary Data Analysis Research – February 25 U.S. Department of Energy Demonstration Funding for Energy Improvement in Rural/Remote Areas – Letters of Intent February 27 HRSA Addiction Medicine Fellowship Program – February 28 USDA Rural Business Development Grants – February 28 USDA Rural Utilities Service High Energy Cost Grants – February 28 CMS Rural Community Hospital Demonstration – Apply by March 1 VA Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program – March 3 HIPAA Security Rule Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to Strengthen Cybersecurity for Electronic Protected Health Information – Comment by March 7 HRSA Nursing Workforce Diversity Program – March 18 HRSA Rural Residency Planning and Development Program – Apply by April 10 HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program - Pathways – Apply by April 14 Ongoing Opportunities Bold indicates HRSA- and/or FORHP-funded opportunities. ACF Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program ACF Rural Community Development Program for Rural Water Systems Addiction Policy Forum: Sites for Anti-Stigma Pilot AgriSafe Mental Health Training for Agricultural Producers & Families American Association of Birth Centers (AABC) Foundation - Accreditation Grants American Heart Association Rural Health Care Outcomes Accelerator American Indian Public Health Resource Center Technical Assistance AmeriCorps American Connection Corps for Broadband in Rural Areas Appalachian Community Fund Technical Assistance Grants Appalachian Regional Commission J-1 Visa Waivers for Doctors Association of American Indian Physicians Tribal Grant Writing Training ASA Rural Access to Anesthesia Care Scholarship California Department of Health Care Access – Small and Rural Hospital Relief Program CDC Direct Assistance to State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Health Agencies CDC Training Pediatric Medical Providers to Recognize ACEs CMS Medicaid and CHIP Renewal and Transition Resources for Partners Communities Unlimited, Inc: Water and Wastewater Loans for Rural Systems Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency – Technical Assistance for Rural EMS Communications Delta Region Community Health Systems Development Program Delta Regional Authority Community Infrastructure Fund Delta Doctors J-1 Visa Waiver Program Department of Commerce: Economic Development Assistance Programs DRA Technical Assistance for Delta Region Community Health Systems Development EPA Drinking Water State Revolving Fund EPA Water Infrastructure and Innovation Act Program FEMA/SAMHSA Post-Disaster Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program GSA Federal Surplus Property Available for Public Use GPHC & RWJF: Rapid Cycle Research and Evaluation Grants for Cross-Sector Alignment HRSA Needs Rural Reviewers for Grant Applications HRSA/SAMHSA Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Training and Mentoring 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 Distressed Cities and Persistent Poverty Technical Assistance Program HUD Hospital Mortgage Insurance Program IHS Forensic Nursing Consultation Program and Training IHS/DOD Medical Supplies and Equipment for Tribes (Project TRANSAM) Licensure Portability: the Multi-Discipline Licensure Resource Project NARHC Certified Rural Health Clinic Professional Course National Health Resource Center on Domestic Violence Technical Assistance National Indian Health Board Tribal Environmental Justice Technical Assistance Center National Indian Health Board Tribal Environmental Impact Network Call for Technical Assistance Providers National Indian Health Board Vaccination Event Funding National Indigenous Women's Resource Center Technical Assistance for Domestic Violence Programs HRSA National Rural Health Resource Center: Rural Hospital Stabilization Program Native Americans into Medicine Host Sites for National Environmental Public Health Internship NIH Addressing the Impact of Structural Racism and Discrimination – Various dates until October 2025 NIH Researching Firearm Injury and Mortality Prevention – February 2026 NIH Research to Address Vaccine Hesitancy in Health Disparity Populations – June 2026 NIH Planning Grants for Native American Research Centers for Health (NARCH) – various dates until July 2026 NIH Research to Understand Disparities in Maternal Morbidity and Mortality – Various dates until October 2026 NIH Data Informed, Place-Based Community-Engaged Research to Advance Health Equity – January 2027 NIH/UVA Seeking Rural Individuals to Participate in Weight Loss Study (iREACH) – until 2027 NIH Project Talk Initiative Host Site Applications NOSORH Rural Primary Care Institute Nominations for Federal Advisory Commission on HIV, Viral Hepatitis, and Sexually Transmitted Diseases NRHA Chief Nursing Officer Certification Program for Rural Hospitals Opportunity Finance Network/Partners for the Common Good – Economic Justice Partnership Fund 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 RCORP Rural Center of Excellence on SUD Prevention: Developing a Rural Community Approach to Overcoming Stigma Rural Graduate Medical Education Planning and Development Rural Grocery Initiative: Rural Grocery Specialist Program RTT Collaborative: Rural Training Track Directors University RWJF Investigator-Initiated Research to Build a Culture of Health RWJF Pioneering Ideas Brief Proposals SAMHSA Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program for Communities Post-Disaster SAMHSA Training to Provide Medication Assisted Treatment SAMHSA 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Volunteer and Job Opportunities Small Business Administration Guaranteed Loans for Small Business Small Business Administration Certified Development Company (504) Loan Program: Rural Initiative Pilot Program Southeast Rural Community Development Loans Targeted Technical Assistance for Rural Hospitals Program Treasury Department Opportunity Zone Economic Development Program United South and Eastern Tribes, Inc Tribal Health Program Support USDA Circuit Rider Program – Technical Assistance for Rural Water Systems 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 Intermediary Relending Program – Ongoing with deadlines every quarter USDA Multifamily Housing Loan Guarantees USDA National School Lunch Afterschool Snack Program USDA/NRHA Rural Hospital Technical Assistance 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 and Loan Guarantees 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) Veterans Affairs Health Professional Scholarship Program Veterans Affairs Virtual Living Room - Using Technology to Address the Critical Healthcare Needs of Veterans in Rural Areas Western Region Public Health Training Center – Future Leaders Program WWAMI Area Health Education Center Scholars Program 3RNET Recruitment and Retention Assistance |
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