| Read this in your browser May 29, 2025 What's New Attend the 2025 National Shortage Designation Update Info Session – TODAY, May 29 at 1:00 pm Eastern. Health Professional Shortage Areas – also known as HPSAs – can be geographic areas, populations, or facilities. A designation indicates that these areas have a shortage of primary, dental, or mental health care providers. HRSA's Bureau of Health Workforce offers a preview of HPSA score changes coming soon in this 90-minute session via Zoom. Email SDB@hrsa.gov for more information. ERS: Rural Populations Are Shifting Older. The Economic Research Service (ERS) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports on recent data showing that the number of rural people of working age (between 15 and 64 years old) has fallen in recent years, dropping to 28 million in 2023 from more than 30 million in 2010. At the same time, the number of rural residents aged 65 and over grew from 7.4 million in 2010 to 9.7 million in 2023. Webinar: Medicare Care Management Billing Strategies – Friday, May 30 at 12:00 pm Eastern. The Rural Health Information Hub hosts this free webinar, approximately 75 minutes, to discuss billing codes that can support care coordination for Medicare beneficiaries. Experts will discuss actionable steps for planning and implementation. Policy Updates Send questions to ruralpolicy@hrsa.gov. New Guidance for Hospital Price Transparency. The Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services (CMS) released new guidance on how hospitals should calculate the estimated allowed amount values for their online machine-readable files as part of the Hospital Price Transparency requirements. Whenever possible, hospitals should use electronic remittance data to determine the average dollar amount received over the last 12-month period. If there is no historic data, hospitals should use the expected payment amount, encoded as a dollar figure. Hospitals will no longer be able to use a code of nine number nines to signify that there was not sufficient historic data for that item or service over the last year. CMS also seeks public input by July 21, 2025 to identify challenges and improve compliance and enforcement processes related to the reporting of complete, accurate, and meaningful pricing data by hospitals. Approaching Deadlines CMS Proposes Updates for FY 2026 Hospice Payment Rates – Comment by June 10 CMS Proposes Updates to FY 2026 Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Prospective Payment System – Comment by June 10 CMS Proposes Updates to FY 2026 Inpatient Prospective Payment System – Comment by June 10 CMS Proposes Updates to FY 2026 Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities Prospective Payment System – Comment by June 10 CMS Proposes Updates for the FY 2026 Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System – Comment by June 10 CMS Seeks Input to Streamline Medicare Regulations – Comment by June 10 CMS Requests Public Feedback on the Health Tech Ecosystem – Comment by June 16 Become a New Site for the National Health Service Corps – June 17 NOSORH Rural Health Capital Resources Training Series – Live sessions through June 18 Draft Guidance for Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program – Comment by June 26 USDOT Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grants – June 26 USDA Rural Development: Economic Development Loan & Grants Programs – June 30 USDA Rural Development: Intermediary Relending Program – June 30 CMS Hospital Price Transparency Accuracy and Completeness Request for Information – Comment by July 21 Ongoing Opportunities Bold indicates HRSA- and/or FORHP-funded opportunities. Administration for Children & Families: Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency – Technical Assistance for Rural EMS Communications Delta Regional Authority: Community Infrastructure Fund 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/SAMHSA: Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Training HRSA Technical Assistance for Look-Alike Initial Designation for the Health Center Program Indian Health Service SOAR Health Training on Human Trafficking 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 Guaranteed Loans for Small Business Small Business Administration Rural Initiative Pilot Program 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 Program USDA Rural Development: Economic Development Loans & Grants – Ongoing with deadlines every quarter 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 VA Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center: Recruiting Veterans for Telehealth Study – Ongoing until October 2026 | 
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