Rural legislation and rural regulations resources related to rural health and human services, with information provided by the Rural Assistance Center Copyright 2009 Rural Assistance Center http://www.raconline.org/info_guides/legislation/ Working to protect taxpayers and Medicare beneficiaries, SenatorChuck Grassley has introduced legislation to get at a major factor in Medicare fraud by giving the federal government more time to pay Medicare providers when waste, fraud and abuse is suspected. http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=12581 Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:24:53 CST http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=12581 Kaiser Health News article reports that Democratic leaders in the Senate unveiled their proposal on Wednesday for overhauling the health care system, outlining landmark legislation that they said would cover most of the uninsured while reducing the federal budget deficit. http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Daily-Reports/2009/November/18/CBO-Score-senate-bill.aspx Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:08:00 CST http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Daily-Reports/2009/November/18/CBO-Score-senate-bill.aspx CMS announces that as part of the Obama Administration's goal of reducing waste, fraud and abuse in Medicare, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) significantly revised and improved its calculations of Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) error rates in 2009, reflecting a more complete accounting of Medicare's improper payments than in past years. http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=12575 Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:23:58 CST http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=12575 USA TODAY reviewed several stimulus reports to determine the number of jobs created or saved per stimulus dollar. The review found 14 recipients that reported saving or creating more than 100 jobs for less than $1,500 per job suggesting they overreported the number of jobs. http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-11-02-stimjobs_N.htm?csp=34 Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:48:37 CST http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-11-02-stimjobs_N.htm?csp=34 Daily Yonder article reports that Congressional legislation to reshape the U.S. health insurance system, H.R. 3962, passed by a tiny five-vote margin late Saturday night, as 39 Democrats most of them representing rural districts -- broke with the president and opposed the sweeping bill. http://www.dailyyonder.com/democrat-defectors-rural-districts/2009/11/09/2441 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:57:29 CST http://www.dailyyonder.com/democrat-defectors-rural-districts/2009/11/09/2441 U.S. Senator Tom Udall, D-N.M. today introduced legislation, the Rural TECH (Telemedicine Enhancing Community Health) Act of 2009, to increase access to health care for rural Americans who often dont have medical specialists in their communities or must travel long distances for care. http://tomudall.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=319690 Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:09:18 CST http://tomudall.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=319690 National Rural Health Association article reports that two amendments that were a positive step in ensuring rural America's seat at the table when developing our nation's Medicare and health care payment decisions were stripped by House leadership in the final version of health reform legislation. http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=12499 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:10:33 CST http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=12499 Kaiser Health News reports that House Republicans unveiled their 219-page health care overhaul legislation Tuesday night asserting it would lower health care premiums for families and small businesses and that it would be a far less costly and intrusive approach to helping the uninsured than the Democratic proposals in the House and Senate. http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Daily-Reports/2009/November/04/Few-GOP-Surprises-health-bill.aspx Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:39:18 CST http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Daily-Reports/2009/November/04/Few-GOP-Surprises-health-bill.aspx House Committee on Ways and Means reports that yesterday, in conjunction with comprehensive health reform legislation, House leaders introduced a bill that would permanently reform the Medicare physician payment system. http://waysandmeans.house.gov/News.asp?FormMode=release&ID=960 Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:33:21 CST http://waysandmeans.house.gov/News.asp?FormMode=release&ID=960 CNN Politics article reports that House Democratic leaders unveiled a sweeping $894 billion health care reform bill Thursday that includes a more moderate version of the government-run public health insurance option. http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/10/29/health.care/index.html?section=cnn_latest Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:29:42 CST http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/10/29/health.care/index.html?section=cnn_latest Kaiser Health News reports that the COBRA law covers anyone laid off between Sept. 1 of last year and Dec. 31 of this year, but with the first discounts having gone into effect March 1, many people are about to see the benefit expire, including many who remain unemployed. http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2009/October/28/COBRA.aspx Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:13:03 CST http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2009/October/28/COBRA.aspx A new Commonwealth Fund report analyzes the similarities, differences, potential impacts, and costs of current bills passed by the five committees of jurisdiction in the United States Congress: Finance Committee and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committees in the Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means, Education and Labor, and Energy and Commerce committees. http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Content/News/News-Releases/2009/Oct/Commonwealth-Fund-Analysis-of-Congressional-Health-Reform-Bills.aspx Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:05:22 CST http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Content/News/News-Releases/2009/Oct/Commonwealth-Fund-Analysis-of-Congressional-Health-Reform-Bills.aspx Ergonomics Today article reports that Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) has introduced legislation that would establish standards for safe patient handling and injury prevention for health care workers. http://www.ergoweb.com/news/detail.cfm?id=2394 Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:21:36 CST http://www.ergoweb.com/news/detail.cfm?id=2394 Key websites, news, and related resources on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 as they apply to rural America. -- Rural Assistance Center http://www.raconline.org/info_guides/hot_topics/arra/ Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:00:03 CST http://www.raconline.org/info_guides/hot_topics/arra/ The central government-wide data collection system for Federal agencies and recipients of Federal awards under Section 1512 of the Recovery Act. -- White House https://www.federalreporting.gov/federalreporting/home.do Wed, 23 Sep 2009 08:52:12 CST https://www.federalreporting.gov/federalreporting/home.do Provides recovery grantee reporting assistance for HRSA health professions programs. -- Bureau of Health Professions http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/recovery/pdf/reportingqa.pdf Wed, 23 Sep 2009 08:49:34 CST http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/recovery/pdf/reportingqa.pdf The Davis-Bacon Act, as amended, requires that each contract over $2,000 to which the United States or the District of Columbia is a party for the construction, alteration, or repair of public buildings or public works shall contain a clause setting forth the minimum wages to be paid to various classes of laborers and mechanics employed under the contract. -- U.S. Department of Labor http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/statutes/dbra.htm Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:27:45 CST http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/statutes/dbra.htm Provides information and resources on the programs invested in improving health and human services supported by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. -- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services http://www.hhs.gov/recovery/index.html Wed, 03 Jun 2009 11:26:28 CST http://www.hhs.gov/recovery/index.html Works to document the strengths and challenges facing people in increasingly diverse rural communities, give voice to their hopes and aspirations, and provide creative and practical tools to turn possibilities into realities. -- League of Rural Voters http://www.mainstreetproject.org/ Wed, 03 Jun 2009 10:37:01 CST http://www.mainstreetproject.org/ Displays a color-coded map showing the ten designated HHS regions in the United States and Territories. Includes links and contact information for each region. -- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/HHS_Regions_Map.pdf Fri, 03 Apr 2009 08:09:39 CST http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/HHS_Regions_Map.pdf A series of 14 organizational effectiveness manuals available for download in English and Spanish. Topics include: strategic planning, starting a nonprofit, program evaluation, board development, grantwriting, leadership development, volunteer management, technology development and needs assessment. -- National Minority AIDS Council http://www.nmac.org/index/oes-english Thu, 13 Nov 2008 09:16:02 CST http://www.nmac.org/index/oes-english Reports on state-mandated benefits, state laws regulating mental health and addiction treatment workers, and state-recognized mental health clinicians with authority to prescribe psychotropic medications. -- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration http://download.ncadi.samhsa.gov/Ken/pdf/SMA07-4228/CMHS17a_StateMandates_web.pdf Wed, 02 Apr 2008 11:39:43 CST http://download.ncadi.samhsa.gov/Ken/pdf/SMA07-4228/CMHS17a_StateMandates_web.pdf Lists state-by-state information on bills that have been proposed, are pending or have passed that involve health information technology or health information exchange. -- eHealth Initiative http://ccbh.ehealthinitiative.org/communities/community.aspx?Section=288 Fri, 14 Sep 2007 10:03:41 CST http://ccbh.ehealthinitiative.org/communities/community.aspx?Section=288 A compendium of State HIV laws that describes the policies, rules and regulations for standard and rapid HIV testing. http://www.ucsf.edu/hivcntr/StateLaws/Index.html Tue, 22 May 2007 09:01:46 CST http://www.ucsf.edu/hivcntr/StateLaws/Index.html Outlines rural health care policy issues in order to promote legislative and regulatory issues for action by Congress, federal regulatory agencies, the White House, states, and the health care industry. -- National Rural Health Association http://www.ruralhealthweb.org/index.cfm?objectid=F702E1D0-1185-6B66-883FD5589F634D95 Wed, 09 May 2007 13:46:26 CST http://www.ruralhealthweb.org/index.cfm?objectid=F702E1D0-1185-6B66-883FD5589F634D95 Presents an informal overview of some basic ADA requirements and provides cost effective tips on how small towns can comply with the ADA. -- U.S. Department of Justice http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/smtown.htm Tue, 08 May 2007 14:58:22 CST http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/smtown.htm The Executive Order that requires Federal agencies to examine the services they provide, identify any need for services to those with limited English proficiency (LEP), and develop and implement a system to provide those services so LEP persons can have meaningful access to them. -- U.S. Department of Justice http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/cor/Pubs/eolep.pdf Tue, 08 May 2007 14:49:23 CST http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/cor/Pubs/eolep.pdf Discusses new provisions in the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) and the impact these provisions will have on states' welfare programs. -- National Governors Association Center for Best Practices http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.9123e83a1f6786440ddcbeeb501010a0/?vgnextoid=1adaf5ec064bb010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD Tue, 08 May 2007 14:47:29 CST http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.9123e83a1f6786440ddcbeeb501010a0/?vgnextoid=1adaf5ec064bb010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD Provides summaries of current and completed rural health research projects and related publications addressing the topic of legislation and regulation, produced by the Office of Rural Health Policy's funded rural health research centers. -- Rural Health Research Gateway http://www.ruralhealthresearch.org/topics/100000073/ Wed, 02 May 2007 13:20:07 CST http://www.ruralhealthresearch.org/topics/100000073/ Information, resources and frequently asked questions related to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) for rural communities. -- Rural Assistance Center http://www.raconline.org/info_guides/legislation/hipaa.php Fri, 26 May 2006 00:00:00 CST http://www.raconline.org/info_guides/legislation/hipaa.php