Critical Access Hospital (CAH) 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/hospitals/cah.php The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) congratulates Kris Sparks, director of the Washington State Office of Rural Health and a long-time NOSORH leader, on being elected president-elect of the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) by the organizations members. http://www.nosorh.org/news/pr/sparks2.php Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:22:22 CST http://www.nosorh.org/news/pr/sparks2.php Grant program designed to help hospitals and physician offices accelerate Electronic Medical Records (EMR) adoption. -- GE Healthcare http://www.raconline.org/funding/funding_details.php?funding_id=2275 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:11:34 CST http://www.raconline.org/funding/funding_details.php?funding_id=2275 This final rule with comment period from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services revises the Medicare hospital outpatient prospective payment system to implement applicable statutory requirements and changes arising from their continuing experience with this system. In addition, it updates the revised Medicare ambulatory surgical center payment system to implement applicable statutory requirements and changes arising from their continuing experience with this system. http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-26499.htm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:06:46 CST http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-26499.htm Comments are being sought by the FCC on the health care delivery elements of the national broadband plan, as well as seeking input relating to the universal service rural health care support mechanism and the rural health care Pilot Program, specifically as such programs may assist in the deployment and adoption of broadband services. http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=12548 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:10:01 CST http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=12548 Examines the fourth year participation and quality measure results for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Compare public reporting database for hospital quality measures. -- Flex Monitoring Team http://www.flexmonitoring.org/documents/BriefingPaper22_HospitalCompare4.pdf Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:08:47 CST http://www.flexmonitoring.org/documents/BriefingPaper22_HospitalCompare4.pdf Daily Yonder article tells of the city owned Summersville Regional Medical Center in West Virginia that provides great care and it is among the lowest cost hospitals in the U.S. http://www.dailyyonder.com/speak-your-piece-rural-medical-miracle/2009/11/11/2444 Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:21:14 CST http://www.dailyyonder.com/speak-your-piece-rural-medical-miracle/2009/11/11/2444 AHA News reports that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will host a Nov. 10 conference call on Section 1135 waivers, which hospitals can request to help meet patient needs during the H1N1 flu pandemic. http://www.ahanews.com/ahanews_app/jsp/display.jsp?dcrpath=AHANEWS/AHANewsNowArticle/data/ann_100509_waiver&domain=AHANEWS Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:46:52 CST http://www.ahanews.com/ahanews_app/jsp/display.jsp?dcrpath=AHANEWS/AHANewsNowArticle/data/ann_100509_waiver&domain=AHANEWS Comments are being requested by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on the adoption of this interim final rule to conform the enforcement regulations promulgated under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) to the effective statutory revisions made pursuant to the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (the HITECH Act), which was enacted as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-26203.htm Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:23:49 CST http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-26203.htm The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued an interim final rule with request for comments last week to strengthen its enforcement of the rules promulgated under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=12468 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:23:41 CST http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=12468 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Friday announced that most hospitals will receive an inflation update of 2.1 percent in their payment rates for services furnished to Medicare beneficiaries in outpatient departments. http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=12466 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:09:16 CST http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=12466 National Rural Health Association article reports that in response to the recent H1N1 (swine flu) outbreak, President Obama and HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius have officially declared a national state of emergency, which, among other things, will allow critical access hospitals (CAHs) to file a request to CMS that would temporarily waive the daily limit of twenty-five occupied beds for CAHs. http://www.ruralhealthweb.org/go/rural-health-news/president-and-hhs-secretary-declare-national-emergency-for-h1n1-outbreak Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:34:50 CST http://www.ruralhealthweb.org/go/rural-health-news/president-and-hhs-secretary-declare-national-emergency-for-h1n1-outbreak Kansas City MO September 29, 2010 -- National Rural Health Association http://www.ruralhealthweb.org/go/left/programs-and-events/programs-and-events-overview/calendar-of-nrha-events Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:30:18 CST http://www.ruralhealthweb.org/go/left/programs-and-events/programs-and-events-overview/calendar-of-nrha-events Iowa Independent article tells how the steady decline in rural health care access can take a toll on patients health, but it can also impact the economic well-being of rural communities. http://iowaindependent.com/21196/rural-health-providers-improve-health-of-economy-not-just-patients Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:27:17 CST http://iowaindependent.com/21196/rural-health-providers-improve-health-of-economy-not-just-patients This fourth chapter of "Handbook for Rural Health Care Ethics," provides basic information about ethics and ethics deliberation and the challenges to ethics deliberation in rural areas. Provides a model template for ethical decision-making plus three mechanisms for supporting ethics deliberation. -- Board of Trustees of Dartmouth College http://dms.dartmouth.edu/cfm/resources/ethics/chapter-04.pdf Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:03:19 CST http://dms.dartmouth.edu/cfm/resources/ethics/chapter-04.pdf This notice rescinds HCFA Ruling 85-2, "Medicare Criteria for Coverage of Inpatient Hospital Rehabilitation Services," 50 FR 31040 (July 31, 1985), as corrected at 50 FR 32643 (Aug. 13, 1985) which established the criteria for Medicare coverage of inpatient hospital rehabilitation services. http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-25544.htm Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:58:10 CST http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-25544.htm This annual notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Servicesannounces Medicare's Hospital Insurance (Part A) premium for uninsured enrollees in calendar year (CY) 2010. http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-25371.htm Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:44:43 CST http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-25371.htm This notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announces the inpatient hospital deductible and the hospital and extended care services coinsurance amounts for services furnished in calendar year (CY) 2010 under Medicare's Hospital Insurance Program (Medicare Part A). http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-25372.htm Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:39:06 CST http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-25372.htm Daily Yonder article reports that the nation is spending vastly more on health care in some rural areas than in others without any indication that the increased spending results in better health. http://www.dailyyonder.com/uneven-cost-rural-health-care/2009/10/21/2405 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:11:41 CST http://www.dailyyonder.com/uneven-cost-rural-health-care/2009/10/21/2405 Represents the interests of small and rural hospitals and ensures that the unique needs of this segment of AHA's membership are a national priority. http://www.aha.org/aha/member-center/constituency-sections/Small-or-Rural/index.html Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:49:44 CST http://www.aha.org/aha/member-center/constituency-sections/Small-or-Rural/index.html Provides funding to improve access to quality health care for underserved populations in rural and urban areas. http://www.raconline.org/funding/funding_details.php?funding_id=863 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:22:20 CST http://www.raconline.org/funding/funding_details.php?funding_id=863 Provides information about the requirements Critical Access Hospitals must meet in order to enter into a swing bed agreement under which they can use beds, as needed, to provide either acute or Skilled Nursing Facility care. -- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/SwingBedFactsheet.pdf Tue, 19 May 2009 12:04:44 CST http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/SwingBedFactsheet.pdf Reports on the status of the Hospital Preparedness Program, which is designed to increase the ability of hospitals and healthcare systems to prepare for and respond to bioterror attacks on civilians and other public health emergencies, including pandemic influenza and natural disasters. Includes information on Critical Access Hospitals and rural areas. -- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services http://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/resources/publications/2009/pdf/2009-04-16-hppreport.pdf Fri, 24 Apr 2009 10:40:03 CST http://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/resources/publications/2009/pdf/2009-04-16-hppreport.pdf Highlights common successes and challenges experienced during an electronic healthrecord (EHR) implementation project involving three Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in North Dakota. Offers recommendations for future Health Information Technology implementation processes. -- JSI Research and Training Institute http://ruralhealth.und.edu/projects/flex/pdf/lessons_learned.pdf Mon, 20 Apr 2009 14:33:01 CST http://ruralhealth.und.edu/projects/flex/pdf/lessons_learned.pdf Provides information on the Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) project, implementation strategies, who the RACs are, RAC jurisdictions, RAC expansion and provider outreach schedules, and FAQs. -- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services http://www.cms.hhs.gov/RAC/ Mon, 20 Apr 2009 08:25:32 CST http://www.cms.hhs.gov/RAC/ Describes the findings of a national telephone survey of CAHs to determine the nature of their capital needs and experiences in accessing capital to meet those needs. -- Flex Monitoring Team http://www.flexmonitoring.org/documents/PolicyBrief9_CAH-Capital-Needs.pdf Mon, 09 Mar 2009 09:22:10 CST http://www.flexmonitoring.org/documents/PolicyBrief9_CAH-Capital-Needs.pdf Describes current CAH capital needs and their experiences obtaining the capital critical for remaining compliant with fire and life safety codes and essential for maintaining effective and efficient operations. -- Flex Monitoring Team http://www.flexmonitoring.org/documents/BriefingPaper21_CAHAccessToCapital.pdf Tue, 03 Mar 2009 10:00:49 CST http://www.flexmonitoring.org/documents/BriefingPaper21_CAHAccessToCapital.pdf Examines the process of an Federally Qualified Health Center and a rural hospital coming together to consider joint activities that would mutually benefit them and their community. -- National Rural Health Association http://www.ruralhealthweb.org/download.cfm?downloadfile=621C25D7-3048-651A-FECD850A0FA4AAA8&typename=dmFile&fieldname=filename Fri, 20 Feb 2009 14:58:56 CST http://www.ruralhealthweb.org/download.cfm?downloadfile=621C25D7-3048-651A-FECD850A0FA4AAA8&typename=dmFile&fieldname=filename Assist stakeholders in understanding the processes used to determine coverage, coding, and payment for new technologies under the Medicare fee-for-service program. Guide is intended as a general summary. -- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services http://www.cms.hhs.gov/CouncilonTechInnov/Downloads/InnovatorsGuide8_25_08.pdf Sun, 01 Feb 2009 17:41:05 CST http://www.cms.hhs.gov/CouncilonTechInnov/Downloads/InnovatorsGuide8_25_08.pdf Summarizes recommendations from the Rural Health Panel's report, CMS Value-Based Purchasing Program and Critical Access Hospitals. -- Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) Rural Health Panel http://www.rupri.org/Forms/CAH_VBP_Summary.pdf Wed, 28 Jan 2009 13:40:18 CST http://www.rupri.org/Forms/CAH_VBP_Summary.pdf Summarizes the results of a study that explored the successes and barriers experienced by rural communities and their Critical Access Hospitals during hospital replacement projects. http://www.fha.org/acrobat/2008RuralHospitalStudy.pdf Wed, 28 Jan 2009 11:15:46 CST http://www.fha.org/acrobat/2008RuralHospitalStudy.pdf