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Rural Health
News by Topic: Veterans

Apr 18, 2024 - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will hold a virtual public meeting on April 30-May 1, 2024. Agenda items include updates from VA leadership, the Executive Director of the VA Office of Rural Health, and the Committee Chair, as well as presentations on general rural healthcare access.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 11, 2024 - Notice from the Department of Defense (DOD) Director of the Defense Health Agency (DHA) announcing adjustments to the reimbursement and provider qualifications for childbirth support services under the Childbirth and Breastfeeding Support Demonstration (CBSD). The second phase of CBSD will include a new reimbursement methodology, new doula-specific codes, increased flexibility for antepartum and postpartum visits, and a new requirement for certified labor doulas (CLDs) to be participating providers. DHA also announces the National Black Doula Association (NBDA) as a certification body for CLDs and the certification requirement for doulas practicing in a state with an active state-wide doula Medicaid benefit will be waived when that doula is actively enrolled in that state Medicaid program. Phase 2 will be fully implemented by January 1, 2025, with a transition period beginning June 10, 2024. The modifications to the certified labor doulas (CLD) certification requirement are effective April 11, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 8, 2024 - Highlights a new mobile medical unit expanding mental healthcare access for veterans in Montana and Wyoming. The unit is the first offering transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy, a treatment typically given daily for multiple days. Receiving treatment through the mobile unit reduces transportation barriers for rural and frontier veterans.
Source: VA News
Mar 27, 2024 - Notice from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) making changes to rates contained within the VA fee schedule, which is used as part of the rate structure for certain agreements the VA uses to purchase community care under the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP). This notice also describes the VA's use of non-reimbursable codes and industry-standard business practices to ensure consistent adjudication of claims for services deemed non-billable or non-reimbursable. These changes are effective March 27, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Mar 26, 2024 - Describes virtual occupational therapy services offered by 2 Veterans Affairs facilities to reach rural veterans. Notes that the program is able to address social determinants of health issues such as home safety evaluations and fall risk assessments. Discusses how the program integrates with other virtual VA services.
Source: VA News
Mar 22, 2024 - Notice from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) seeking comments on updates to its policy and directive on VA Tribal Consultation. VA has gathered and reviewed tribal input and recommendations from previous requests for comments, tribal consultation meetings, and the VA's Advisory Committee on Tribal and Indian Affairs and proposes several edits to the Tribal Consultation Policy in response to the tribal recommendations. Comments are due by April 22, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Mar 21, 2024 - Executive Order from the Office of the President to advance and integrate women's health across the Federal research portfolio. Directs agency members of the White House Initiative on Women's Health Research – Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Director of the National Science Foundation – to develop or strengthen research and data standards that enhance the study of women's health across all relevant, federally funded research and other federal funding opportunities and prioritize grantmaking and other awards to advance women's health research. Among other things, this order directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to address research gaps in understanding women's health, diseases, conditions associated with women's midlife and later years and directs the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs to evaluate the needs and develop recommendations related to the midlife health women service members and veterans.
Source: Federal Register
Mar 21, 2024 - Summarizes recent research investigating a lung screening program for rural veterans that found higher prevalence of lung cancer in veterans when compared to the prevalence found in the National Lung Screening Trial. Researchers found that the screening method used was successful for high-risk populations.
Source: DocWire News
Mar 13, 2024 - Highlights the history of telehealth use by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Describes how access to specialists, behavioral healthcare, and prescription medication in particular has been improved by telehealth. Discusses how rural healthcare access is managed for veterans without reliable internet access.
Source: Cronkite News
Mar 12, 2024 - The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is requesting information to assist in the development of a national standard of practice for VA peer specialists. Outlines the proposed national standard of practice for VA peer specialists, who are Veterans who self-identify with a lived experience of recovery from a mental health condition and have been professionally trained to help other Veterans with similar experiences. Comments are due by May 13, 2024.
Source: Federal Register