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- December 27, 2011
New interactive portal to help with EHR “meaningful use”
Read moreThe Colorado Medical Society and CO-REC (Colorado Regional Extension Center) have developed a free, self-guided educational tool to help practices with many of the resources needed to achieve “meaningful use” of electronic health records (EHRs). The online portal takes physicians and their staff through step-by-step training and educational modules...
00 - December 23, 2011
Application Template for Advance Payment ACO Model Available
Read moreAn application template is now available for the Advance Payment ACO Model. Through the Advance Payment Model, selected physician-based and rural Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) participating in the Medicare Shared Savings Program will receive advance payments that will be recouped from the shared savings they earn. Applications for an April 1...
- December 23, 2011
Congress Approves Two Month “Doc Fix” for Medicare, Rural Extenders
Read moreCongress passed legislation today that maintains Medicare provider rates and several rural extender provisions for two months beginning in January. The compromise also extends the payroll tax holiday and unemployment benefits. Click here to read more.
- December 22, 2011
ACA Update from NACRHHS: Webinar Available
Read moreThe December 2 webinar by the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services (NACRHHS) on the effects of the Affordable Care Act is now available for download on the Rural Assistance Center’s website. You can watch the presentation and download the slides by clicking here.
- December 20, 2011
House “Disagrees” With Senate’s Two Month Medicare Compromise
Read moreThe U.S. House of Representatives voted to “disagree” with Senate-passed legislation that called for a two month extension of the payroll tax holiday as well as many other provisions including Medicare extenders for several rural programs and delay of the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate that will reduce physician fee...
- December 20, 2011
December Revenue Forecast
Read morePositive state revenue forecasts were presented to the Joint Budget Committee today. Both the Office of State Planning and Budgeting and the Legislative Council announced that the state’s economy grew at a slow but steady pace over 2011 and is showing small signs of a modest recovery. Some factors...
- December 19, 2011
Update on Medicare Provisions
Read moreThis weekend the U.S. Senate passed legislation that, for a two-month period, would extend the payroll tax holiday along with several Medicare provisions, including an update for the sustainable growth rate within the physician fee schedule as well as rural specific provisions such as the outpatient hold harmless provision,...
- December 16, 2011
Policy Brief: Health Care Access and Use Among the Rural Uninsured
Read moreAn article forthcoming in Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved examined access to care and service use among non-elderly uninsured rural and urban residents. Some of the key findings are that both rural and uninsured residents face serious barriers to care compared with those with health...
- December 16, 2011
Congress Completes FY 2012 Appropriations
Read moreCongress has reached a tentative agreement on Fiscal Year 2012 appropriations, with final votes expected in the coming days. The large omnibus package includes funding for rural health programs such as the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program and Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program. Details on the final numbers are...
- December 15, 2011
Tax Credits Available for Rural Facilities for Capital Projects
Read moreby Ronald A. Bell, Partner, Peck, Shaffer & Williams LLP and Mary L. Groves, Partner, Peck, Shaffer & Williams, LLP, CRHC Classic Sponsors The New Markets Tax Credit Program (“NMTCP” or “Program”) and the applicability of new markets tax credits (“NMTCs” or “tax credits”) as a financing tool for...
