**Updated November 5, 2009- The next Rural Health Open Door Forum is scheduled for Tuesday, December 15, 2009 from 2pm-3pmET. If you wish to participate, dial 1-800-837-1935 Conference ID 40388875. Please see the full participation announcement in the Downloads section below, including how to participate in-person. Thank you for your continued interest in the CMS Open Door Forums.

**Updated November 4, 2009- Information Discussion from The Department of Health & Human Services on H1N1 will be held on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 from 2pm-3pmET. The purpose of this third H1N1 call is to discuss the Secretary of Health and Human Services invoking her waiver authority under Section 1135 of the Social Security Act. Requests by providers to operate under the flexibilities afforded by the waiver should be sent to the CMS regional office. We will be talking live questions during this call. However, if you would like to submit a question prior to the call, please send your question to: Pandemic@cms.hhs.gov. Put "November 10, 2009 Call" in the subject line. We will have subject matter experts on hand to answer questions, and having your questions in advance ensure that we will have the right people available to respond.

Opening Remarks: Co-Chairs – Dr. Sally Phillips, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response and Jean Sheil, CMS Pandemic Coordinator; Moderator – Susie Butler, CMS Office of External Affairs. 

Helpful websites:
• www.flu.gov;
• www.cdc.gov/H1N1flu;
• http://www.cms.hhs.gov/H1N1/Downloads/RequestingAWaiver101.pdf --Information outlining the 1135 Waiver process;
• http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/InformationbyDrugClass/ucm100228.htm -- information on antivirals;
• http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/MM6539.pdf -- CMS billing information;
• http://www.cms.hhs.gov/Emergency/Downloads/Medicare_FFS_Emergency_Qs_As_082609.pdf --Information for Medicare Fee-for-Service Providers.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All callers please dial: 1-800-837-1935 and use Conference ID 3H1N1. Dial in at least 20minutes prior to start of the call. Please see the Downloads section below for the full participation announcement.

******

Rural Health Open Door Forum Overview 

The Rural Health ODF addresses Rural Health Clinic (RHC), Critical Access Hospital (CAH) and Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) issues, as well as some inclusion of other questions and concerns that occur in clinical practice pertaining to other CMS payment systems that also extend into these settings. Topics that frequently arise on this forum often deal with payment & billing for services subject to Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) and/or Physician Shortage Area (PSA) status, cost report clarifications, classifications for & qualifications of rural provider types, and the many special provisions being implemented for improving rural health in the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003. Timely announcements and clarifications regarding important rulemaking, quality program initiatives, and other related areas are also included in the forums.

Downloads
Tuesday, December 15, 2009- Rural Health Open Door Forum Announcement (PDF, 24KB) Tuesday, November 10, 2009- Information Discussion with Department of Health & Human Services on H1N1 (PDF, 24KB) CMS Rural Health Coordinators Updated May 2009 (PDF, 24KB) Medicare Billing Information Chart for Rural Providers, Suppliers & Physicians (PDF, 296KB) Carrier/FI Directory (PDF,338KB)
Related Links Inside CMS
Rural Health Open Door Forum Mailing List Sign-Up CMS Rural Health Center Details for Post Acute Care Payment Reform Demonstration (PAC-PRD) CMS Survey & Certification Policy Memos to States and Regions HPSA/PSA (Physician Bonuses) State MMA Website Swing Bed Information
Related Links Outside CMS
Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series (Sponsored By HRSA) Government Printing Office Federal Register Medicare Learning Network (MLN) Product Ordering Page

Page Last Modified: 11/05/2009 5:48:53 PM
Help with File Formats and Plug-Ins