Author: Ederaldine Simon Mark Bordeau, the Executive Director of the Rural Health Network, stated that School meals are one of the government’s most powerful tools for delivering good nutrition to children. However, in June 2022, federal waivers that ensured free school meals for all students expired. More than 726,000 students in New York lost access to free meals. In other words, many students in rural communities will not have access to the most important meal of the day, breakfast. We all know how important it is to learn on a full stomach. Many studies show that food-insecure students are more likely to have lower grade-point averages, graduate late, and/or drop out of school when compared to their food-secure peers. It is unfair for students in rural communities in New York. Mark B...
As AmeriCorps Week is celebrated across the United States, the Rural Health Network of South Central New York is proud to recognize two of its outstanding volunteers, Mitchell Brooks and Kevin Davidson. Mitchell Brooks serves as the AmeriCorps Program Coordinator for the Rural Health Service Corps. In this role, he has been instrumental in ensuring that the program runs smoothly and that volunteers have the support they need to make a positive impact in their communities. Mitchell has a passion for service and is always looking for ways to engage with volunteers and help them succeed in their roles. Kevin Davidson is a Farm to School Public Health AmeriCorps Member, and his work is focused on improving the health and well-being of children in rural communities. He has been working with loc...
Trust for America’s Health’s (TFAH) 19th annual report on the nation’s obesity crisis found that 19 states have obesity rates over 35 percent, up from 16 states in 2021, and that social and economic factors are key drivers of increasing obesity rates. The report includes data by race, age, and state of residence and recommendations for policy action. Addressing obesity is critical because it is associated with a range of diseases including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, sleep apnea, and some cancers. Obesity is estimated to increase U.S. healthcare spending by $170 billion annually (including billions by Medicare and Medicaid) See more here: https://www.tfah.org/report-details/state-of-obesity-2022/
As your Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC), National Government Services is dedicated to working with providers in the rural areas we serve. Our goal is to keep you informed about changes to Medicare and the training opportunities available to you. National Government Services Part A & B News 2021 Medicare Participating Physicians Directory Appropriate Usage of Modifier 99 Article Updates for February and March 2021 COVID-19 Vaccine and/or Monoclonal Antibodies in Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers Medicare Advantage Plan Beneficiaries Receiving the COVID-19 Vaccine and Monoclonal Antibody National Government Services Part B Medical Review Newsletter – March 2021 Practitioners: Are You Ordering Lower Limb Orthoses for Your Patients? Real Time Claim ...
New York State Medicaid Redesign Team 1115 Research & Demonstration Waiver Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) Amendment Request Public Comment The NYS Association for Rural Health (NYSARH) appreciates the opportunity to comment on the proposed Waiver Amendment. Introduction The New York State Association for Rural Health suggests that the 1115 Research & Demonstration Waiver include a ‘Rural Lens’. Promising Practices that work well in an urban environment may not translate to the 45 of 62 Counties (73%) that are rural. New York State defines a county as being rural if it has a population of less than 200,000. The scope of NYSARH includes the all rural counties in New York State. Fewer than 50,000 residents: Allegany, Cortland, Delaware, Essex, Greene, Hamilton, Lewis...
RURAL BROADBAND INTERNET The NYS Association for Rural Health (NYSARH) appreciates the opportunity to comment on the issue of Rural Broadband. “Broadband is today what electricity was nearly a century ago – essential to creating economic opportunity, driving innovation, and an absolute necessity for our way of life.” Governor Andrew Cuomo New York has made some important policy changes and financial investments to improve internet coverage in rural areas: https://nysbroadband.ny.gov/new-ny-broadband-program/phase-3awards. However, broadband service remains inconsistent in many areas and is still unavailable to some. Moreover, the cost of broadband is prohibitive for many families, businesses and healthcare providers of limited financial means. In August 2019 the Federal Communication Commi...
Emma Nalin, MPH, MS Project Coordinator, Social Determinants of Health, Rural Health Network of South Central New York With funding from the NYS Health Foundation and Care Compass Network (CCN), Rural Health Network of SCNY is conducting a two-year project (2019-2020) to improve measurement of Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) among rural community-based organizations (CBOs). As one of multiple activities in the project, consulting firm Germane Solutions evaluated SDOH measurement design for nine pilot projects. The resulting recommendations and return-on-investment tools will directly benefit pilot organizations in communicating the value of their SDOH interventions. The pilots target an array of health conditions with specific SDOH interventions, from addressing trauma in womenwith s...