CMS Makes Significant Strides in Improving Health of RTGI Communities

Nearly two years since releasing its Framework for Advancing Health Care in Rural, Tribal, and Geographically Isolated (RTGI) Communities, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued its FY2024 Year in Review, which describes progress made to address the unique needs of RTGI Communities, including increased investments for organizations critical to helping RTGI community members find and enroll in affordable health coverage through the Marketplace. In addition, CMS has streamlined the prior authorization process for Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and CHIP, which are all vital to meeting these RTGI community needs. CMS also began implementing a policy that enables certain Indian Health Service (IHS) and Tribal facilities to convert to Rural Emergency Hospitals, as well as released tailored resources for American Indians and Alaska Natives to help make health care coverage more accessible.