The CMS has opened the application window for the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program, aimed at improving rural health care infrastructure and access. States have until Nov. 5 to apply for the funding, which will be distributed over five years beginning in fiscal 2026. The CMS will prioritize projects featuring new technologies, strategic partnerships and financial stability, with a focus on improving access, outcomes and workforce recruitment.

Oracle has introduced artificial intelligence tools to make patient portals more user-friendly and interactive as part of a broader effort to transform clunky, underused platforms into effective tools for patient engagement. AI tools may also transform EHR systems into more than billing platforms and make portals more responsive to patient and clinician needs. On the payer side, Optum CEO Patrick Conway says AI agents will be able to handle calls and provide benefit reviews immediately.

Registered health information administrator Rose Dunn had a macular hole, then a cataract, and then an "after-cataract," or posterior capsule opacity, five years later. Dunn explains the treatments and how to code them.

Medicare covers inpatient stays for patients waiting until a bed in a skilled nursing facility is available, according to the Quality Improvement Organization Manual. ICD-10-CM Code Z75.1 can be used to document why the patient remains in the hospital, and team-based discharge planning can help ensure a smooth transition, writes registered health information administrator Christine Geiger.

Your introverted team members have some great ideas, but their reflective nature means they stay silent during rapid-fire meetings, says executive coach Joel Garfinkle in this video. Garfinkle recommends coaching these workers on the importance of speaking up, not just for the company, but for their own career growth. "The message to introverted employees must be clear and direct: 'When you have a seat at the table, use it,'" Garfinkle writes.

Inbox Health has raised $20 million in a growth equity round, bringing the startup's total funding to $55 million. The company has developed an AI-based platform that automates billing and payments, provides patients with detailed explanations of charges and offers multiple payment options.

The Department of Justice and the HHS Office of Inspector General have formed a False Claims Act Working Group to prosecute civil health care fraud, and one priority is manipulation of EHRs for inappropriate use of Medicare-covered services. Recent legal cases highlight the risks associated with EHR systems that lack proper oversight and compliance functions, particularly for features like automated diagnosis coding tools. Health care organizations should monitor their own claims for outliers and investigate concerns raised by clinicians and administrative staff, write attorneys with Holland & Knight.