In November, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published “Advancing Health Equity in Rural, Tribal, and Geographically Isolated Communities: FY 2023 Year in Review”. The report’s executive summary states, “These communities, which represent approximately 67 million Americans, contribute to the cultural diversity of our entire nation and play a vital role in the health and wellbeing of all Americans … Despite this, many communities continue to face structural barriers to achieving equitable health outcomes, such as recruitment and retention of health workforces, access to specialty care or home and community-based services, and long distances to travel for care.” The report states that “telehealth is an essential tool for expanding access to care in rural, tribal, and geographically isolated areas,” ...
