The Technical Assistance and Services Center (TASC) provides technical assistance for the Rural Hospital Medicare Flexibility (Flex) Program in the form of information, tools and resources. This website contains multiple resources regarding the topic areas listed below as well as many others.

The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 created the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program, a nationwide initiative that established the Critical Access Hospital (CAH) as a new category of hospital eligible for cost based Medicare reimbursement.

TASC is funded by the Health Resources and Service Administration's Office of Rural Health Policy and administered by the Rural Health Resource Center, a private, non-profit organization.

What's New

Conference Call: Special Project under Core Area 1 of the 2010 Flex Grant Guidance (Support for Quality Improvement)
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 3:00 PM (CDT)
For more information about the call please contact:
Nicole Clement
Phone: 218-727-9390 ext 228
E-mail: nclement@ruralcenter.org

Grant Guidance Conference Call Playback Available
For more information please contact:
Nicole Clement
Phone: 218-727-9390 ext 228
E-mail: nclement@ruralcenter.org

Grant Guidance Available
Information related to the overall program issues and technical assistance regarding this funding announcement may be obtained by contacting:

Steven Hirsch, MSLS
HRSA, Office of Rural Health Policy
Phone: 301-443-7322
Fax: 301-443-2803
E-mail: shirsch@hrsa.gov

State Flex Programs: Most Significant Achievements and Success Stories, 2009
A compilation of the most significant achievements from the Flex State Program Profiles available on the TASC web site at: http://www.ruralcenter.org/tasc/profiles.php. In order for the State Flex programs to network together, TASC contacted the Flex programs and the State Offices of Rural Health to collect information on their staff members, major program areas, and successful activities. The information can be used to facilitate communication among other State Flex programs with similar interests.

HIT 101: An Introduction to Health Information Technology (Requires Flash Player)
Technical Assistance and Services Center
The purpose of this webinar is to provide a basic overview of HIT for Flex Coordinators, State Office Directors, or anyone that is maybe not new to rural health, but new to HIT. Information included in the webinar includes the definition of HIT terms, benefits and challenges of implementing an electronic health record, legislation that affects HIT – with specific attention on new programs that have been funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act – including ‘meaningful use’, the HIT regional extension centers, broadband, and the state health information exchange cooperative agreement program, how to use your Flex funds for HIT support, as well as resources and tools.

Raising Funds in Rural Health Care: An Introductory Manual
Technical Assistance and Services Center (TASC)
This manual lays out the basics for establishing a structured process of ongoing philanthropic resource development. It is prudent for health care providers, like critical access hospitals, to find avenues to raise the money needed to operate and to be able to serve their constituency over the long term. Through tips, examples, and explanations, the goal of the manual is for the reader to develop a better understanding of the core areas of resource development: Annual Fund, Capital Campaigns, and Endowment.

For additional information, contact us at tasc@ruralcenter.org or call 218-727-9390.