We at HomeTown want to wish you a happy holiday season as we move from a time of Thanksgiving into the celebration of Christmas time. In this time of frustration, war, and  turmoil, it is critical that we be able to and in fact do take a breather from all of this and give thanks for the blessings that come in our country. Despite the “stuff “ on TV, the sun rose today on our country of freedom, liberty and family values and yes, democracy. While all of this may be under attack we can still be thankful for family gatherings with turkey, Friday night football games with scores of 56-3, the ability to watch 12-14 hours of football knowing that half of the teams  will lose, celebrating strange animals like dawgs, ducks, tigers, ravens, war eagles and turkeys. Then there are thankful community festivals like fire ants, mules, shrimp and peanuts and pecans. However, all that said this is a land where even losers are winners because they leave the stadium freely and go experience the blessings of freedom.

We at HomeTown are thankful for the ability to and honor of serving your hospitals and for the many supporters who in turn support your hospital. It’s not just about your hospital but rather the patients served by you that would not be cared for were it not for you and your staff. The vent patient, the little old lady who has been in the nursing home for thirty years with no other family, the homeless guy who was just delivered a heater, the frequent flyer who needs social contact and a meal on wheels, and the family caregiver with a back ache from helping a loved one turnover in the bed. That said, I for one am proud to be a Thankful American who can worship the God of my choice as I see fit as every other American can, eat as much turkey as I want and drive 1000 miles around rural Georgia using $3.50 a gallon gas and wear a cowboy hat and boots if I want to.

It is our high privilege to be in the midst of planning another great year of working together for the survival, and thriving, of our rural healthcare organizations in this great state, and throughout the nation. We look forward to seeing you online and in person throughout 2026. Be sure to take note of the dates and make plans to be there.

Yes I am a thankful guy for all of these blessings. May God Bless America! May we all be thankful for the legacy that makes this country great!

(This letter was not generated by or assisted by AI, but comes straight from the horses mouth. - Jimmy Lewis)

If you and your organization are ready for an AI-Intensive experience, the 12-week Artificial Intelligence Readiness Cohort is ready for your application! Our next Cohort begins on January 14, 2026. It enables your team and organization to attend weekly coaching meetings, learning about AI, its impacts to rural health and its potential impacts at your organization, now and in the future. Learn best practices, get insights, and gain pertinent education!

Build confident, role-based AI skills.
Demystify AI with practical, role-specific training. Your teams will gain the confidence to make informed decisions and separate hype from real opportunities.

Start in Microsoft AI the right way.
Reduce administrative burden with high-impact, non-clinical automations. Apply for up to $2,000 in Azure AI credits for eligible rural hospitals, and we guide your team to provision a secure Azure AI starter environment in your tenant. (Eligibility is set by Microsoft.)

Leave with a 12-month AI action plan.
Finish with a board-ready one-page roadmap, a prioritized use-case list with simple ROI, a governance starter kit, and one small workflow win live in 60 to 90 days.

Includes 3 AI-PRH Certifications & Weekly Coaching Calls with Dr. Tyler Wallace.

If you have questions about the cohort, please contact Meghan (meghan.williams@hometownhealthonline.com) for more information or to schedule a time for an online meeting. 

Join the Informational Session on December 10th at 12 noon to learn more.

Click here to register for the AI Readiness Cohort launching January 14th. 

HomeTown is now accepting applications for its 2026 Executive Leadership Development Program. Applications must be submitted by December 31, 2025. Space is limited.

The Executive Leadership Development Program is designed to equip candidates with the tools and skillsets necessary to become future Senior Executives, Senior Managers, & Directors. This includes developing personal management skills and a better understanding of the changing healthcare industry to help meet the need for strong leaders in healthcare. The program is recommended for up-and-coming leaders, as well as for existing leaders who are interested in solidifying their healthcare leadership understanding and influence. 

The Class of 2026 will experience: live training sessions on financial, legal and workforce management, personal and professional goal settings and coaching, online education sessions including facilitation and influence as well as the Artificial Intelligence Practitioner for Rural Health (AI-PRH) certification. 

If you have questions or want more information, please contact Amy Bush at amy.bush@hometownhealthonline.com. 

Learn more about the program here: https://hometownhealthonline.com/eldp/

Ready to join the Class of 2026? Apply Now!

The CHNA Workshop will guide participants in prioritizing community health needs, creating a meaningful CHNA, understanding IRS reporting requirements, ensuring robust documentation and interactive discussion and activity with peers including sessions on: 

• Creating a Meaningful CHNA
• IRS Reporting Requirements & Documentation
• Impact for CHNA Implementation
• Best Practices: Identifying Resources & Creating Partnerships

This Program offered in partnership with the Georgia Department of Community Health State Office of Rural Health for the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program - Population Health Grant #25004G 2025-2026. 

Join us January 29, 2026 at the State Office of Rural Health from 8:30am - 2:30pm. 

Learn More & Register Now!

Alternate IRS Form 990

Several hospitals have asked if there is a deadline for having the Alternate IRS Form 990 completed and posted on websites.  Given the recent availability of the alternate form, this aspect has been extended to allow sufficient time for hospitals to comply that would not normally complete a Form 990. DCH has determined that hospitals should have the Alternate IRS Form 990 completed and posted on websites by January 31, 2026.

2026 OPPS Final Rule Updates

CMS released the OPPS final rule on November 21, 2025.

This update includes information associated with payments, policies, quality reporting, and improving transparency.

For more information on the 2026 final rule updates, please visit https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/calendar-year-2026-hospital-outpatient-prospective-payment-system-opps-ambulatory-surgical-center .

Hospital Price Transparency Policy Changes

The below changes and more are effective January 1, 2026 but are not enforceable until April 1, 2026.

• Requires reporting of actual payment amounts when standard ”charges” are based on percentages or algorithms
• Disclosure of 10th, median, and 90th percentile allowed amounts in MRF
• EDI 835 ERA or equivalent alternative source remittance data
• Defines look back period
• Requires encoding of name of hospital official designated to oversee reporting of true, accurate, and complete data
• Requires encoding of active organizational (Type 2) NPI’s associated with primary taxonomy code
• Additional changes as noted in the final rule.

For more information about the new requirements under Price Transparency, please see https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/cy-2026-opps-ambulatory-surgical-center-final-rule-hospital-price-transparency-policy-changes.

Rural Health Transformation Program and Georgia’s GREAT Health program

As part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) was created to support and transform rural health care delivery in the United States. This program will provide $50 billion over five years (FFY 2026-2030) in federal funding. $10 billion of funding will be available each year to States with approved applications. All 50 states have applied for funding under the RHTP.

Funding Distribution:

Baseline Funding: 50% divided equally among approved states.

Workload Funding: 50% allocated based on factors such as rural population, number of rural health facilities, hospital conditions, and strength of proposed initiatives.

Timeline:

CMS will announce awards by Dec. 31, 2025.

Project implementation begins early 2026.

To learn more about the Rural Health Transformation Program, please visit https://www.cms.gov/priorities/rural-health-transformation-rht-program/overview .

Georgia’s proposal, named GREAT Health (Georgia Rural Enhancement and Transformation of Health), was submitted by the Department of Community Health on November 4th, 2025. The proposal is Georgia’s comprehensive strategy to transform rural health services, infrastructure, and outcomes across 126 rural counties designated by HRSA that includes funding requests for 29 projects across five major initiatives. To review Georgia’s GREAT Health application, please visit https://dch.georgia.gov/georgias-application-rht-program .

HomeTown Health is committed to keeping you informed and empowered as Georgia embarks on the most significant rural health transformation in decades. We  will continue to monitor developments and provide updates, resources and support to help your hospital maximize the benefits of these programs, as we also continue to partner with the Department of Community Health and others for guidance on next steps for participation in this program.  

HomeTown has been conducting its annual CEO & Leadership Day at the Capitol for many years, and it has become extremely effective.  Make plans to join now, as it allows you to:

• Come to the Capitol for the “Capitol” experience!
• Meet fellow hospital CEOs with very common legislative interests and network in sharing ideas and political sameness.  It will be a healthcare filled legislative session with subjects like: Provider fee, CON, Medicaid expansion and more.
• Meet with your legislative Representatives and Senators to share your message with them of the need for budgetary and legislative support for the Provider Fee as opposed to Medicaid rate cuts, Tax Credit Bill, and Private DSH. (see links for contact info)
• Hear the senior leadership of the House, Senate, and the Executive Branch share with you their understanding of the state’s budget status and to hear your hospital needs.

We have a block of rooms reserved at the Embassy Suites, 3285 Peachtree Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30305.  Please go to this link to make your reservation.  Or you may call the hotel at 404.261.7733.  The block expires on January 15, 2026.

Learn more & Register Now!

Upcoming Webinars & Events

Monthly GA Provider Reimbursement Webinar
December 3 | 10 AM EST

Monthly Medicare Update

December 10 | 10 AM EST

AI Readiness Cohort Informational Session

December 10 | 12 PM EST

Login at https://lms.hthu.net to register, enroll, attend live webinar sessions or view recordings of all webinar events!

You know how important it is for people to easily search online for your facility’s key service lines and providers  - and have your hospital show up with good information.  In this webinar, learn how AI search is rapidly taking over traditional search engine optimization and how it impacts your hospital. From simply showing up when people search to comparing your services to nearby facilities, AI is a real game-changer; you don’t want to be left behind on this one. Understanding how to embrace it, how to implement it, and importantly, how to still connect with the real people in your service area is critical. We will walk through what AI search is, how it compares to traditional Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and how content marketing affects both types of search...all while still being authentic when communicating to the people you serve.

View the training here.

• Engaging the Board in Quality & Value Based Care
• Good Faith Estimates
• The Art of the Appeal
• Refund Processing
• Medicare Bad Debt
• New Series: Clinical Validation
• RHCs & CAHs : The Nuances of Cost-Based Reimbursement
• Lean 101: Part 1 & Part 2
• Leading Quality Series: Improving Patient Experience
• Navigating Complex Cases Across Care Settings
• Chargemaster & Charge Capture
• DDE Basics
• Denials & Appeals
• Scheduling: Optimizing Upfront Staff

Read more about these new titles at: https://hthu.net/news-and-updates/ 

Questions? Need Assistance? 

Contact us at hthtech@hometownhealthonline.com

Reach us by phone at 470.655.6950

Learn more at hometownhealthonline.com

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