Rural Health
News by Topic: Critical Access Hospitals
New CMS Rule Increases Payments for Acute Care Hospitals and Advances Health Equity, Maternal Health
Aug 1, 2022 - Describes updates to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) rules for Medicare payments for acute care hospitals and efforts to support health equity and improve maternal health outcomes. Notes the development of quality measures for the new "Birthing-Friendly" hospital designation and proposed changes to COVID-19 reporting requirements for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and other hospitals.
Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Aug 1, 2022 - Pre-publication notice of final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding changes to the hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) for operating and capital-related costs of acute care hospitals for fiscal year 2023. Among other things, this rule establishes new requirements and revises existing requirements for eligible hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) participating in the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program, updates policies for quality reporting programs, and revises the hospital and CAH conditions of participation (CoPs) for infection prevention and control and antibiotic stewardship programs. This rule also provides updates on the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program and the Frontier Community Health Integration Project (FCHIP). This rule is effective October 1, 2022.
Source: Federal Register
Jul 22, 2022 - Reports on a request by a bipartisan group of House of Representatives members for Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra to clarify by Sept. 9 whether and how the Administration plans to enforce the Medicare 96-hour payment rule and condition of participation for Critical Access Hospitals when the COVID-19 public health emergency ends.
Source: American Hospital Association
CMS: Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Conditions of Participation (CoPs) for Rural Emergency Hospitals (REH) and Critical Access Hospital CoP Updates
Federal Register
Jul 6, 2022 - Notice of proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) establishing Conditions of Participation that Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) must meet to participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Summarizes and responds to comments made in response to the August 4, 2021, request for information on REHs. Includes proposed changes to the Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) Conditions of Participation for the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Comments are due by August 29, 2022.
Source: Federal Register