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Resources by Topic: Rural Emergency Hospitals

Georgia Counties with Rural, Critical Access, and Rural Emergency Hospitals
Map showing Georgia counties containing rural hospitals, Critical Access Hospitals, and Rural Emergency Hospitals.
Date: 11/2023
Type: Map/Mapping System
Sponsoring organization: Georgia State Office of Rural Health
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November 2023 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) November 2023 meeting. Covers the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation, dual-eligible special needs plans (D-SNPs), MedPAC's proposed work plan on hospice and end-of-life care, Medicare coverage and payment for software as a medical service, and access and favorable selection in Medicare Advantage. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Date: 11/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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The Evolution of Rural Emergency Hospitals as a New Model of Care
Podcast episode with Laura Appel, executive vice president of the Michigan Health and Hospital Association, and Christina Campos, CEO at Guadalupe County Hospital. Discusses the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation, the conversion process, meeting eligibility requirements, and the benefit of REHs to rural patients and communities.
Date: 11/2023
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Rural Emergency Hospital Conversion and Technical Assistance Webinar
Recording of a November 2, 2023, webinar discussing the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) program. Provides an overview of the REH designation, policy and regulatory requirements, and REH Technical Assistance Center (TAC) services. Presentation slides include links to resources and templates. Transcript available in the video description.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 11/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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CY 2024 Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment System Final Rule (CMS 1786-FC)
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare payments for hospital outpatient and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) services for calendar year 2024. Summarizes provisions regarding changes to the community mental health centers (CMHC) Conditions of Participation (CoPs); payment for intensive outpatient program (IOP) services; payment methodology for Indian Health Service (IHS) and tribal facilities that convert to Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) status; the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR), Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR), and Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Programs; and more.
Date: 11/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Medicare Learning Network: Rural Emergency Hospitals
Details the regulatory requirements for providers to become a Rural Emergency Hospital (REH). Provides information on REH billing for Medicare services, Medicare payments for REH services, and the additional monthly facility payment.
Date: 11/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Early Learnings From the Rural Health Redesign Center and its Rural Emergency Hospital Technical Assistance Center
Provides a brief overview of the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation and the Rural Health Redesign Center's Rural Emergency Hospital Technical Assistance Center (REH-TAC). Describes the characteristics of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and rural prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals that have explored REH conversion and have sought technical assistance from REH-TAC. Includes data on net patient revenue, operating income, margins, annualized 340B revenue, and more, by hospital type. Highlights common concerns raised by hospitals exploring REH conversion.
Date: 10/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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MedPAC Response to a Congressional Request for Information on Improving Access to Health Care in Rural and Underserved Areas
Letter to the House Committee on Ways and Means request for information on improving access to healthcare in rural and underserved areas. Covers MedPAC recommendations for policies to target payments to better support rural and vulnerable beneficiaries' access to care, including the Rural Emergency Hospital program and a proposed Medicare Safety-Net Index; changes to the hospital wage index to address geographic inequities; and the alignment of payment rates across ambulatory settings for certain services.
Date: 09/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on the Outpatient Prospective Payment System for FY 2024
Comment on the July 31, 2023, Federal Register proposed rule revising the physician fee schedule to improve Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Medicare Ambulatory Surgical Center (ACS) payments for calendar year 2024. Includes discussions on extending the use of the hospital market basket to update ASC payment rates, a proposed quality measure for emergency department visits in Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs), and more.
Date: 09/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Rural Emergency Hospitals: Legislative and Regulatory Considerations for States
Provides an overview of the Rural Emergency Hospital designation, including licensure and federal requirements for the designation that states must consider before pursuing legislation for REH licensure. Presents a table comparing how 14 states addressed these considerations. Offers legislation to assist states that want to pursue the model.
Additional links: Guide to Legislative and Regulatory Considerations for States
Author(s): Vicki Veltri, Rebekah Falkner
Date: 08/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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