Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs).
Characterizing Early Adopters of the Rural Emergency Hospital Designation
Compares 42 hospitals that have received Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designations to the 447 REH-eligible hospitals that have not converted to identify characteristics of early converters. Characteristics evaluated include Critical Access Hospital status, ownership and affiliations, healthcare utilization, staffing, available services, and finances.
Author(s): Jonah M. Graves, R.J. Waken, Fengxian Wang, Paula Chatterjee, Karen E. Joynt Maddox
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(3)
Date: 03/2026
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Compares 42 hospitals that have received Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designations to the 447 REH-eligible hospitals that have not converted to identify characteristics of early converters. Characteristics evaluated include Critical Access Hospital status, ownership and affiliations, healthcare utilization, staffing, available services, and finances.
Author(s): Jonah M. Graves, R.J. Waken, Fengxian Wang, Paula Chatterjee, Karen E. Joynt Maddox
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(3)
Date: 03/2026
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An Early Look at Profitability Before and After Conversion to Rural Emergency Hospital
Examines the impact of the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation on profitability of hospitals. Analyzes Medicare Cost Reports (MCRs) from 32 REHs before and after conversion and provides information on REH total and operating margins.
Author(s): Aditya Pillutla, George Pink, Kristie Thompson, Mark Holmes
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Examines the impact of the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation on profitability of hospitals. Analyzes Medicare Cost Reports (MCRs) from 32 REHs before and after conversion and provides information on REH total and operating margins.
Author(s): Aditya Pillutla, George Pink, Kristie Thompson, Mark Holmes
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Medicare Learning Network: Hospital Price Transparency
Contains information on federal hospital price transparency regulations and compliance, what patients need to know, and a list of helpful websites.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Contains information on federal hospital price transparency regulations and compliance, what patients need to know, and a list of helpful websites.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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REH Learning Brief: Obstetric Care in Rural Emergency Hospitals
Describes how three Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) approach delivering obstetric-related care. Discusses challenges to providing obstetric services each facility faced prior to their conversion to REH status, and strategies implemented under the REH designation. Identifies common strategies these facilities take to support obstetric care without traditional labor and delivery services.
Author(s): Hope Burch, Candice Talkington, Annette Schnabel, et al.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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Describes how three Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) approach delivering obstetric-related care. Discusses challenges to providing obstetric services each facility faced prior to their conversion to REH status, and strategies implemented under the REH designation. Identifies common strategies these facilities take to support obstetric care without traditional labor and delivery services.
Author(s): Hope Burch, Candice Talkington, Annette Schnabel, et al.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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Rural Emergency Hospital Educational Webinar and Fireside Chat
Recording of a January 8, 2026, webinar for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and other small rural hospitals exploring the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation. Describes the REH designation, policy and regulatory requirements, and REH Technical Assistance Center (TAC) services and resources. Features a discussion with two hospital executives that led their facilities through the conversion to REH status. Transcript available in the video description.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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Recording of a January 8, 2026, webinar for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and other small rural hospitals exploring the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation. Describes the REH designation, policy and regulatory requirements, and REH Technical Assistance Center (TAC) services and resources. Features a discussion with two hospital executives that led their facilities through the conversion to REH status. Transcript available in the video description.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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Rural Emergency Hospitals: Emerging Patterns of Adaptation and Community Perception
Examines characteristics of Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) and their impact on the community. Utilizes Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services cost report data to compare hospitals that converted to REHs to hospitals that did not convert. Analyzes issues such as hospital finances, local healthcare access, economic stabilization, REH reputation and use, community perceptions of quality, and more.
Author(s): Anders Van Sandt, Kaitlyn Line, Anja Gruber, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(1), e70112
Date: 01/2026
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Examines characteristics of Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) and their impact on the community. Utilizes Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services cost report data to compare hospitals that converted to REHs to hospitals that did not convert. Analyzes issues such as hospital finances, local healthcare access, economic stabilization, REH reputation and use, community perceptions of quality, and more.
Author(s): Anders Van Sandt, Kaitlyn Line, Anja Gruber, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(1), e70112
Date: 01/2026
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Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) Model Frequently Asked Questions
Provides answers to frequently asked questions regarding the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation. Covers general information, Conditions of Participation, and REH payment policies.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Mathematica, Rural Health Redesign Center
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Provides answers to frequently asked questions regarding the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation. Covers general information, Conditions of Participation, and REH payment policies.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Mathematica, Rural Health Redesign Center
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January 2026 Annual Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) Monthly Facility Payment Amount
Presents the monthly Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) monthly facility payment amount for Calendar Year 2026.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Presents the monthly Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) monthly facility payment amount for Calendar Year 2026.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs)
Printable map that shows the location of Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) nationwide by state. Data source: data.HRSA.gov, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Printable map that shows the location of Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) nationwide by state. Data source: data.HRSA.gov, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Calendar Year 2026 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center Final Rule (CMS-1834-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 2026. Summarizes provisions regarding changes to hospital price transparency; Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) and partial hospital program rate setting; updates to the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR), Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR), and Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Programs; hospital quality start ratings; and more.
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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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 2026. Summarizes provisions regarding changes to hospital price transparency; Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) and partial hospital program rate setting; updates to the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR), Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR), and Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Programs; hospital quality start ratings; and more.
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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