Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs).
Medicare's New Rural Emergency Hospital Designation — Considerations for States
Blog post providing an overview of the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) program. Discusses the REH designation as an alternative to rural hospital closure and REH payment policy. Highlights opportunities for states to develop REH licensure requirements.
Author(s): Rebekah Falkner, Sam Mermin
Date: 09/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Blog post providing an overview of the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) program. Discusses the REH designation as an alternative to rural hospital closure and REH payment policy. Highlights opportunities for states to develop REH licensure requirements.
Author(s): Rebekah Falkner, Sam Mermin
Date: 09/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Rural Emergency Hospital Conversion: Critical Factors for EMS Support
Policy position paper focused on emergency medical services (EMS) in communities with hospitals converting to Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) status. Outlines barriers to EMS delivery in rural areas including funding, workforce, and community engagement and support. Includes policy recommendations.
Author(s): Julie Bosak, Jed Hansen
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Policy position paper focused on emergency medical services (EMS) in communities with hospitals converting to Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) status. Outlines barriers to EMS delivery in rural areas including funding, workforce, and community engagement and support. Includes policy recommendations.
Author(s): Julie Bosak, Jed Hansen
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Rural Emergency Hospital: Policy Brief and Recommendations to the Secretary
Describes the development of the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation in response to rural hospital closures and issues accessing emergency care. Lists statutory requirements for hospitals wishing to become an REH, and offers policy recommendations related to participation conditions, quality reporting, reimbursement, and emergency medical transfer agreement.
Date: 10/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Describes the development of the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation in response to rural hospital closures and issues accessing emergency care. Lists statutory requirements for hospitals wishing to become an REH, and offers policy recommendations related to participation conditions, quality reporting, reimbursement, and emergency medical transfer agreement.
Date: 10/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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How Many Hospitals Might Convert to a Rural Emergency Hospital (REH)?
Results of a study to predict the number of rural hospitals with 50 beds or fewer that are likely to consider conversion to Rural Emergency Hospital designation under the Medicare program. Features statistics on number and percent of complete closures and converted closures between 2011-2020 among hospitals with 50 beds or fewer, and open hospitals as of 2019-2020, with breakdowns by financial measures, operational measures, Medicare payment type, and census division.
Author(s): George H. Pink, Kristie W. Thompson, H. Ann Howard, G. Mark Holmes
Date: 07/2021
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Results of a study to predict the number of rural hospitals with 50 beds or fewer that are likely to consider conversion to Rural Emergency Hospital designation under the Medicare program. Features statistics on number and percent of complete closures and converted closures between 2011-2020 among hospitals with 50 beds or fewer, and open hospitals as of 2019-2020, with breakdowns by financial measures, operational measures, Medicare payment type, and census division.
Author(s): George H. Pink, Kristie W. Thompson, H. Ann Howard, G. Mark Holmes
Date: 07/2021
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Program
Offers information and resources related to the Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Program, including specifications manuals and REHQR Program measures.
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Offers information and resources related to the Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Program, including specifications manuals and REHQR Program measures.
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Program
Provides information, tools, and resources related to the Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Program.
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Health Services Advisory Group
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Provides information, tools, and resources related to the Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Program.
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Health Services Advisory Group
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FORHP Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Finder
A tool to help identify free technical assistance services available to rural hospitals and Rural Health Clinics from six Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) supported programs. Find matching TA providers based on facility type, location, and type of assistance.
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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A tool to help identify free technical assistance services available to rural hospitals and Rural Health Clinics from six Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) supported programs. Find matching TA providers based on facility type, location, and type of assistance.
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Hospital Price Transparency
Offers resources for healthcare providers and consumers regarding hospital price transparency regulations and policies. Includes links to a GitHub repository of resources for templates and technical instructions and tools to support hospitals in meeting accessibility and machine-readable file requirements.
Additional links: GitHub Repository
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Offers resources for healthcare providers and consumers regarding hospital price transparency regulations and policies. Includes links to a GitHub repository of resources for templates and technical instructions and tools to support hospitals in meeting accessibility and machine-readable file requirements.
Additional links: GitHub Repository
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Rural Emergency Hospitals
Interactive maps displaying the location of hospitals across the U.S. that have converted to Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) since January 2023. Provides sortable and downloadable lists containing facility information about each hospital, including previous Medicare payment status.
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Interactive maps displaying the location of hospitals across the U.S. that have converted to Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) since January 2023. Provides sortable and downloadable lists containing facility information about each hospital, including previous Medicare payment status.
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Rural Emergency Hospitals
Provides an overview of the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) provider designation. Outlines the services REHs provide and REH Conditions of Participation. Describes the facilities that are eligible to become an REH, the Medicare enrollment process, and technical assistance to REHs.
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) provider designation. Outlines the services REHs provide and REH Conditions of Participation. Describes the facilities that are eligible to become an REH, the Medicare enrollment process, and technical assistance to REHs.
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Last Updated: 12/26/2025