Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs).
Small Rural Hospital and Clinic Finance 101
Provides a manual with introductory information on healthcare facility finances and payment for state Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) Program personnel, Critical Access Hospital (CAH) staff and board members, small rural prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals, and provider-based rural health clinics (RHC).
Date: 09/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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Provides a manual with introductory information on healthcare facility finances and payment for state Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) Program personnel, Critical Access Hospital (CAH) staff and board members, small rural prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals, and provider-based rural health clinics (RHC).
Date: 09/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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FY 2025 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) and Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System (LTCH PPS) Final Rule – CMS-1808-F
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) fiscal year 2025 hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) and long-term care hospital prospective payment system (LTCH PPS) final rule. Includes information about the extension of the low-wage index hospital policy, a separate IPPS payment for small and independent hospitals to establish and maintain a buffer stock of essential medicines, the distribution of graduate medical education (GME) residency slots, updates to quality reporting programs, and more.
Date: 08/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) fiscal year 2025 hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) and long-term care hospital prospective payment system (LTCH PPS) final rule. Includes information about the extension of the low-wage index hospital policy, a separate IPPS payment for small and independent hospitals to establish and maintain a buffer stock of essential medicines, the distribution of graduate medical education (GME) residency slots, updates to quality reporting programs, and more.
Date: 08/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Screening for Health-Related Social Needs: A Comparison of CAHs and Non-CAHs
Provides an overview of health-related social needs (HRSN) and social determinants of health (SDOH) and the impacts of screening for and collecting data on HRSN and SDOH. Analyzes 2022 American Hospital Association Annual Survey and Information Technology Supplement data to describe the collection of HRSN data among Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Compares the specific HRSNs assessed and programs to address HRSNs among CAHs and non-CAH hospitals. Presents data on the collection of HRSN data by CAHs by health system membership and electronic health record vendor. Describes the use of HRSN data by CAHs that routinely collect and do not routinely collect this data.
Author(s): Madeleine Pick, Carson Crane, Megan Lahr, Robert Barclay
Date: 07/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Provides an overview of health-related social needs (HRSN) and social determinants of health (SDOH) and the impacts of screening for and collecting data on HRSN and SDOH. Analyzes 2022 American Hospital Association Annual Survey and Information Technology Supplement data to describe the collection of HRSN data among Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Compares the specific HRSNs assessed and programs to address HRSNs among CAHs and non-CAH hospitals. Presents data on the collection of HRSN data by CAHs by health system membership and electronic health record vendor. Describes the use of HRSN data by CAHs that routinely collect and do not routinely collect this data.
Author(s): Madeleine Pick, Carson Crane, Megan Lahr, Robert Barclay
Date: 07/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs)
Printable map that shows the location of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) nationwide by state. Data source: data.HRSA.gov, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Date: 07/2024
Type: Map/Mapping System
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Printable map that shows the location of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) nationwide by state. Data source: data.HRSA.gov, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Date: 07/2024
Type: Map/Mapping System
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Medicare Claims Processing Manual Chapter 4 - Part B Hospital (Including Inpatient Hospital Part B and OPPS)
Outlines rules and regulations for processing Medicare Part B hospital claims. Covers special rules for Critical Access Hospital outpatient billing, hospital-based Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) billing for non-RHC/FQHC services, and payment adjustments for Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs).
Date: 06/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Outlines rules and regulations for processing Medicare Part B hospital claims. Covers special rules for Critical Access Hospital outpatient billing, hospital-based Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) billing for non-RHC/FQHC services, and payment adjustments for Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs).
Date: 06/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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State Requirements for Demographic Data Reporting upon Hospital Discharge: An Overview for State Flex Programs
Summarizes results of an environmental scan of state-level policies regarding current state requirements regarding hospitals' collection and reporting of demographic data among 37 of the 45 states participating in the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) Program. Describes requirements for sex, gender, and sexual orientation data; race, ethnicity, and language data; and other data and reporting, as well as variations in how categories are defined across states. Discusses challenges Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) may face in meeting state requirements.
Author(s): Madeleine Pick, Carson Crane, Megan Lahr
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Summarizes results of an environmental scan of state-level policies regarding current state requirements regarding hospitals' collection and reporting of demographic data among 37 of the 45 states participating in the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) Program. Describes requirements for sex, gender, and sexual orientation data; race, ethnicity, and language data; and other data and reporting, as well as variations in how categories are defined across states. Discusses challenges Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) may face in meeting state requirements.
Author(s): Madeleine Pick, Carson Crane, Megan Lahr
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Rural Health Care: Supporting Lives and Improving Communities
Presents the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance May 16, 2024, hearing on rural healthcare. Discusses the financial vulnerability of rural hospitals, the rural healthcare workforce and graduate medical education (GME), access to maternal healthcare, health information technology and telehealth, and more. Features testimony from the Chartis Center for Rural Health; Grande Ronde Hospital, a Critical Access Hospital in Oregon; the Wisconsin Collaborative for Rural Graduate Medical Education; and the Rural Policy Research Institute.
Additional links: Jeremy P. Davis, Grande Ronde Hospital - Testimony, Keith J. Mueller, Rural Policy Research Institute - Testimony, Lori Rodefeld, Wisconsin Collaborative for Rural Graduate Medical Education - Testimony, Michael Topchik, Chartis Center for Rural Health - Testimony
Date: 05/2024
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Finance
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Presents the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance May 16, 2024, hearing on rural healthcare. Discusses the financial vulnerability of rural hospitals, the rural healthcare workforce and graduate medical education (GME), access to maternal healthcare, health information technology and telehealth, and more. Features testimony from the Chartis Center for Rural Health; Grande Ronde Hospital, a Critical Access Hospital in Oregon; the Wisconsin Collaborative for Rural Graduate Medical Education; and the Rural Policy Research Institute.
Additional links: Jeremy P. Davis, Grande Ronde Hospital - Testimony, Keith J. Mueller, Rural Policy Research Institute - Testimony, Lori Rodefeld, Wisconsin Collaborative for Rural Graduate Medical Education - Testimony, Michael Topchik, Chartis Center for Rural Health - Testimony
Date: 05/2024
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Finance
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Differences in Measurement of Operating Margin: An Update
Describes how differences in measurement of operating margin for hospitals can affect the reported values. Compares the operating margins of urban and rural prospective payment system hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) across three definitions of operating margin using Medicare Cost Report data from April 2021 through March 2022. Describes situations in which each operating margin would be the most appropriate to calculate. Updates a 2008 study from the Flex Monitoring Team.
Author(s): Jessie Ma, Susie Gurzenda, Kristin Reiter, George Pink
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Describes how differences in measurement of operating margin for hospitals can affect the reported values. Compares the operating margins of urban and rural prospective payment system hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) across three definitions of operating margin using Medicare Cost Report data from April 2021 through March 2022. Describes situations in which each operating margin would be the most appropriate to calculate. Updates a 2008 study from the Flex Monitoring Team.
Author(s): Jessie Ma, Susie Gurzenda, Kristin Reiter, George Pink
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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National Health Service Corps Site Reference Guide
Provides clarification for National Health Service Corps (NHSC) sites regarding eligibility requirements, qualification factors, compliance, roles and responsibilities, and other factors for becoming an NHSC approved site. Acts as a supplemental resource to the information provided in the online NHSC Site Application.
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
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Provides clarification for National Health Service Corps (NHSC) sites regarding eligibility requirements, qualification factors, compliance, roles and responsibilities, and other factors for becoming an NHSC approved site. Acts as a supplemental resource to the information provided in the online NHSC Site Application.
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
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Quality Improvement Workbook
Outlines seven steps of the quality improvement process. Offers interactive worksheets to help Critical Access Hospitals develop and support quality improvement goals and projects.
Date: 04/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Quality Improvement Technical Assistance (RQITA) Resource Center
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Outlines seven steps of the quality improvement process. Offers interactive worksheets to help Critical Access Hospitals develop and support quality improvement goals and projects.
Date: 04/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Quality Improvement Technical Assistance (RQITA) Resource Center
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Last Updated: 10/17/2024