Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs).
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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Health Panel Comment Letter – Rural Emergency Hospitals (REH)
Offers comments in response to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Request for Information on Rural Emergency Hospitals (REH). Addresses the type and scope of services REHs could offer, conditions of participation, health equity, collaboration and care coordination, quality measurement, payment, and enrollment.
Date: 09/2021
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Offers comments in response to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Request for Information on Rural Emergency Hospitals (REH). Addresses the type and scope of services REHs could offer, conditions of participation, health equity, collaboration and care coordination, quality measurement, payment, and enrollment.
Date: 09/2021
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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The Rural Emergency Hospital and Value-Based Care
Summarizes the new Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) legislation, outlines local considerations before REH conversion, and prepares stakeholders to comment when the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services releases REH proposed rules for public input. Addresses questions regarding anticipated proposed rules and describes opportunities to inform REH rulemaking.
Date: 08/2021
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Summarizes the new Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) legislation, outlines local considerations before REH conversion, and prepares stakeholders to comment when the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services releases REH proposed rules for public input. Addresses questions regarding anticipated proposed rules and describes opportunities to inform REH rulemaking.
Date: 08/2021
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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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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Public Law 116–260: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021
Text of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Public Law 116-260 (December 27, 2020). Section 125 establishes the Rural Emergency Hospital designation. Section 127 makes changes to direct graduate medical education (GME) and indirect GME payments to teaching hospitals that train residents in Rural Training Programs.
Date: 12/2020
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Congress
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Text of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Public Law 116-260 (December 27, 2020). Section 125 establishes the Rural Emergency Hospital designation. Section 127 makes changes to direct graduate medical education (GME) and indirect GME payments to teaching hospitals that train residents in Rural Training Programs.
Date: 12/2020
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Congress
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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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Rural Emergency Hospital Technical Assistance Center
Provides technical assistance to rural hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals interested in examining the feasibility of converting to a Rural Emergency Hospital (REH). Also offers support throughout the application process, planning for REH conversion, and implementing service changes.
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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Provides technical assistance to rural hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals interested in examining the feasibility of converting to a Rural Emergency Hospital (REH). Also offers support throughout the application process, planning for REH conversion, and implementing service changes.
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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Last Updated: 3/31/2025