Wed., Jan. 19 webinar to discuss new Rural Emergency Hospital model

The Rural Health Information Hub will host a free webinar at 2 p.m. ET on Wed., Jan. 19 to discuss a new type of rural hospital. Click here for more information or to register.

In December 2020 Congress created the rural emergency hospital as a new type of Medicare provider. The new model, which takes effect in 2023, aims to mitigate the loss of emergency services in rural areas where hospitals have closed. Some small rural hospitals or critical access hospitals can convert to REHs, facilities that provide 24-hour emergency services but no inpatient care. The new classification matters because rural hospitals rely on Medicare reimbursements, but in order to receive it they must maintain expensive inpatient beds so they can still be classified as hospitals.

From the website: "This webinar will highlight a new report from the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services that summarizes the statutory requirements for REHs, examines implications for various federal entities likely to be involved in their administration, and makes recommendations to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to ensure the success of the REH model."