Early Learnings: From the Rural Health Redesign Center and its Rural Emergency Hospital Technical Assistance Center

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, added a new section to the Social Security Act to establish REHs as a new Medicare provider type. As of January 2023, critical access hospitals and small rural hospitals with no more than 50 beds that were open as of December 27, 2020, may opt to convert to the REH in accordance with the conditions of participation outlined in the CY 2023 hospital outpatient prospective payment and ambulatory surgical center payment system (OPPS) Final Rule.

The Rural Health Redesign Center was awarded a Cooperative Agreement by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to provide REHs technical assistance to rural hospitals that meet eligibility requirements and are investigating the Rural Emergency Hospital designation as a means to maintaining access to healthcare in their communities. Mathematica supports The Rural Emergency Hospital Technical Assistance Center by providing custom financial modeling, virtual learning events, and developing and sharing educational resources. This joint brief discusses the early learnings of RHRC and REH engagements.