Beginning in 2023, Medicare will recognize a new provider type: the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH). The establishment of REHs is intended to preserve access to emergency departments and other outpatient services in rural areas that are unable to offer inpatient services and would otherwise be unable to receive payment from Medicare for outpatient hospital services.

This webinar will cover the statutory requirements and proposed Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) rules for REH Medicare participation and payment, including the services that can—and must be—provided by REHs, add-on payments and proposed Stark Law flexibilities for physician ownership and investment. We will also address the opportunities that REHs may provide, as well as some criticisms of the current model and the potential for improvement.

Additionally, we will discuss proposed changes to the Critical Access Hospital’s (CAH) definition of a “primary road” and a proposal for CMS to engage in periodic review of CAH compliance with rules related to the distance between CAHs and other hospitals.

SPEAKERS

• Emma Klein, Legal Support Specialist, McDermott Will & Emery