Rural Emergency Hospital Model

Page Updated: Oct. 10, 2024

CHA Advocacy Principle: To support robust access to appropriate services, it is critically important that hospitals have options to scale appropriately based on community need or financial pressures, and that the regulatory/licensure framework supports those transitions should they become necessary.   

What Has Been Completed:

Origin: The Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) model was established by Congress in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 to allow critical access hospitals (CAHs) and other small rural hospitals to convert to REH status. In January 2024, the REH model became available as a federal model.

Background: A REH conversion is intended to help a facility continue to provide its community with emergency services, observation care, and additional outpatient services selected by the REH, with the annual per-patient average length of stay not exceeding 24 hours.

Resources: 

• • CHA REH Background
  • CMS REH Conditions of Participation
  • CMS REH Website
  • CDPHE REH FAQ

Meetings/Dates of Note:

CHA Staff Contact: Joshua Ewing, CHA vice president, rural health, [email protected].