Lexology November 29, 2022
Rural emergency hospitals (REHs) are a new provider type that will allow Medicare to pay for emergency department and other outpatient hospital services in rural areas beginning on January 1, 2023, without requiring the facility to meet the current Medicare definition of a “hospital.”
Effective January 1, 2023, a REH is eligible for increased reimbursement under Medicare. On November 1, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized the REH conditions of participation (CoPs) and payment rates that will apply to emergency department and outpatient hospital services furnished by REHs in connection with the 2023 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) final rule.
IN DEPTH
Background
Under current Medicare program rules, Medicare does not recognize “freestanding emergency departments”...