Announcement

Rehoboth McKinley Christian Health Care Services (RMCHCS) is actively pursuing conversion to a Critical Access Hospital (CAH). Under the CAH model, hospitals with 25 or fewer inpatient beds receive specific benefits, such as cost-based reimbursement for Medicare services. Once converted, a hospital must maintain CAH status by meeting location and other requirements.

Why the change?

The conversion to CAH supports RMCHCS’s financial stability. Additionally, this designation would allow RMCHCS to offer skilled nursing services through a swing bed program. These services would enable the seamless transition of acute care patients to skilled care without the need to leave the community.

Are CAHs new?

Critical Access Hospitals are not a new concept. Of the 6,093 hospitals in the United States, approximately 1,360 are CAHs. Congress established the CAH designation in 1997 to reduce rural hospitals’ financial vulnerability and improve access to healthcare by preserving essential services in rural areas.

Timing

The conversion process involves several steps. RMCHCS has begun the application process for CAH designation through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The determination process typically takes at least eight months.

What This Means

Achieving CAH status does not equate to fewer or reduced services. Instead, it is designed to provide the necessary infrastructure to strengthen the hospital’s operations and performance.

As we apply for CAH designation, RMCHCS’s services will continue to depend on provider availability and funding. We are also evaluating the sustainability of existing services and the community’s needs, including some currently paused services. If approved for CAH status, RMCHCS’s inpatient beds would be reduced from 49 to 25.

All services RMCHCS provides to the community will maintain or exceed high quality of care standards, consistent with our Mission. 

For additional information about Critical Access Hospitals, visit the Rural Health Information Hub.