What is a “Critical Access Hospital”?

What Makes Us A Critical Access Hospital:
Southern Inyo Healthcare District has been designated a Critical Access Hospital, as defined by the Office of Rural Health Policy (External Link), part of The Health Resources & Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
The Critical Access Hospital (CAH) Program was established to aid in the continuation of healthcare services for rural residents.

• Aids in the continuation of health care services for rural residents.
• Enables hospitals to be eligible for cost-based Medicare reimbursement for inpatient and outpatient services.
• With a signed MOA, hospitals are eligible to receive enhanced reimbursement from Medicaid and the State Health Benefit Plan (SBHP).

A Critical Access Hospital:

• Can limit services and utilize physician assistants and /or nurse practitioners in an effort to reduce their loss.
• May choose to maintain its current services; however, the hospital must agree to the bed size and annual impatient length of stay limits.
• Provides small, rural hospitals with a range of opportunities for service enhancement, quality of care improvement, and certain economies of scale through network participation.

Benefits:

• Receive enhanced Medicare reimbursement for covered in-patient services.
• Receive 100% of allowable costs for Medicaid out-patient services.
• Retain any Medicaid payment for inpatient services in excess of charges.
• Receive 100% of charges for outpatient services by the State Health Benefit Plan and Board of Regents Health Plan.
• May enroll with SHBP as their group insurance provider.