The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updated its guidance regarding the REH enrollment and conversion process for eligible facilities as well as the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). Congress established REHs as a new type of Medicare provider that cannot have acute care inpatient beds, must provide emergency and observation care, and may provide other outpatient services. In 2022, CMS published a final rule codifying the Conditions of Participation (CoPs) that REHs must meet in order to participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs along with payment policies, quality measures and enrollment policies. This revised guidance addresses questions that have been raised since that time. For example, it includes a question clarifying that meeting the FORHP definition of rural will not meet the statutory requirements for converting to an REH. Final interpretive guidance for REHs is pending and will be provided in a future release.
