Critical Access Hospitals

Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) are designated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  under the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program to ensure that rural beneficiaries are able to access hospital services. CAHs must be located in a rural area and be more than 35 miles from another hospital (15 miles by secondary roads or in mountain terrain) or have been certified before January 1, 2006 by the State as being a necessary provider of health care services. The proximity between IHS/Tribal hospitals and non-IHS/Tribal hospitals is not considered in a CAH location determination. Additionally, to be considered a CAH the hospital must meet criteria which includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Furnish 24-hour emergency care services 7 days a week, using either on-site or on-call staff, with specific on-site response timeframes for on-call staff.
• Maintain no more than 25 inpatient beds that may also be used for swing bed services. It may also operate a distinct part rehabilitation and/or psychiatric unit, each with up to 10 beds.
• Have an annual average length of stay of 96 hours (4-days) or less per patient for acute care.

IHS and Tribal Critical Access Hospitals

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

For referral to the appropriate spokesperson, contact the IHS Public Affairs Staff at 301-443-3593.

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