Ascension St. John Nowata Seeks Conversion to Rural Emergency Hospital
Ascension St. John Nowata in Oklahoma has applied to the state health department to convert from a critical access hospital to a rural emergency hospital designation. The facility would maintain 24/7 emergency services and outpatient care under the REH model. The conversion reflects a broader trend of rural hospitals adopting the REH designation created under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, which allows hospitals to eliminate inpatient beds while maintaining emergency and outpatient services with enhanced Medicare reimbursement.
REH conversions affect Medicaid managed care organizations' network adequacy requirements and member access to inpatient services in rural areas, potentially requiring MCOs to establish alternative referral pathways for inpatient care previously available at the facility.
Managed Care
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