The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced revisions to its interpretive guidelines regarding the location and relocation of critical access hospitals. Effective Sept. 7, 2007 the agency will no longer require CAHs without "necessary provider" designation to adhere to the same requirements for relocating as necessary provider CAHs. In addition, CMS has relaxed certain definitions pertaining to whether a facility is exempt from the "35-mile drive standard."

• Sept. 7, 2007 memo from CMS regarding CAH location relative to other hospitals, and relocation of CAHs with a "necessary provider" designation: [PDF].
  
  
• Side-by-side summary comparing the old and new CAH interpretive guidelines: [PDF].

For more information, contact Gregg Redfield, MHA vice president of finance, at (651) 603-3536.