Critical Access Hospital Program

An Acute Care facility may qualify as a Critical Access Hospital if the acute care facility is non-profit, public or for profit. The Office of Inspector General, Division of Healthcare shall certify the acute care facility as a necessary provider of health services.

• The facility must be located in a rural county more than 35 miles from another acute care facility, 15 miles if in a mountainous area.
• The emergency room should have 24-hour availability.
• The acute care facility may have no more than 15 beds licensed as acute care and may have 10 beds licensed as swing beds. A yearly average length of stay may not exceed 96 hours.
• According to 906 KAR 1:110, the acute care facility also needs to meet one of the following criteria:
  1. Be located in a county where the percentage of the population with income less than 200 percent of poverty is greater than the state average, based on data published by the UK Center for Rural Health;
  2. Be located in a county that has an unemployment rate higher than the state average unemployment rate, based on data published by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS);
  3. Be located in a county with a greater number of people age sixty-four (64) or older than the state average, based on data published by the UK Center for Rural Health;
  4. Treat on average a higher than state average percentage of Medicare patients, based on data published by CHFS;

A critical access hospital shall provide the services in accordance with KRS 216.380(5).

• Dietary Services
• Emergency Procedures
• Laboratory Services
• Pharmacy Services
• Provider Services
• Psychiatric Services 
• Radiology Services
• Rehabilitative Services

Regarding Policy, contact:
Division of Healthcare Facilities
6 C-B
275 East Main Street
Frankfort, KY 40621
Phone: (502) 564-6511
Email: CHFS DMS Webmaster

Regarding licensure , contact:
Office of Inspector General
Division of Health Care
5E-A
275 East Main Street
Frankfort, Kentucky 40621
Phone: (502) 564-7963
Fax: (502) 564-6546

Regarding billing, contact EDS at (800) 807-1232 or visit their website

Regarding members, contact Member Services at (800) 635-2570

Regarding Provider Enrollment, contact Provider Enrollment at (877) 838-5085 or visit their website