CVCh Possibly Converting To A Critical Access Hospital Designation

The Cobre Valley Hospital is holding a public meeting on July 25th, from 5 - 5:45 p.m. to discuss the pssibility of converting to a Critical Access Hospital Designation. The meeting is in the Medical Office Building conference room on the CVCH campus. CVCH Board members & administration will be at the meeting to present the Critical Access Hospital model & to discuss the impact it will have on the hospital & the community.


A critical access hospital is an alternative for small, rural hospitals that creates the potential for enhanced reimbursement from Medicare, the opportunity to better match the local community's needs to the hospital's capabilities, & the foundation of a rural health network. The CAH designation only affects Part A (hospital services) Medicare reimbursement & does not affect other government or private reimbursement.

The bottom line goal of the CAH designation is improved financial viability & stability for the hospital in order to assure access to quality medical care in rural areas.

Starting in Fiscal Year 2002, the Arizona State Legislature has appropriated funds to support the state’s Critical Access Hospitals. For example, in FY 2005, a total of $ 1,700,000 was appropriated for Critical Access Hospital payments.

The fund is administered by the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS). The AHCCCS program makes CAH payments directly to the eligible hospitals on a quarterly basis, & each hospital payment is based on that hospital’s proportion of total CAH hospital inpatient & outpatient hospital utilization as reported on adjudicated claims & encounters received by AHCCCS for dates of service in the most recently available state fiscal year.

Indian Health Service Critical Access Hospitals are excluded from the AHCCCS Critical Access Hospital payments. These hospitals are paid using 100% Federal dollars.