93.301: Small Rural Hospital Improvement Grant Program

93.301

Active

Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) [HHS]

Aug. 10, 2022

Aug. 10, 2022

The Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program supports small rural hospitals in their quality improvement efforts and with adapting to changing payment systems through investments in hardware, software, and related trainings. This includes focusing on delivering value in care as well as activities related to improving Prospective Payment Systems (PPS). The Coronavirus Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program provides support to small rural and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) which are seeing increased demands for clinical services and equipment, as well as experiencing short-term financial and workforce challenges related to responding to meeting the needs of patients with the COVID-19 seeking care at their facilities. These funds are administered through the Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program to provide emergency funding support to CAHs and non-CAH rural hospitals with less than 50 beds. This approach provides funding directly to the states to target those rural hospitals and the communities they serve who are facing the greatest strain from this crisis.

B - Project Grants

The State Office of Rural Health (SORH) in each state will be the official awardee of record, as they will act as a fiscal intermediary for all hospitals within their state. Each SORH will be charged with organizing the distribution of funds to eligible hospitals. Only SORHs are eligible to apply for this grant. Federally-recognized Tribal Government and Native American Organizations are selected if they are eligible to apply.

Small rural hospitals must meet the following eligibility requirements in order to be eligible for SHIP funds: “Small” is a facility with 49 or fewer available beds, as reported on the hospital’s most recent Medicare Cost Report. “Rural area” is either (a) being located outside of a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA); (b) being located within a rural census tract of a MSA, as determined under the Goldsmith Modification or the Rural Urban Commuting Areas; or (c) being treated as if it is located in a rural area pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 1395(d)(8)(E). “Hospital” is a non-federal, short-term, general acute care facility. Hospitals may be for-profit or not-for-profit. All Critical Access Hospitals are eligible for the program. In addition, hospitals with fewer than 50 beds located in a designated rural area, designated by any state law or regulation, are eligible. Tribally operated hospitals under Titles I and V of P.L. 93-638 are eligible to the extent that such hospitals meet the above criteria.

https://sam.gov/fal/915634db6dd54e4294025764419064d8/view