The Rural Community Hospital (RCH)
Demonstration was originally authorized by the Medicare
Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA)
and implemented from 2004-2011, and was recently extended by the
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. The
demonstration was developed to provide enhanced reimbursement for
inpatient services to small rural hospitals that do not qualify as
critical access hospitals (CAHs) and to increase the capability of
these hospitals to meet the health care needs of rural
beneficiaries in their service areas. Through the Medicare
Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA)
and the Affordable Care Act of 2010, Congress instructed CMS to
provide information that can be used to assess the feasibility and
advisability of establishing a new category of rural community
hospitals for reimbursement policy. Hospital interviews and annual
progress reports with each participating hospital will be used to
collect information on hospital operations, environmental contexts,
challenges, goals for participating in the demonstration, use of
demonstration funds, and benefits provided to the
community.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.