name="top">
DOH Logo linking to the DOH Home Page

Rural Health Clinics Banner

Blue Line Image
You are here: DOH Home » HSQA » FSL » Office of Health Care Survey Search | Employees
 Site Directory:    Rural Health Clinics:

Office of Health Care Survey Home 

How to Contact Us 

How to Make a Complaint
 

Ambulatory Surgical Centers

• Child Birth Centers

Home Care Agencies

• Home Health Agencies

• Hospice Agencies

Hospice Care Centers

• Hospitals

• Kidney Centers (ESRD)

Rehabilitation Facilities (CORF)

• Rural Health Clinics



• Links to Other Sites

• DOH Web (A-Z) (Topics)

• Alternate File Format Information


Access Washington Logo linking to Access Washington Home Page

 

 

Patient receiving care in rural health clinic
Photo courtesy of CaringPhotography

[includes/BusPortalLinkTop.htm]

RURAL HEALTH CLINICS

Rural Health Clinics (RHC) provide primary care services to individuals in medically underserved rural areas.


Rural Health Clinic (RHC) services are provided by physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants and include primary care as well as other medically needed services. The clinic offers services on site and refers patients to hospitals for referral and admission.

RHCs are certified for participation in the Medicare program. The Federal Heath and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) determines if the location of the clinic meets Medicare eligibility criteria of being in a designated medically underserved area.

Rural Health Clinics are not licensed by the State, but are Medicare certified. 

Medicare may pay for services provided by Rural Health Clinics who voluntarily seek and are approved for certification by the CMS.  CMS contracts with the Department of Health to evaluate compliance with the federal regulations by periodically conducting unannounced surveys of these clinics.


FEDERAL MEDICARE REGULATIONS:  RURAL HEALTH CLINICS

Regulations: 42 CFR 491 Part A  

APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL MEDICARE CERTIFICATION

For persons interested in the application process for Federal Medicare certification of these agencies, here are steps to follow.

  1. Request a copy of the federal Medicare regulations for Rural Health Clinic.  How to Contact Us 
     
  2. Contact DOH, Office of Community and Rural Health and request an application for certification as a Rural Health Clinic. 
     
  3. After reviewing designation as a rural medically underserved area, submit the application materials to Office of Health Care Survey.
     
     
  4. After review and acceptance of the application materials, DOH conducts an on-site survey before recommending the RHC for Medicare certification.
[includes/BusPortalLinkBottom.htm]

Back to Top


DOH Home | Access Washington | Privacy Notice | Disclaimer/Copyright Information

Washington State Department of Health
Facility Services Licensing
P.O. Box 47852
Olympia, WA 98504-7852
PPhone: (360) 236-2905
Fax: (360) 236-2901

Last Update : 10/01/2010 10:29 AM
Send inquires about DOH and its programs to the Health Consumer Assistance Office
Comments or questions regarding this web site? Send mail to the Subsite Developer.