Glen Falls (N.Y.) Hospital is looking into whether it qualifies for a sole community hospital designation in an effort to boost Medicare reimbursement, according to The Post-Star.
To receive a sole community hospital designation, CMS requires that facilities be at least 25 miles from the next-closest hospital.
The nonprofit Glen Falls Hospital — which operates its main campus in Glen Falls, along with more than 20 regional healthcare facilities — is about 19 miles from Saratoga Hospital in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
However, U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York is working with the hospital to see if the federal government will grant an exception, according to the Post-Star, which adds that there are exceptions to the rule, such as if bad weather or traffic can hinder travel for a certain portion of the year.
“We are always thinking about how we can better meet patients’ needs, and we are working to learn if being designated a sole community hospital by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid could assist. We are just now in the learning phase, and we will share additional information if we decide to move forward,” hospital spokesperson Katelyn Cinzio told the publication.
The designation effort comes after Glen Falls Hospital was in the news for finance-related issues, such as losses it sustained when Cerner's billing system did not work.
If the hospital can qualify for the designation, it would reportedly get an automatic 7.1 percent boost to its Medicare reimbursements.
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