[§321-14.6]  Rural emergency hospitals; licensing.  (a)  The department of health may license a hospital as a rural emergency hospital if the hospital:

     (1)  Elects to receive the medicare designation as a rural emergency hospital;

     (2)  Provides emergency treatment and stabilization services for an average length of stay of twenty-four hours or less;

     (3)  Meets the requirements of title 42 United States Code section 1395x(kkk)(2); and

     (4)  Passes inspection and receives a recommendation from the department to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to operate as a rural emergency hospital.

     (b)  For the purposes of this section, "rural emergency hospital" means a hospital licensed under this section that was previously designated and operating as a critical access hospital as of December 27, 2020. [L 2025, c 144, §2]