Rural Hospital Medicare Flexibility Program (Flex)

The Rural Hospital Medicare Flexibility Program (Flex Program) grant is awarded to Iowa HHS by the Health Resources Services Administration’s (HRSA’s) Federal Office of Rural Health Policy.

Through the Flex Program grant, HHS contracts with organizations to implement activities related to quality improvement, financial improvement, operational improvement, and population health. Eligible critical access hospitals (CAHs) are able to participate in these activities at no cost. Currently, activities are provided by the Iowa Healthcare Collaborative, HomeTown Health, and HHS, as summarized below. 

Flex Program Menu of Services

Small Rural Hospital Program (SHIP)

The Small Rural Hospital Improvement Grant Program (SHIP) is coordinated through the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP). SHIP provides funding to hospitals in 46 participating State Offices of Rural Health (SORH) to help small rural hospitals engage in various Affordable Care Act (ACA) delivery system reforms, such as value-based purchasing programs, accountable care organizations, prospective payment systems and payment bundling.

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