(a) A rural emergency hospital (as defined in § 485.502 of this chapter) must comply with all applicable provisions in this subpart in order to enroll and maintain enrollment in Medicare.

(b) A provider that was enrolled in Medicare as of December 27, 2020, as a critical access hospital or a hospital (as defined in section 1886(d)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act) with not more than 50 beds located in a county (or equivalent unit of local government) in a rural area (as defined in section 1886(d)(2)(D) of the Social Security Act) (or treated as being located in a rural area pursuant to section 1886(d)(8)(E) of the Social Security Act) converts its existing enrollment to that of a rural emergency hospital (as defined in § 485.502 of this chapter) via a Form CMS-855A change of information application per § 424.516 rather than a Form CMS-855A initial enrollment application.