Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program -CRF

The Illinois Department of Public Health has awarded a Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (FLEX) Program contract to the Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network, with a total contract value of $4,621,815.00, effective from July 7, 2025, through August 31, 2029. The contract was procured through a competitive sealed bidding process and focuses on supporting Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) across Illinois through comprehensive program management and technical assistance.

The contract encompasses six primary program areas: (1) Grant Management and Execution, including subgrant oversight and program activity coordination; (2) Critical Access Hospital Quality Improvement, targeting patient safety and inpatient measures; (3) Finance and Operations support; (4) Population Health initiatives to identify community needs; (5) Rural Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Improvement; and (6) CAH Designation support, including technical assistance for hospital conversions. The contractor will be responsible for providing education, training, technical assistance, completing required state and federal reports, conducting quality improvement activities, managing peer group meetings, and supporting rural hospitals in achieving and maintaining Critical Access Hospital status.