Medicare reimburses PPS hospitals through a variety of mechanisms, with numerous special rules applicable to various types of hospitals. Those rules change on a regular basis. This session will review current legislative and regulatory developments affecting Medicare reimbursement for rural hospitals. The session will tie together other rural PPS issues, such as sole community hospital, Medicare dependent hospital and rural referral center designations and current developments in these areas. The session will provide strategies to implement changes, not merely reciting regulations.