What is a critical access hospital?
According to the Rural Health Information Hub, a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) is a designation given to eligible rural hospitals who meet certain criteria. This designation was created by Congress via the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 due to the closures of over 400 rural hospitals during the 1980s through the early 1990s. The CAH designation was designed to improve health care access to Americans living in rural areas as well as provided financial stability to the facilities that serve these communities.
A Critical Access Hospital (CAH) is a special type of small hospital in the United States that receives specific federal designation and funding under the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program. This designation is intended to ensure that rural communities have access to essential hospital services, even in remote areas where operating a full-service hospital might not be financially sustainable.
The CAH program was created to:
• Reduce hospital closures in rural America.
• Improve access to essential health care services (especially emergency and primary care).
• Strengthen the rural health care infrastructure.
• The benefits of having a Critical Access Hospital in our area provides residents with the peace of mind they need knowing they have access to quality health care right here in their own community.
Boulder City Hospital is the only Critical Access Hospital in Nevada not supported by a tax district, mining dollars, or a large corporate health system. Our mission is to be a place of healing. Our priority is to provide a safe and equitable health care experience for all. BCH takes pride as the primary steward of the health and well-being of the Boulder City community and is committed to providing compassionate, quality care for everyone through our diverse, caring, and accepting professional workforce.
BCH provides the following services:
• 24/7 Emergency Room
• Primary Care Clinic
• Long-term Care
• Acute In-patient Care
• Geriatric Behavioral Health
• Long-term Care Unit
• Skilled Nursing Facility
• Rehabilitation Therapy
• Respiratory Therapy
• Radiology
• Laboratory
• Partial Hospitalization Program
• Intensive Outpatient Program
• Outpatient Surgery
• Community Resources
BCH is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization and relies on contributions and fundraising by the separately registered nonprofit 501(c)(3) Boulder City Hospital Foundation, whose sole purpose is to raise funds for capital expenditures, medical equipment, and supplies.
Our Critical Access Hospital Needs You
For nearly 30 years, the Boulder City Hospital Foundation has been here for our community—helping our local hospital care for families, friends, and visitors with compassion and quality. Thanks to your generosity, we’ve raised more than $8.5 million to fund equipment, enhance services, and ensure Boulder City Hospital continues to provide the care we all depend on.
Whether you live in Boulder City, visit our charming town, or join us at events like Art in the Park or the Heart of the Community Gala, you are part of what makes this hospital special. Ours is the only Critical Access Hospital in Nevada that doesn’t receive tax district, corporate, or mining support—so every donation truly matters.
This year has been a challenging one, and we’re reaching out to ask for your help. Your tax-deductible gift—no matter the size—directly supports essential care: emergency services, surgery, rehab, long-term care, behavioral health, and more. Rising health care costs make your support more important than ever.
Your contribution will help keep high-quality, compassionate care right here in Boulder City—for you, your loved ones, and everyone who calls this community home.
Please consider giving today. Together, we can keep our hospital strong and ensure it continues to be here when we need it most.
Interested in giving? Visit bchcares.org/giving
