A hospital that does not meet the federal mileage requirements to be certified as a CAH and is otherwise eligible for designation will be certified by the state as a necessary provider of health care services if it meets two (2) or more of the following criteria:
1. Criteria 1: The hospital is located in a county that is federally designated as a HPSA for medical care.2. Criteria 2: The hospital is located in a county that is federally designated as a Medically Underserved Area (MUA).3. Criteria 3: The hospital is located in a county where the percentage of families with incomes less than 100% of the federal poverty level is higher than the state average for families with incomes less than 100% of poverty.4. Criteria 4: The hospital is in a county with an unemployment rate that exceeds the state's average unemployment rate.5. Criteria 5: The hospital is located in a county with a percentage of population age 65 and older that exceeds the state's average.6. Criteria 6: The number of Medicare admissions to the hospital exceeds 50% of the facility's total number of admissions as reported in the most recent Hospital Annual Report for the facility.15 Miss. Code. R. 9-99-1.8.1
Miss. Code Ann. § 41-3-15