History

Long Term Acute Care (LTAC) hospitals were created in 1983 by Congress. They are designed to provide extended medical and rehabilitation care for patients who are clinically complex and have multiple acute or chronic conditions. LTAC hospitals provide intensive care to patients who have multiple co-morbidities (coexisting conditions) and use inpatient hospital care for an extended period of time. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, the LTAC industry grew, reaching approximately 400 hospitals in 2008.

The Acute Long Term Hospital Association (ALTHA) was created in 1996, to provide government relations for its members. The association continued to grow through the late 1990s, and currently represents three-quarters of the industry. The association’s hospital membership includes 10 larger hospital companies and 36 independent members. In addition, ALTHA also has close to 40 Allied Members, or companies who provide services to our hospitals. It hosts four meetings throughout the year including: the National Clinical Conference, Capital Markets Meeting, Legal Issues Meeting and Advocacy and Public Policy Meeting.