These states have the most rural hospitals at 'high risk' of closure: report
FierceHealthcare | February 20, 2019
Unless their financial situations improve, at least 21% of rural hospitals in the U.S. are at high risk of closing, according to a new report from Navigant. In all, at-risk hospitals represent more than 21,000 beds staffed by 150,000 employees and $21.2 billion in total patient revenue. Of high-financial-risk rural hospitals, 64% of them are considered essential to their communities based on their trauma status, service to vulnerable populations, geographic isolation and economic impact. Officials called for solutions such as advancing legislation around telehealth reimbursement and such bills as the Rural Emergency Acute Care Hospital Act. The report comes just a day after the largest hospital groups around the country called on congressional leaders to delay the start of $4 billion in Medicaid disproportionate share hospital cuts, which are scheduled to begin Oct. 1, 2019.