Rural Health
News by Topic: Closures of healthcare facilities and services
Jul 25, 2024 - Highlights the impact of no access to obstetric care on communities and families in rural and other parts of Kansas. Discusses community growth, distance to care, telehealth, training for healthcare workers, and quality of care.
Source: Kansas Reflector
Jul 25, 2024 - Announces proposed legislation to require hospital systems either closing or eliminating services to notify the Department of Health and Human Services as well as develop with the public a plan for continuing accessible care for patients. The bill would also require annual Congressional reports on hospital closure trends and capacity for surge demand.
Source: Office of Senator Tammy Baldwin
Jul 15, 2024 - Discusses rural healthcare viability challenges including telehealth and broadband access, reimbursement rates, and an end of pandemic-era funding.
Source: Health Leaders Media
Jul 15, 2024 - Highlights declines in birth rates across time and the associated impact on rural labor and delivery services. Discusses the impact of low service volume on maintaining labor and delivery services and offering high quality healthcare.
Source: KFF Health News, NPR
Jul 10, 2024 - Grove Hill Memorial Hospital in Clarke County and East Alabama Medical Center-Lanier in Chambers County plan to convert to Rural Emergency Hospital status. This will mean closure of one of the last birthing units in rural south Alabama.
Source: AL.com
Jul 8, 2024 - Discusses challenges faced by Maine rural hospitals and describes facilities' creative solutions to staffing shortages, reduced reimbursements, and lower margins. Includes statistics on operating margins at select Maine hospitals.
Source: Mainebiz
Jul 3, 2024 - Discusses health-related challenges in Bastrop County, Texas, a Health Professional Shortage Area for primary care, dental care, and mental health care. The county has a high percentage of uninsured people, few transportation options in rural areas, and a lack of maternal health services.
Source: Community Impact
Jun 28, 2024 - Washington Senator Maria Cantwell cosponsored legislation aiming to increase rural hospitals' reimbursements through Medicaid, in order to help keep maternity wards open in rural Washington communities. The legislation would give rural hospitals and hospitals with a high percentage of births among Medicaid patients a 150% Medicaid reimbursement rate.
Source: Northwest Public Broadcasting
Jun 20, 2024 - Highlights proposed legislation in Virginia and nationally to recruit obstetric and gynecology physicians and increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for labor and delivery services.
Source: Virginia Mercury
Jun 19, 2024 - Describes the creation of a response plan based on community feedback following a hospital closure in Bedford, Indiana. Highlights actions taken by other local healthcare organizations to help cover service gaps created by the closure.
Source: Indiana Public Media