Rural Health
News by Topic: Closures of healthcare facilities and services
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
Jun 18, 2024 - Discusses how new funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will be used to expand the rural OBGYN residency track at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health. Explores factors contributing to recent closures of rural Wisconsin obstetrics services, including provider shortages, low volume of deliveries, and declining local birth rates.
Source: Wisconsin Public Radio
Jun 17, 2024 - Presents overview of health disparities and barriers to healthcare access in rural and tribal communities in South Dakota. Describes a variety of efforts to improve access and lessen disparities, including mobile clinics, programs that offer financial incentives to rural providers, and efforts to address the social determinants of health.
Source: South Dakota News Watch
Jun 6, 2024 - Features the perspective of the leadership of Mississippi hospitals who participate in the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) Program, which launched in January 2023. Notes that REH conversion has led to pushback from some communities due to the loss of maternal care and other inpatient services. Explores additional considerations for hospital leadership, including loss of eligibility for the 340B Drug Pricing Program.
Source: Stateline
May 29, 2024 - Highlights new research which found lower mammography rates among women in rural Texas. Notes particularly low rates among Hispanic and Black women. Explores possible contributing factors including rural hospital closures and lack of health insurance.
Source: Medical Xpress
May 21, 2024 - Highlights a Tennessee Critical Access Hospital's strategies for remaining open despite national trends toward closure. Discusses reimbursement, workforce, community vitality, and swing beds. Caption available in video player.
Source: WVLT 8
May 16, 2024 - The Senate Finance Committee heard from hospital leaders and healthcare experts, with the goal of finding ways to help rural hospitals find funding to stay open. Senator Ron Wyden and others said the issue is complicated and requires a multi-pronged approach. Discussion included the need for maternity care in rural hospitals.
Source: Oregon Capital Chronicle
May 3, 2024 - Summarizes forthcoming research on disparities in access to hospital-based pediatric services among rural and urban children. Discusses the impact of rural hospital closures on children with chronic health conditions.
Source: Medical Xpress