The American Hospital Association released a new report on Tuesday warning that access to care is increasingly at risk in rural communities across the United States.
The report says more than 46 million Americans rely on rural hospitals, and that longstanding pressures — low patient volumes, workforce shortages, geographic isolation and inadequate reimbursement — are being compounded by Medicaid reductions, the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits and Medicare Advantage pressures.
Among its headline findings: more than 40 per cent of rural hospitals operate at a financial loss and hundreds are at high financial risk. Since 2010, more than 150 rural hospitals have closed or converted, while 331 have eliminated obstetric services and 448 have stopped offering chemotherapy.
The association warns those trends raise the risk of further service reductions, conversions and closures in places that often have few or no alternative providers nearby, forcing patients to travel farther for essential care.
