From Becker’s Hospital Review
Proposed healthcare cuts in Republicans’ “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” could place 338 financially struggling rural hospitals at risk of closure, according to the data from the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The data was prepared following a request from Senate Democrats, who released the findings June 12.
The 338 hospitals either experienced three consecutive years of negative total margins, served the highest share of Medicaid patients, or both.
“Substantial cuts to Medicaid or Medicare payments could increase the number of unprofitable rural hospitals and elevate their risk of financial distress,” the Shep Center researchers said. “In response, hospitals may be forced to reduce service lines, convert to a different type of health care facility, or close altogether.”
The states with the highest number of hospitals at risk are Kentucky (35), Louisiana (33), California (28) and Oklahoma (21).
Here is the breakdown of at-risk rural hospitals by state:
- Kentucky – 35
- Louisiana – 33
- California – 28
- Oklahoma – 21
- New Mexico – 15
- Texas – 15
- Washington – 14
- Indiana – 12
- New York – 11
- Ohio – 11
- Illinois – 9
- Tennessee – 9
- Mississippi – 8
- Montana – 8
- West Virginia – 7
- Colorado – 6
- Hawaii – 6
- Kansas – 6
- Virginia – 6
- Alabama – 5
- Alaska – 5
- Arizona – 5
- North Carolina – 5
- Pennsylvania – 5
- South Carolina – 5
- Georgia – 4
- Michigan – 4
- Missouri – 4
- Oregon – 4
- Wisconsin – 3
- Idaho – 3
- North Dakota – 3
- Utah – 3
- Iowa – 2
- Maine – 2
- Minnesota – 2
- Nebraska – 2
- Nevada – 2
- South Dakota – 2
- Wyoming – 2
- Arkansas – 1
- Connecticut – 1
- Delaware – 1
- Florida – 1
- Massachusetts – 1
- New Hampshire – 1