Rural Hospitals

Half of US Rural Hospitals Operate at a Loss

February 14, 2024 - Rural healthcare’s outlook just worsened, according to a new analysis from Chartis, a healthcare advisory firm. The updated analysis of key indicators such as rural hospital operating margin, facility closures, and loss of access to care and services paints a grim picture for rural hospitals in the US, particularly independent...

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2023 Healthcare Bankruptcies Reached Highest Level in 5 Years

by Victoria Bailey

The number of healthcare bankruptcies in 2023 increased 71 percent from 2022, reaching the highest level in the last five years, a report from Gibbins Advisors revealed. The report analyzed healthcare...

How a GoFundMe Page Aims to Keep a Rural Hospital Open

by Jacqueline LaPointe

When financial troubles turned dire, leaders of a rural hospital turned to a popular source of funding to support their efforts to get back on their feet: GoFundMe. Crowdfunding platforms like GoFundMe are popular among individuals...

340B Program Enrollment Led to More Oncology Services at Rural Hospitals

by Victoria Bailey

Rural hospitals that participated in the 340B Drug Pricing Program were more likely to introduce oncology services than facilities that did not enroll in the program, a study published in Health...

How Do Rural Hospitals Survive When Facing Financial Instability?

by Victoria Bailey

As rural hospitals face financial instability, many facilities have persevered and remained open on their own, while others have experienced mergers or closures, a study published in Health Affairs...

Medicaid Expansion Tied to Fewer Financial Challenges for Rural Hospitals

by Victoria Bailey

Rural hospitals in states that have not implemented Medicaid expansion have faced steeper financial challenges than those in expansion states, according to an analysis from the Kaiser Family Foundation...

REH Designation May Help Small Share of Rural Hospitals Avoid Closure

by Victoria Bailey

The new Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation could help nearly 88 rural hospitals avoid closures but will likely not have a widespread impact on safety-net facilities, according to a report from...

Private Equity Ownership of Rural Hospitals is Growing, Report Finds

by Victoria Bailey

Private equity firms own at least 130 rural hospitals, raising concerns about care quality, staffing levels, and financial pressures at these facilities, according to a report from the Private Equity...

UPMC Shifts Site To An Outpatient Emergency Department

by Jacqueline LaPointe

UPMC is converting a small hospital in rural Clinton County, Pennsylvania, to an outpatient emergency department (ED) under the state’s new Innovative Hospital Models project. Innovative Hospital...

Financial Losses, Poor Assets Driving Closure Risks for Rural Hospitals

by Victoria Bailey

More than 600 rural hospitals are at risk of closing after consistently losing money on patient services and lacking net assets to offset these losses, according to data from the Center for Healthcare...

Low Reimbursement, Staffing Shortages Lead to Rural Hospital Closures

by Jacqueline LaPointe

Low reimbursement rates, staffing shortages, low patient volumes, and regulatory barriers are some of the root causes of rural hospital closures, the American Hospital Association (AHA) explains in a...

How Hospital Affiliation Impacts Risk of Closure for Rural Hospitals

by Victoria Bailey

Hospital affiliation was associated with a lower risk of closure for financially distressed rural hospitals but there was a higher closure risk for financially stable hospitals, according to a study...

New Medicare Provider Designation to Prevent Rural Hospital Closures

by Jacqueline LaPointe

CMS has proposed a rule to establish a new rural hospital designation that would enable small rural hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAHs) to expand access to care and receive Medicare payment...

Rural Hospitals Facing Risk of Closure Due to Financial Stress

by Victoria Bailey

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant financial stress for rural hospitals, with 441 facilities facing financial risk factors putting them at risk of closure, according to a report from the...

Why Rural Providers Aren’t Transitioning to Alternative Payment Models

by Jacqueline LaPointe

A smaller percentage of providers in rural or health professional shortage areas eligible to participate in Advanced Alternative Payment Models (APMs) did partake in the Quality Payment Program track compared to providers not located in...

Rural Healthcare Providers Get $7.5B in COVID-19 Relief Funds

by Jacqueline LaPointe

The Bident Administration has announced $7.5 billion in COVID-19 relief funds from the American Rescue Plan for rural healthcare providers who treat Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program...

Maternal, Surgical Care Eliminated After Rural Hospital Mergers

by Jacqueline LaPointe

Are rural hospitals trading obstetric and surgical care in exchange for financial stability? According to a new study published in Health Affairs, those services lines and others may be at stake...

Rural Hospital Mergers Associated with Improved Patient Outcomes

by Victoria Bailey

Rural hospital mergers were associated with better patient outcomes compared to hospitals that remained independent, a study from JAMA Network Open found. More than one in three community hospitals in...

COVID-19 Increases Rural Hospital Closure Risk, Care Access Concern

by Hannah Nelson

The risk of rural hospital closures has increased significantly since the onset of COVID-19, drawing concern for care access and community health, according to a Center for Healthcare Quality and...

OIG: Direct Wage Index Increases to Low-Margin Rural Hospitals

by Jacqueline LaPointe

Rural hospitals struggling the most financially are not benefitting from a Medicare reimbursement adjustment meant to help providers paying the lowest wages to their employees, according to a new...

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