Record Number of Rural Hospitals Closed in 2019
Nearly one in five Americans live in rural areas and depend on their local hospital for care. Since 2005, 171 of those hospitals have closed, according to the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research. The number of rural hospital closures has steadily increased over the past three years, with a record-breaking 18 rural hospitals shutting down in 2019, according to the Sheps Center. Of the 171 rural hospitals that have shut down over the past 15 years, 63 were designated critical access hospitals. Click here for details from the Shep Center.
Retired
4 年So sad its happening. I think a lot has to do with bigger hospitals buying them out them closing them forcing them to go out to there hospital. They make more money and health care dosen't always mean better.
Basic Health Access
4 年A record number of hospitals in 2621 counties have closed. This includes nearly all of the rural hospital closures as well as closures in the urban populations that have lowest concentrations of health care workforce. These 2621 counties have 75% of the rural population or about 40 million as well as 32% of the urban population or 90 million for 130 million and 40% of the US population. Their practices and hospitals are dying due to 15 to 30% lower payments for the same services. The "payers" continue to pay too little to support the workforce which is lowest in concentration in these counties. 90% of services available locally are generalist and general specialty services - lowest paid in lowest paid states in lowest paid parts of the state as shaped by populations with the worst public and private health insurance plans - concentrated in these counties. The 1980 to 2020 health policies have all made matters worse, with 2010 reforms doing notable damage.