All articles tagged with #hospital closures
The implementation of H.R. 1 is triggering a wave of maternity ward closures across the US, with 52 already closed and eight more announced. Experts warn that $1 trillion in federal Medicaid cuts will force hospitals to shut down essential services, particularly in rural areas, while new work requirements threaten to disenroll millions of adults, including pregnant women, from coverage.
A new Harvard study reveals that over 400 US hospitals closed between 2010 and 2025, with closure rates rising 4% annually while openings drop. The trend is not limited to rural areas; urban hospitals face similar risks. Closures disproportionately affect smaller, for-profit, and safety-net facilities, leading to a net loss of 216 hospitals and 24,000 beds. Rising insurance premiums and Medicaid policy changes are exacerbating the crisis, forcing patients to delay care and increasing wait times at remaining facilities.
Prime Healthcare will suspend obstetric and neonatal services at Saint Joseph Medical Center (Joliet), Mercy Medical Center (Aurora), and Resurrection Medical Center (Chicago) due to very low birth volumes (fewer than one birth per day on average). Two new maternal care centers will open at Saint Mary of Nazareth (Chicago) and Olympia Fields Hospital (Olympia Fields), with closures targeted around October 1. Critics, including Rep. Lauren Underwood, warn about access and transportation challenges for expectant mothers.
A Public Citizen analysis of CMS data (2022–2024) finds about 446 U.S. hospitals are at risk of closing or cutting services due to Medicaid funding cuts in the administration’s policy, potentially harming access to care and straining remaining hospitals across urban and rural areas as federal funding declines by roughly $1 trillion over the next decade.
Hospitals in central and southern Gaza are overwhelmed and closing as Israeli military advances cause a healthcare crisis, with patients fleeing and medical facilities struggling to cope amid ongoing conflict.
The closure of a maternity ward in Baker City, Oregon, highlights the broader threat to rural healthcare services due to financial struggles, staffing shortages, and potential Medicaid cuts, risking increased maternal and infant mortality and forcing families to travel long distances for care.
A coalition of 16 states and D.C. sued the Trump administration, accusing it of trying to de facto ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth through intimidation tactics and legal threats, leading to hospital closures and increased challenges for families seeking care.
Three rural Michigan hospitals are at high risk of closing due to federal Medicaid funding cuts from the recent 'Big Beautiful Bill,' which could significantly impact healthcare access in the region, with experts warning of broader consequences for rural hospitals nationwide.
Rural hospitals across the U.S. are facing difficult decisions due to significant Medicaid and Obamacare funding cuts from a new law, risking service reductions, staff burnout, and potential closures, especially impacting low-income and vulnerable populations.
The recent spending package signed by President Trump will significantly cut Medicaid spending and alter health policies, disproportionately impacting rural hospitals and residents by increasing uninsured rates, causing hospital closures, and reducing healthcare access, which could have broader economic consequences for rural communities and the nation.
The U.S. House passed the 'Big Beautiful Bill,' which is projected to significantly cut Medicaid, leading to hospital closures, layoffs, and millions losing health coverage, raising concerns about long-term impacts on healthcare access and hospital sustainability.
The Community Hospital in McCook, Nebraska, announced it will close Curtis Medical Center due to financial challenges linked to federal Medicaid funding uncertainties, with concerns that upcoming federal budget cuts could force multiple rural hospitals in Nebraska to close or face financial distress. Despite some state-level efforts to increase Medicaid reimbursements, healthcare advocates warn that these cuts threaten access to care and hospital stability in rural areas.
An empty hospital in Williamston, North Carolina, exemplifies the impact of proposed Medicaid cuts in the GOP's tax bill, which threatens rural hospitals and healthcare access, especially in states like North Carolina that expanded Medicaid. Senator Thom Tillis opposed the bill due to its potential to worsen hospital closures and reduce healthcare funding for low-income and rural populations.
Hospital Sisters Health System posted on Facebook about the importance of hospitals in communities on the same day Sacred Heart Hospital and St. Joseph’s Hospital closed, but quickly deleted the post. The post highlighted their attendance at the Wisconsin Hospital Association’s Advocacy Day and the significance of hospitals in addressing critical issues like workforce shortages.
The closure of Atlanta Medical Center in 2022 has strained Atlanta's health care system, leading to overcrowding and longer wait times at Grady Memorial Hospital, the city's only remaining Level 1 trauma center for adults. The closure has also limited access to primary care and specialists, particularly affecting low-income and Black communities. Doctors and advocates fear a rise in preventable deaths due to the lack of routine preventive care, while the state's rejection of a full Medicaid expansion has left many uninsured residents with limited access to healthcare. The closures have been criticized as a form of "health care redlining," pushing people out of their communities due to lack of accessible and affordable services.