Rural Hospitals Still Face Continuing Difficulties
Even though the Capitol Hill repeal-and-replace debate -- and its proposed funding cuts -- has quieted, worries persist about the future capacity of these facilities to provide services. The Wall Street Journal, for instance, examines the dangers of childbirth in rural America.
Cleveland Plain Dealer:
Rural Hospitals Teeter On Edge Of Closing, Cutting Services In Post-Healthcare Reform World
Rural hospitals across Ohio face a crisis in care and funding. Many feared that proposed cuts to health care funding in Washington would have pushed them to cut vital services, or go out of business entirely. But even with repeal and replace seemingly out of the equation, they still worry about their future in an increasingly difficult industry. (Christ, 8/14)
The Wall Street Journal:
Rural America’s Childbirth Crisis: The Fight to Save Whitney Brown
Since the start of the century, it has become more dangerous to have a baby in rural America. Pregnancy-related complications are rising across the U.S., and many require specialized care. For some women, the time and distance from hospitals with the resources and specialists to handle an obstetric emergency can be fatal. The rate at which women died of pregnancy-related complications was 64% higher in rural areas than in large U.S. cities in 2015. That is a switch from 2000, when the rate in the cities was higher, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data analyzed by The Wall Street Journal. (McKay and Overberg, 8/11)
