Rural Dispatch: December 2024
Helicopters Rescued Patients in ‘Apocalyptic’ Flood. Other Hospitals Are at Risk, Too.
By Lauren Sausser and Holly K. Hacker
The helicopter evacuation of 70 people from a Tennessee hospital during Hurricane Helene is considered a success story. The building was destroyed by floodwaters, but no one died. In hindsight, why was it built next to a river?
Native American Patients Are Sent to Collections for Debts the Government Owes
By Katheryn Houghton and Arielle Zionts
Federal law says Native Americans aren’t liable for medical bills the Indian Health Service promises to pay. Some are billed anyway as a result of backlogs or mistakes from the agency, financial middlemen, or health systems.
More Californians Are Freezing to Death. Experts Point to More Older Homeless People.
By Phillip Reese
Hypothermia deaths have risen in California and across the nation. Experts point to the growing number of older, unsheltered homeless people as a key factor in the trend.
Former Montana Health Staffer Rebukes Oversight Rules as a Hospital ‘Wish List’
By Katheryn Houghton
The push-pull in Montana reflects a national tension as states try to decide what counts as fair checks on tax-exempt hospitals and industry players weigh in. The debate centers on whether nonprofit hospitals do enough good to earn their charitable status.
Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals’ Taint Rural California Drinking Water, Far From Known Sources
By Hannah Norman
Researchers found toxic “forever chemicals” in drinking water wells dotting California’s rural farming regions, far from known contamination sources. The discovery complicates the state’s drinking water problem, which disproportionately affects farmworkers and communities of color.
Federal Judge Halts Dreamers’ Brand-New Access to ACA Enrollment in 19 States
By Julie Appleby
A federal judge sided with 19 states seeking an injunction against a Biden administration rule allowing recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals to enroll in Affordable Care Act coverage and qualify for subsidies amid the annual open enrollment period.
Rural Governments Often Fail To Communicate With Residents Who Aren’t Proficient in English
By Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez
Access to information in languages other than English is protected by various federal, state, and local policies. But researchers tracking them say that as rural America grows more diverse, people not proficient in English face added barriers to critical public health information and services.
Six Years Into an Appalachia Hospital Monopoly, Patients Are Fearful and Furious
By Brett Kelman
Ballad Health, with the largest state-sanctioned hospital monopoly in the nation, has failed for years to meet many quality-of-care goals, leaving some patients afraid of their local hospitals but with no other nearby options.
How Potential Medicaid Cuts Could Play Out in California
By Bernard J. Wolfson
As Donald Trump prepares to reenter the White House with a Republican-controlled Congress, health officials and community advocates in California worry that large-scale Medicaid cuts could be enacted as soon as next year. More than 60% of California’s $161 billion Medi-Cal budget comes from Washington.
Nursing Homes Fell Behind on Vaccinating Patients for Covid
By Sarah Boden
Last winter, only 4 in 10 nursing home residents got an updated covid vaccine. The low uptake leaves a fragile population vulnerable. Some industry watchdogs say it could be a sign of eroding trust between nursing home residents and providers.
Nursing Home Industry Wants Trump To Rescind Staffing Mandate
By Jordan Rau
A Biden administration rule that imposed minimum rules on nursing levels may not survive, even though many homes lack enough workers to maintain residents’ care.
Indiana Hospitals Pull Merger Application After Pushback Over Monopoly Concerns
By Samantha Liss
Two Indiana hospital rivals withdrew their application to merge after facing pushback from the Federal Trade Commission and the public.
Faltan iniciativas de gobiernos rurales para comunicarse con los residentes que no dominan el inglés
By Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez
A pesar de la creciente demanda para que los gobiernos rurales locales se comuniquen con los residentes en idiomas distintos al inglés, los legisladores estatales en Nevada excluyeron a los condados más pequeños de una ley estatal de acceso lingüístico que se promulgó recientemente.