Some rural hospitals in California have reached their financial breaking point, a situation that could leave the state with fewer health care providers and force patients in less populated areas to travel longer distances for care. Glenn Medical Center on Monday announced it's closing its Emergency Department on Sept. 30, an update that comes weeks after the center said it would close its clinics and facility on Oct. 21. Southern Inyo Healthcare District faces a similar threat of closure but under different circumstances. The rural hospital reportedly had enough cash on hand to last until this week. Republican Assemblyman David Tangipa told KCRA 3 that while the hospital is now out of money, state and local leaders are working to keep it open.
At least two senior Justice Department officials likely broke court rules governing the conduct of prosecutors by reposting comments President Donald Trump made about Luigi Mangione, the man accused of assassinating the CEO at UnitedHealthcare, a federal judge said Wednesday. Judge Margaret M. Garnett said in an order that the officials probably violated a local rule limiting what prosecutors can say publicly about the guilt or innocence of a defendant before a trial. On Sept. 18, Trump went on Fox News and called Mangione 'a pure assassin.'
Storms carrying heavy rain and damaging winds ripped part of the roof off a hospital in eastern Oklahoma on Tuesday afternoon, forcing some patients to be evacuated, according to county officials. The Northeastern Health System hospital in Sallisaw had to evacuate around nine patients after a small section of its roof was peeled off, leaving part of the facility soaked, said Brad Taylor, Sequoyah County’s Emergency Management director. No injuries had been reported, he said
We looked at five recent urban hospital closures across the country. All five of these hospitals struggled financially prior to closure. And representatives from these hospitals told us that their financial condition was a key factor that contributed to their closure. For example, one hospital had filed for bankruptcy three times within the 5 years leading up to its eventual closure.
Healthcare in the United States is becoming increasingly consolidated—raising concerns that decreased competition could increase costs or reduce quality or access. The consolidation trend includes physicians, who have left or sold their private practices to partner with or work for hospitals, health insurers, and corporate entities.
Attorney General Phil Weiser this week issued an opinion approving a proposal that would make Estes Park Health hospital part of the UCHealth system, finding that the transaction will not result in a material change to Estes Park Health hospital's public purpose and that Coloradans will not experience a reduction in the availability and accessibility of health care services in the communities the hospital serves.