In 2022, the Bipartisan Policy Center reported that 20% of the nation’s rural hospitals—441 out of 2,176—are currently facing three or more financial risk factors that put them at risk of service reduction or closure. Several pieces of legislation are currently underway to shield rural hospitals from these financial pressures, including the American Hospital Association-supported Rural Hospital Support Act, which would address economies of scale for rural hospitals via the prospective payment system.
Even as the hospital says it's on the way to having sound finances, Borough Park residents and the officials who represent them are asking whether the hospital will survive through the end of this year, let alone until the next decade.
A growing number of hospitals are outsourcing often-unprofitable outpatient services for their poorest patients by setting up independent, nonprofit organizations to provide primary care. Medicare and Medicaid pay these clinics, known as federally qualified health center look-alikes, significantly more than they would if the sites were owned by hospitals.
Fulton County's top official said Thursday the announced closing of Atlanta Medical Center was "shocking" to him, because he had been in close contact with WellStar officials over changes at a hospital in East Point - and they never mentioned anything about Atlanta to him.
With fresh paint on the walls, new equipment, and wiring, this hospital in western Tennessee is ready to provide care again. This is one of a handful of hospitals Braden Health has bought and rebuilt. They started this process in 2020 and take profits from their other hospitals to buy and rebuild more.
The 'BBB' rating is primarily driven by weak balance sheet metrics and financial profile due to multiple years of low operating cash flow generation that fell short of levels needed to prevent significant cash deterioration in 2020 and 2021.