COVID-19 is pushing struggling rural hospitals to the brink By Megan Cerullo N95 masks rationed despite growing supply
Hospitals in rural communities across the U.S. have long faced financial woes, with dozens of cash-strapped facilities closing over the past decade. But COVID-19 is threatening to close many more small hospitals in less populated regions, threatening the quality of care for millions of Americans.
A recent report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office concluded that more than a quarter of rural hospitals faced significant financial distress even before the pandemic, forcing them to potentially pull back on offering health care services or even to close down. Executives at rural hospitals that have managed to stayed afloat since the coronavirus struck credit their survival to federal support and other financial aid that has enabled them to continue operating.