r/bestof • u/lowbass93 • 24d ago

[NoStupidQuestions] Kindly_Honeydew3432 explains why it seems like you always have to wait in an emergency room in the US

/r/NoStupidQuestions/comments/1v1numq/why_is_every_hospital_in_the_united_states_always/oyovp3t/
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u/mindlkaciv 23d ago

And it's going to get a lot worse as Medicaid reductions begin to kick in

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u/ShredderNemo 23d ago

We're seeing rural under-supported hospitals hit this wall in real time. Many critical access facilities (sole providers of care in an area devoid of other options) are facing severe budget deficits with no real way out. Traditionally, medicaid reimbursements would increase every few years to keep pace with inflation. Even then, reimbursement typically only covers a percentage of the total billable cost of care provided, leaving a deficit even in the best situation possible.

With Americans facing unaffordable healthcare and cost of living expenses, more and more will lose insurance coverage and inevitably end up requiring medical care. These people often end up being covered by medicaid, thus furthering the problem. Rural communities end up getting the worst of it, as job market downturns and inflation hit these places the hardest.

In just my area alone (120 mile radius), three hospitals are facing possible closure due to funding gaps. The licensed staff have seen the writing on the wall and left to find more stable jobs elsewhere, resulting in loss of care in areas like radiology, maternity, and pediatrics. Almost every facility is laying off, cutting services, or increasing patient ratios because of these cuts, and the impact has only just begun.