rural hospitals

These hospitals receive more than $3 million in federal money a year., but the catch is there are zero inpatient beds. .The Florida Legislature recently passed a bill that to create a category of “rural emergency hospitals" and help keep facilities open.

The measure stems from a federal law that allowed the designation of rural emergency hospitals and made them eligible for Medicare payments.

Supporters say the measure would help ensure access to health care in rural areas. It comes after 15 other states have approved designations of rural emergency hospitals.

Many hospitals are shuttering their obstetrics units because insurance and Medicaid aren't reimbursing enough to cover the cost of births, the report notes.

The expansion of Catholic hospitals nationwide leaves patients at the mercy of the church’s religious directives, which are often at odds with accepted medical standards.

Under the measures, facilities designated as rural emergency hospitals could provide emergency services, observation care and outpatient services that do not exceed an average length of stay of 24 hours.

The bill would create a category of “rural emergency hospitals," with backers saying it would help increase access to health care in the state's underserved areas. A companion bill is under debate in the Senate.

The proposal would create a new category of “rural emergency hospitals” in Florida, with backers saying it would help increase access to health care in rural areas.

A new rural hospital payment model shifts the focus of services away from overnight stays to outpatient and emergency care. Still, experts say the law needs to be amended to provide the right mix of care for rural communities.

Some rural hospitals are in such bad shape, they're selling for next to nothing. One company is snapping several distressed or closed hospitals in rural Tennessee, hoping to turn a profit.