Rural hospitals need support

Across the United States, many rural hospitals are being forced to close or scale back services and Illinois faces the same crisis. Nearly half of rural hospitals are losing money, leaving more than 400 facilities nationwide at risk of closure.

When a rural hospital shuts down, the effects go far beyond losing a few inpatient beds. Communities lose access to emergency departments, obstetric care and mental health services, worsening already dangerous “care deserts.”

Congress has created tools to help. One key option is the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation, which provides monthly payments and enhanced reimbursement for outpatient care — helping facilities stay open 24/7.

Still, if Medicaid reimbursement remains unstable and hospitals lack support to transition into the REH model, closures will continue. These shutdowns not only delay emergency care and lengthen ambulance travel times but also eliminate major local employers, straining families and rural economies.

As a nurse in an emergency department, I see every day how minutes can mean the difference between life and death. I urge you to:

· Protect and stabilize Medicaid reimbursements that rural hospitals depend on.

· Expand support for REH implementation through workforce programs and grants.

· Improve behavioral health access via telepsychiatry and school-based programs linked to rural hospitals.

People living in rural Illinois deserve the same access to stroke, cardiac, maternity and crisis care as those in larger cities. These are fundamental health and safety needs. Please continue working across party lines to ensure rural hospitals can remain open and serve the communities that depend on them.

Emma VanZuiden

Palatine