Democrats in the U.S. Senate opposed to a budget bill passed by House Republicans say proposed cuts to Medicaid could put hundreds of rural hospitals at risk of being closed.
The bill would cut nearly $800 billion from Medicaid over the next decade by adding stricter work requirements for adults.
A University of North Carolina study commissioned by Senate Democrats says those cuts would put 35 rural hospitals across Kentucky in danger of closure, the largest amount of any state.
A letter from Democrat Senators to the President says those hospitals include:
- Whitesburg ARH in Whitesburg
- Highlands Regional Medical Center in Prestonsburg
- UofL Health - Shelbyville in Shelbyville
- T.J. Samson Community Hospital in Glasgow
- St. Claire Medical Center in Morehead
- Middlesboro ARH in Middlesboro
- Spring View Hospital in Lebanon
- AdventHealth Manchester in Manchester
- Bourbon Community Hospital in Paris
- Harlan ARH in Harlan
- Deaconess Henderson Hospital in Henderson
- Saint Joseph Mount Sterling in Mt. Sterling
- Tug Valley ARH in South WIlliamson
- Owensboro Health Twin Lakes Medical in Leitchfield
- Baptist Health Corbin in Corbin
- Clark Regional Medical Center in Winchester
- Baptist Health Madisonville in Madisonville
- The Medical Center of Albany in Albany
- Three Rivers Medical Center in Louisa
- Kentucky River Medical Center in Jackson
- T.J. Health Columbia in Columbia
- Pineville Community Health Center in Pineville
- Marcum & Wallace Memorial Hospital in Irvine
- Our Lady of the Way in Martin
- Casey County Hospital in Liberty
- Carroll County Memorial Hospital in Carrollton
- The Medical Center at Caverna in Horse Cave
- Fort Logan Hospital in Stanford
- Mary Breckinridge Hospital in Hyden
- Jane Todd Crawford Hospital in Greensburg
- Barbourville ARH Hospital in Barbourville
- Saint Joseph Berea in Berea
- Russell County Hospital in Russell Springs
- McDowell ARH in McDowell
- Fleming County Hospital in Flemingsburg
Gov. Andy Beshear opposed the cuts during his regular media briefing Thursday, saying it would be devastating to the state’s hospital system. Medicaid covers around half of Kentucky’s children, and 70% of seniors’ long-term care costs.
A statement from the Kentucky Hospital Association to WEKU says they endorse the bill as it stands. The association says the bill protects the state’s Medicaid program, and that patients won’t be able to access Medicaid services if it doesn’t pass the Senate.
