Proposed cuts would harm rural health care

Nebraska hospitals have a North Star that guides them. Wherever a patient lives in Nebraska, they deserve access to quality care. We must work to ensure our health care providers do not have to choose between financial survival and delivering lifesaving care.

Unfortunately, congressional leadership in Washington has signaled that large cuts to health care services are currently being considered, including major cuts to the Medicaid program.

Medicaid is a major source of health care coverage for Nebraskans in rural areas. Nearly half of all Nebraskans enrolled in Medicaid live in rural counties. These cuts pose severe threats to Nebraska patients and hospitals, particularly in rural communities.

Rural communities need accessible health care to stay strong. Medicaid is essential for protecting hospitals and other critical services in rural Nebraska. Mental health, EMS, home health, hospice, long-term care for older patients and delivering babies for young families are just a few examples of the care delivered in Nebraska.

Medicaid crucial

In our rural hospitals, Medicaid pays for 26% of all emergency room visits, 33% of all births, 43% of all behavioral health services and 44% of all services provided to minor patients.

Rural hospitals are operating on razor-thin margins. The financial picture for Nebraska’s rural hospitals has not improved in recent years, and many are still struggling to operate in the black. In Nebraska, 54% of rural, independent critical access hospitals are operating at a loss. The average operating margin was only 1.4% for rural hospitals, well below a sustainable operating margin.

These tough financial conditions have forced more than 20% of Nebraska hospitals to reduce or eliminate services in the past two years – vital services like labor and delivery and behavioral health.

Federal health care cuts would harm rural hospitals in Nebraska that are already struggling to stay open. Rural hospitals and patients need meaningful support from lawmakers.

Razor-thin margins

Medicaid is crucial for providing health coverage to children and families in rural and small communities, ensuring access to essential health care. In fact, 55 of Nebraska’s rural counties surpass the state’s average Medicaid enrollment. If lawmakers want to do more than pay lip service to retaining labor and delivery care, behavioral health and senior care in Nebraska, they must protect programs like Medicaid.

We need Nebraskans to speak up and stop these cuts to health care that will dismantle the hospital safety net and destroy access to care in rural communities. Please act today! Visit ProtectRuralHealthCare.com to make your voice heard.

Jeremy Nordquist is president of the Nebraska Hospital Association. Nordquist served in the Nebraska Legislature from 2009 to 2015 and as a chief of staff in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2015 to 2020.