Federal Budget Could Push Rural Health Care in PA to the Brink
- In May 2025, the U.S. House approved a federal budget plan by a single vote that proposes Medicaid reductions approaching $800 billion over ten years, along with updated eligibility requirements.
- The proposal arose amid concerns over rising costs in rural hospitals and disagreements between Pennsylvania senators about Medicaid's future funding and policies.
- Over 3 million people in Pennsylvania rely on Medicaid, including more than 737,000 recipients in rural areas where the population tends to be older and more dependent on publicly funded insurance programs; these individuals face potential loss of coverage, putting their access to healthcare at risk.
- Pennsylvania hospitals absorb an 18-cent loss per Medicaid dollar, have reported operating losses and service reductions, and experts warn increased uninsured patients will raise uncompensated care burdens.
- If enacted, the cuts could force rural hospitals to scale back or close services, worsen emergency department overcrowding, raise insurance costs, and strain local economies and health systems.
17 Articles
17 Articles
Federal budget bill could strip 300_000 Pennsylvanians of Medicaid coverage_ push rural hospitals to the brink
This story was produced by the State College regional bureau of Spotlight PA, an independent, nonpartisan newsroom dedicated to investigative and public-service journalism for Pennsylvania. Sign up for Talk of the Town, a weekly newsletter of local stories that dig deep, events, and more from north-central PA, at spotlightpa.org/newsletters/talkofthetown. HARRISBURG — President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful” budget bill could have a disastrous …
Dire warning: Proposed Medicaid cuts could close rural hospitals
The more than $700 billion in proposed cuts to Medicaid could be devastating to Pennsylvania’s hospitals, health care experts and advocates continue to warn. Major cuts to Medicaid funding could significantly increase uncompensated care, potentially leading to reduced services and staffing, or hospital closures, especially in rural areas. More than 3.1 million Pennsylvanians –- roughly […]
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President Donald Trump’s policy agenda would make deep cuts in government health plans and medical research, and, critics say, could also make finding a doctor more difficult. The Republicans’ major domestic policy bill restricts loans that students rely on to pursue professional graduate degrees, making the path to becoming a physician harder even as doctor shortages loom and the American population is graying.
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President Donald Trump’s policy agenda would make deep cuts in government health plans and medical research, and, critics say, could also make finding a doctor more difficult. The Republicans’ major domestic policy bill restricts loans that students rely on to pursue professional graduate degrees, making the path to becoming a physician harder even as doctor shortages loom and the American population is graying.
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