ICYMI: Husted-Backed Medicaid cuts put rural Ohio hospitals on chopping block

ICYMI: Husted-Backed Medicaid cuts put rural Ohio hospitals on chopping block

September 9, 2025

Eleven Rural Ohio Hospitals are At Risk of Closing as Medicaid Cuts Take Effect

Historic Medicaid cuts backed by Senator Jon Husted have put rural hospitals in Ohio at risk of closing, according to new reporting from the Athens Post.

According to the report, at least two hospitals are already at risk of closing and many others are "being forced to eliminate parts of the services they provide" in Southeast Ohio, which has the highest rates of Medicaid recipients than any other part of the state.

See for yourself:

The Athens Post: Medicaid cuts pose potential threats to rural Ohio hospitals

• President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act was signed into law July 4 and includes major cuts to Medicaid, according to a report by the Associated Press.

• Though these cuts will take time to fully roll out, many worry about potential hospital closures in the near future. Hospitals in rural areas are specifically at risk.

• The Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill conducted research and sent a letter informing Senate Democrats of the effects the funding cuts could have on rural hospitals.

• Two hospitals located in Southeast Ohio, the Holzer Medical Center in Jackson County and Southern Ohio Medical Center in Scioto County, were named on the list.

• Counties in Southeast Ohio tend to have higher rates of Medicaid recipients than other regions of the state, according to a 2023 study from Georgetown University.

• Political commentator Lisa Parker resides in Jackson County and commented on the impact these cuts will have on the local community.

• "A lot of these people, I don't think, have grasped what's keeping their family afloat are benefits that are being cut, and they're going to feel these cuts next fall," Parker said.

• According to an Associated Press article, around 10 million people are expected to lose their health insurance as a result of this bill.

• Marjie Shew, a farmer in Morgan County, said more people will be uninsured, sharing what she thinks the impact of the cuts will be on the local community members who are on Medicaid.

• "Those people die sooner," Shew said. "That's basically what happens, they don't get the attention they need until they're debilitated."

• Cronin mentioned an additional concern for potential closures of rural hospitals. He noted that many businesses in local communities can stay open because a hospital is their biggest employer.

• "If we lose these hospitals that are anchors to their community, the entire community shifts," Cronin said. "There are less job opportunities, there's less money in the economy. And I really think it's important to look at the entire community effect when we lose something as important as a hospital."

• Cronin also stated that even without closures, many rural hospitals are being forced to eliminate parts of the services they provide. He specifically mentioned the maternity desert crisis in Ohio, a trend where hospitals are suspending labor and delivery to stay open.

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