U.S. Hospital Closures Outpace Openings in Rural and Urban Communities
Researchers found 432 hospital closures and 216 openings from 2010 to 2025, with losses concentrated in small, for-profit and safety-net facilities.
- On Thursday, a Harvard study published in JAMA revealed that urban and rural hospitals are closing at similar rates, disproportionately affecting communities with high poverty and limited transportation options.
- Harvard researchers analyzed data from 2010 to 2025, finding 432 hospital closures and 216 openings, resulting in a net loss of over 24,000 beds as closures increased by 4% year over year.
- Thomas Tsai, associate professor of health policy and management at the Healthcare Quality and Outcomes Lab, said, "Our data show it's a national problem," emphasizing the need to protect access for vulnerable communities.
- The "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" is projected to cut federal Medicaid spending by $886.8 billion over the next decade, while Congress created the Rural Health Transformation Program with $50 billion in grants.
- Of the hospitals that closed, about 73% shut down completely, while new hospital openings decreased by 3% year over year, indicating worsening healthcare access across The United States.
18 Articles
18 Articles
Urban, rural hospitals closing at similar rates, study finds • West Virginia Watch
Urban hospitals are closing at roughly the same rate as rural ones, and the shuttered hospitals are more likely to have served communities with high poverty rates and fewer transportation options, according to a new study published Thursday in the journal JAMA.
U.S. hospital closures outpace openings in rural and urban communities
More hospitals across the U.S. are closing than opening, and urban hospitals are closing at the same rate as rural ones, according to a new study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Urban, rural hospitals closing at similar rates, study finds • Oklahoma Voice
Urban hospitals are closing at roughly the same rate as rural ones, and the shuttered hospitals are more likely to have served communities with high poverty rates and fewer transportation options, according to a new study published Thursday in the journal JAMA. Researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health analyzed hospital closures and […]
Nebraska Examiner
Urban, rural hospitals closing at similar rates, study finds
Urban hospitals are closing at roughly the same rate as rural ones, and the shuttered hospitals are more likely to have served communities with high poverty rates and fewer transportation options, according to a new study published Thursday in the journal JAMA. Researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health analyzed hospital closures and […]
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