Black women in rural communities are increasingly at risk as obstetric services decline due to hospital closures and reduced Medicaid funding. Limited access to specialists, long travel distances and policy changes are worsening maternal health outcomes, with Black mothers already facing disproportionately high mortality rates. Lawmakers are proposing legislation to expand Medicaid support, while doulas and community-based care providers are stepping in to help fill critical gaps.
Tag: Rural Hospitals
Posted inHealth
Medicaid cuts in Republicans’ spending bill threaten rural hospitals, disaster preparedness
The 47th president’s spending bill is preparing to slash Medicaid, putting millions of Americans at risk of losing health insurance and threatening the survival of rural hospitals that rely on Medicaid reimbursements. Experts warn that the cuts, combined with reductions to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding, could leave rural communities less equipped to handle both everyday emergencies and natural disasters.