Concerns over a Nebraska hospital show how a $50B rural health fund is coming up short

[Omaha Steve]

https://flatwaterfreepress.org/concerns-over-a-nebraska-hospital-show-how-a-50b-rural-health-fund-is-coming-up-short/

By Margery Beck and Ali Swenson
April 8

CREIGHTON (AP) — Rick and Jane Saint John chose to live in Creighton for one main reason: Its hospital.

The couple has a child with nonverbal autism and epilepsy who requires up to three hospital visits a week. And Creighton’s critical access hospital has been a lifeline for Jane: Not only is she employed there, but three years ago, doctors saved her life when she contracted bacterial pneumonia. If she had waited another day for care, doctors said, her organs would have begun to shut down.

“And if we had had to drive the hour to the Yankton (South Dakota) hospital,” Rick Saint John said, his voice breaking with emotion, “it could have cost her her life.”

So the Saint Johns were shocked to hear that Avera Creighton Hospital faces financial peril. A $50 billion government fund meant to transform rural health care will do little to help. It’s a problem that millions of Americans in rural areas are awakening to as they realize there’s no windfall coming for the vulnerable hospitals near their homes.

FULL story at link above.


The CEO of Creighton's Avera Creighton Hospital, Theresa Guenther, argues her hospital is not in danger of closing, but conceded that Medicaid cuts will be painful. Associated Press photo/Margery A. Beck