More than 700 rural U.S. hospitals are at risk of closure due to financial problems, with more than half of those hospitals at immediate risk of closure.
The count comes from the latest analysis from the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform, which is based on CMS's October 2024 hospital financial information. The center's analysis reveals two distinct levels of vulnerability among rural healthcare facilities: risk of closure and immediate risk of closure.
In the first category, nearly every state has hospitals at risk of closure, measured by financial reserves that can cover losses on patient services for only six to seven years. In over half the states, 25% or more of rural hospitals face this risk, with 10 states having a majority of their rural hospitals in jeopardy.
The report also analyzes hospitals facing immediate threat of closure meaning financial reserves could offset losses on patient services for two to three years at most. Currently, 364 rural hospitals are at immediate risk of shutting down due to severe financial difficulties.
Below is a state-by-state listing of the number of rural hospitals at risk of closure in the next six to seven years and at immediate risk of closure over the next two to three years.
Alabama
27 hospitals at risk of closing (53%)
23 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (45%)
Alaska
2 hospitals at risk of closing (12%)
1 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (6%)
Arizona
2 hospitals at risk of closing (7%)
1 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (4%)
Arkansas
25 hospitals at risk of closing (54%)
13 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (28%)
California
23 hospitals at risk of closing (40%)
10 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (17%)
Colorado
11 hospitals at risk of closing (26%)
6 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (14%)
Connecticut
2 hospitals at risk of closing (67%)
1 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (33%)
Delaware
0 hospitals at risk of closing
0 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years
Florida
8 hospitals at risk of closing (36%)
5 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (23%)
Georgia
22 hospitals at risk of closing (32%)
11 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (16%)
Hawaii
8 hospitals at risk of closing (62%)
0 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years
Idaho
7 hospitals at risk of closing (24%)
0 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years
Illinois
10 hospitals at risk of closing (14%)
6 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (8%)
Indiana
5 hospitals at risk of closing (9%)
4 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (7%)
Iowa
28 hospitals at risk of closing (30%)
9 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (10%)
Kansas
62 hospitals at risk of closing (63%)
32 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (33%)
Kentucky
14 hospitals at risk of closing (20%)
6 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (8%)
Louisiana
24 hospitals at risk of closing (44%)
12 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (22%)
Maine
10 hospitals at risk of closing (40%)
6 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (24%)
Maryland
0 hospitals at risk of closing
0 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years
Massachusetts
2 hospitals at risk of closing (33%)
2 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (33%)
Michigan
15 hospitals at risk of closing (23%)
7 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (11%)
Minnesota
19 hospitals at risk of closing (20%)
7 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (7%)
Mississippi
34 hospitals at risk of closing (52%)
25 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (38%)
Missouri
22 hospitals at risk of closing (38%)
10 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (17%)
Montana
14 hospitals at risk of closing (25%)
4 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (7%)
Nebraska
4 hospitals at risk of closing (6%)
2 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (3%)
Nevada
5 hospitals at risk of closing (36%)
3 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (21%)
New Hampshire
2 hospitals at risk of closing (12%)
0 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years
New Jersey
0 hospitals at risk of closing
0 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years
New Mexico
7 hospitals at risk of closing (26%)
6 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (22%)
New York
29 hospitals at risk of closing (56%)
20 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (38%)
North Carolina
6 hospitals at risk of closing (11%)
5 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (9%)
North Dakota
13 hospitals at risk of closing (33%)
5 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (13%)
Ohio
5 hospitals at risk of closing (7%)
2 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (3%)
Oklahoma
39 hospitals at risk of closing (51%)
25 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (32%)
Oregon
8 hospitals at risk of closing (24%)
2 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (6%)
Pennsylvania
13 hospitals at risk of closing (30%)
7 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (16%)
Rhode Island
0 hospitals at risk of closing
0 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years
South Carolina
9 hospitals at risk of closing (38%)
5 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (21%)
South Dakota
9 hospitals at risk of closing (18%)
4 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (8%)
Tennessee
19 hospitals at risk of closing (36%)
17 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (32%)
Texas
82 hospitals at risk of closing (51%)
32 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (20%)
Utah
0 hospitals at risk of closing
0 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years
Vermont
8 hospitals at risk of closing (62%)
4 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (31%)
Virginia
9 hospitals at risk of closing (30%)
8 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (27%)
Washington
17 hospitals at risk of closing (38%)
7 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (16%)
West Virginia
12 hospitals at risk of closing (38%)
6 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (19%)
Wisconsin
7 hospitals at risk of closing (9%)
1 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (1%)
Wyoming
6 hospitals at risk of closing (23%)
2 at immediate risk of closing in next 2-3 years (8%)