A potential debt ceiling breach could have severe consequences for the healthcare system, Barron's reported May 12 .
If the government is unable to pay its debts, it's possible payments to Medicare and Medicaid could stop immediately. Hospitals and practices with small reserves, or highly dependent on government payers, may be forced to cut hours or cancel elective procedures, according to Barron's report.
The effect would be especially pronounced for rural hospitals that depend on government payers, according to the report.
A May report from Moody's rated the likelihood of a debt ceiling breach at 10 percent.
Though the likelihood of a debt ceiling breach is low, it is likely still causing hospital leaders anxiety, Louis Imbrogno, CFO of Bariatric Centers of America, told Barron's. He noted that hospitals' response to the situation would likely depend on how much cash they have on hand.
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