Hospital Beds Are Decreasing - And Republicans Want To Make It Worse

 

Researchers have determined that the availability of hospital beds is decreasing. Between 2009 and 2019, the hospital occupancy rate was 63.9%. By 2024, the rate had risen to 75.3%. It is estimated that by 2035 the occupancy rate will reach 85%.

An 85% rate is deemed to be a shortage, because medical officials say at that rate "basic hospital operations can become dysfunctional and even unsafe".

The reason for the decrease is two-fold - an increase in the number of senior Americans (who require more hospital care than you're people) and hospitals that are closing their doors and going out of business.

This is especially true in rural areas, where many hospitals are having trouble meeting their expenses - and many are closing each year.

Sadly, the Republican in Congress are planning to make things worse - not better. How? By making a huge cut in Medicaid funding. In the bill under consideration, they want to cut Medicaid by more than $800 million. 

This would be devastating for many hospitals, especially in rural areas. These hospitals rely on Medicaid to provide the money they need to keep operating. Without the Medicaid money, they will have to close.

And it won't be just rural hospitals that will be hurt. The rural people will have to then travel to urban areas to get hospital treatment. That will decrease the number of hospital beds available in urban areas.

It is critical for everyone's medical care that hospitals everywhere remain open. That means it is critical to maintain Medicaid funding at the present level (or increase it).

NOTE - Republicans are now considering a continuing resolution to keep the government open. While that would avoid the draconian cuts to Medicaid they want, it would include smaller cuts to it. And it would just delay the larger cuts until September. That's not a solution.