Economics
The Political Economy of Healthcare Access in Rural Communities
Quick fact
Between 2010 and 2021, over 130 rural hospitals in the United States closed, and more than 30% of the remaining are at risk of closure, primarily because of low patient volumes and financial pressures from low reimbursement rates.
Why this is interesting
Why is it that, in one of the wealthiest countries on Earth, rural hospitals are closing at an alarming rate? Could the answer lie in how we structure political and economic incentives?