Some Colorado lawmakers craft plan to provide millions to providers that serve under, uninsured
Rural healthcare in Colorado is on life support. The Colorado Hospital Association says half of the state's rural hospitals are operating in the red, and two behavioral health facilities and two obstetrics programs in rural Colorado recently announced they're shutting their doors.
A new study by the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform finds that 10 rural hospitals here are so cash-strapped, they're in danger of closing.
Located on the western edge of the San Luis Valley, Rio Grande Hospital serves one of Colorado's poorest communities. A total of 70% of its patients are on Medicare and Medicaid, meaning the hospital loses money on seven in ten patients who walk through its doors.