Rural hospitals in crisis

Cash-strapped rural hospitals are waiting for state lawmakers to approve some $60 million in federal funding to ease financial constraints that worsened during the pandemic. At the end of August, Arkansas’ 15-member American Rescue Plan steering committee recommended approval of the state Department of Human Services’ request for the money that would be funneled to hospitals at risk of closing within months, or even weeks. Bo Ryall, Arkansas Hospital Association president and CEO, joins Capitol & Scott host Lara Farrar to discuss the ongoing challenges rural hospitals are facing in Arkansas and what it would mean for the state’s health-care system should such facilities have no choice but to close.