access to obstetric services

Hospitals Shedding OB Services

Hospitals are closing down their obstetric services at an alarming rate – especially rural hospitals. According to a recent study: In eight states, more than two-thirds of rural hospitals do not offer OB services. In 2022, the majority of rural hospitals in three states – North Dakota, Oklahoma, and West Virginia – did not offer OB services. More than 40 percent of rural hospitals ended their OB services between 2010 and 2022 in Pennsylvania, South Carolina, West Virginia, and Florida. Between 2010 and 2022, only three states – Delaware, Utah, and Vermont – saw no termination of OB programs. During [...]

Federal Health Policy Update for July 10

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for July 4-10. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services CMS has posted an FAQ on inpatient hospital reviews with an emphasis on short hospital stays and its MAC Targeted Probe and Educate (TPE) program. Find that FAQ here. Department of Health and Human Services HHS has rescinded a 1998 interpretation of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) that extended certain federal public health care benefits to illegal residents. Among the health [...]