Latest news with #CommunityHospital
Yomiuri Shimbun
14-07-2025
- Health
- Yomiuri Shimbun
A Clinic Blames Its Closing on Trump's Medicaid Cuts. Patients Don't Buy It.
CURTIS, Nebraska – The only health clinic here is shutting down, and the hospital CEO has blamed Medicaid cuts in President Donald Trump's signature legislation. But residents of Curtis – a one-stoplight town in deep-red farm country – aren't buying that explanation. 'Anyone who's saying that Medicaid cuts is why they're closing is a liar,' April Roberts said, as she oversaw lunch at the Curtis Area Senior Center. The retirees trickling in for fried chicken and soft-serve ice cream will be hit hardest when the clinic closes this fall, Roberts fears. Seniors who sometimes go in multiple times a month to have blood drawn will have to drive 40 miles to the next nearest health center. Sick people, she worries, will put off checkups and get sicker. Arriving for lunch, retired Navy veteran Jim Christensen said he'd read an op-ed that 'tried to blame everything on Trump.' 'Horse feathers,' he said, dismissing the idea. Curtis has become an early test case of the politics of Trump's agenda in rural America, where voters vulnerable to Medicaid cuts in Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill' law are reluctant to blame the president or congressional Republicans who approved it. Many people in Curtis have directed their frustration at their hospital system instead of their representatives in Washington. Democrats and health care advocates are pointing to the town – population 806 in the last census – as a first casualty of Republicans' health care overhaul. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and others have referred to the town on social media as a model of what's to come for rural hospitals around the country. Close to half of rural hospitals nationwide already lose money, and analysts expect Trump's tax and spending law to add more strain. Community Hospital, the nonprofit that runs the clinic known as the Curtis Medical Center and a couple of other facilities in the region, plunged into the center of that national story when it announced on July 2 – one day before the bill's passage – that a confluence of factors had made its Curtis outpost unsustainable. It cited years-long financial challenges, inflation and 'anticipated federal budget cuts to Medicaid,' the public health insurance program for lower-income and disabled Americans. On Thursday morning, 73-year-old Sharon Jorgensen was scared the clinic had already shut its doors: She called and couldn't get someone to pick up. She needed a blood draw, so she went to the health center to see if someone was still there. It was open, after all. And now staff had a date for the closure. 'We have until Sept. 30,' Jorgensen told another local, 63-year-old Jo Popp, on her way out of the small brick building. 'I have to find a doctor. I don't have a doctor!' Popp would have to start taking a day off work for checkups, because of the drive. But she said she would try to follow the clinic's nurse practitioner – one of three people on staff – wherever she went. 'She knows us,' Jorgensen said. 'Right,' Popp said. 'She listens to us.' The clinic has been here longer than many people in town can remember, and people are struggling to make sense of the shutdown. The changes coming for Medicaid are complicated, and some won't take effect for years, which makes the timing even harder for residents to understand. Many know that Trump's bill will impose work requirements for Medicaid recipients, which seems reasonable to them, and some think – inaccurately – that the legislation was designed to end Medicaid coverage for undocumented immigrants. (An earlier version of the bill penalized states for using their own funds – separate from Medicaid – to insure the undocumented; that provision was stripped from the final bill on a technicality). Community Hospital was already losing money, and officials said they are trying to make sure they remain financially viable for the 30,000 people they serve throughout their facilities. But the timing of their decision to announce the Curtis closure has stoked suspicions in the town, leaving some residents convinced their health provider was using the president as a scapegoat. Popp, a three-time Trump voter, thought the president was cutting wasteful spending and didn't think he caused the closure. Jorgensen, a registered Republican who never voted for Trump, was frustrated that so few of her neighbors believed the Medicaid cuts played a role. 'They're huge Trumpers … and so it doesn't matter what he does – there's an excuse for it,' Jorgensen said. The retired corn and cattle farmer was used to being the odd one out in Frontier County, where 86 percent of the vote went to Trump last fall. One of those Trump supporters walked out of the clinic. 'My heart's good,' he told Jorgensen. 'Yay!' Jorgensen said. Trump repeatedly promised this year that he would not cut Medicaid. He expanded the GOP tent to include more low-income voters without college degrees, and some Republicans warned that any reduction in benefits would undercut their pitch that they are the new party of the working class. But Trump and Republican lawmakers needed to offset some of the enormous cost of the tax cuts, deportations and other campaign promises in their tax and spending law. So they turned to Medicaid. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has estimated that about 12 million people will lose health coverage because of the law, which is nonetheless projected to add trillions to the federal debt over the next decade. Republicans say that changes like work requirements will reduce fraud and ensure Medicaid is available for those it was originally intended to serve, including pregnant women and the disabled. But researchers warn those requirements will create onerous paperwork that, in practice, will prevent eligible people from getting their benefits. Other changes in the law will disadvantage the vast majority of states that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, according to hospital groups and policy analysts, and will reduce payments to rural hospitals by reining in a financing mechanism they have long relied on to boost federal funds. KFF, a nonpartisan health policy research organization, estimates the bill would cause federal Medicaid spending in rural areas to drop by $155 billion – more than the $50 billion lawmakers set aside in the legislation to shore up rural hospitals. It's not fully clear how that $50 billion will be divided, adding to providers' uncertainty. Community Hospital declined to comment in detail on its financial picture but said in a statement that 'to ensure long-term sustainability, we must prioritize what lies ahead.' 'They're projecting where they're going to be at over the next couple of years, and if it's between jeopardizing the hospital or closing down a clinic, they're going to close a clinic,' said Jed Hansen, the executive director of the Nebraska Rural Health Association, who expects about 100,000 Nebraskans to lose health care as a result of the law. Rural health care facilities run on thin margins to serve small communities in far-flung locations. And they tend to have more patients on Medicaid, many of them self-employed farmers, small business owners and seasonal workers more likely to need public insurance. Hospital groups and executives have warned that some rural hospitals that long operated at a loss won't be able to stay open much longer, now that the Medicaid cuts have been voted in. Nationwide, far more people oppose Trump's bill than support it in polling, and Democrats hope the legislation will cost the GOP control of the House in the 2026 midterms. Even in Curtis, some unease at the Medicaid cuts is percolating. 'I'm not in agreement with this bill,' said 61-year-old Brenda Wheeler, a Republican who voted for Trump in 2016 but then soured on him and sat out last year's election. She was thinking about changing her registration to independent, upset at the cuts to Medicaid. 'When we talked about making America great again, I don't think this is what we all had in mind,' she said, as she stopped by the clinic. Down the road on the town's main street lined with American flags, Kerri Kemp said she didn't like the Medicaid cuts either. The 47-year-old got Medicaid coverage after Nebraska voters chose to expand eligibility for the program in 2018, adopting an optional part of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. But it was hard to document all her work as a bartender, county worker and rancher, and recently she'd struggled to submit the paperwork. Now she is uninsured. Work requirements could make it harder to qualify when they take effect in 2027, just after the 2026 midterms. But Kemp, a lifelong Republican and Trump supporter, doesn't hold that against Trump and suggested he might change course. 'I really think he's gonna do something,' she said. Sitting at his desk across the street – next to a miniature Trump head and a small red punching bag labeled 'Obama stress reliever' – Curtis Mayor Brad Welch called Community Hospital's comments on federal funding 'irresponsible.' 'I don't think the signing of the 'Big Beautiful Bill' had one thing to do with the closure of this clinic,' Welch said. Community Hospital officials said they had tried to find another group to take over the clinic, without luck. But the city administrator, Andrew Lee, was still hopeful. Roberts, the senior center director, wondered if a hospital 40 miles to the north could be persuaded. 'Maybe we need to talk to Andrew about really going and schmoozing them and trying to get them to come down here,' she told a senior who stopped by the counter to get some fried chicken to take home. 'Do something,' the woman echoed. 'I mean, it's really too bad.'
Medscape
11-07-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Mini-Invasive Surgery Eases Hemorrhoid Pain Fast
At a recent session of the National Academy of Surgery, experts highlighted that minimally invasive techniques are playing an increasingly central role in proctologic surgery. Béatrice Vinson-Bonnet, MD, visceral and digestive surgeon at Poissy-Saint-Germain-en-Laye Community Hospital, noted that treatment for hemorrhoidal disease has advanced significantly, moving away from traditional hemorrhoidectomy toward less invasive, technology-driven procedures. 'Thanks to advances in technology, all surgical approaches now aim to be as minimally invasive as possible,' said Vinson-Bonnet. 'However, before considering surgery, we prioritize medical treatment for hemorrhoidal disease — addressing intestinal transit disorders, particularly constipation, and educating patients on proper bowel habits.' Surgery is considered only when these measures fail to provide relief. Until the 2000s, hemorrhoidectomy was the primary surgical treatment for hemorrhoidal disease. Since then, less painful alternatives have emerged, including nerve blocks and stapling all designed to avoid external incisions and reduce postoperative pain and recovery times. One such option is the pudendal nerve block, which involves anesthetizing the pudendal nerve using a long-acting agent. This provides 12-24 hours of postoperative pain relief following hemorrhoid surgery. However, stool passage over the surgical site can still cause significant discomfort between days 3 and 10, and complete healing may take 6 weeks, Vinson-Bonnet noted. In 1998, Antonio Longo, MD, colorectal surgeon from Italy, and director of the European Centre for Coloproctology and Pelvic Diseases in Vienna, Austria, introduced stapled hemorrhoidopexy. This surgical technique uses a circular stapler to remove a circumferential ring of rectal mucosa above the hemorrhoids, repositioning prolapsing internal hemorrhoids to their normal anatomical position. 'Although innovative, stapled hemorrhoidopexy has been linked to serious complications and is now often replaced by a simpler technique that uses an anoscope to locate and ligate small rectal arteries,' said Vinson-Bonnet. According to Vinson-Bonnet, these techniques are limited to internal hemorrhoids and are not appropriate for large external hemorrhoids and do not allow the removal of large external hemorrhoids, often caused by thrombosis, particularly after childbirth in women. Another drawback is recurrence, with symptoms returning to up to 20% of patients within 2 years. 'Thermofusion, which uses microwave energy to completely dry out internal bleeding, is an emerging technique. While still under evaluation, it is already being used in clinical practice,' she added. 'Other recent methods, such as radiofrequency — and, more rarely, laser — are also employed,' said Vinson-Bonnet. Professor Émilie Duchalais, MD, PhD, digestive surgeon at Nantes University Hospital in Nantes, France, presented recent developments in minimally invasive treatment for fecal incontinence. She leads clinical and translational studies on this condition at the Institute of Digestive System Diseases. 'Sacral neuromodulation and Botox are two techniques mainly reserved for patients with fecal incontinence,' Duchalais explained. These are considered second- or third-line treatment options and are used only when medical treatment or rehabilitation has failed. Sacral neuromodulation involves stimulating nerve roots near the sacrum, which engage in sphincter control and rectal sensitivity. 'Five to 10 years after implantation, long-term improvement is seen in 50%-70% of patients,' said Duchalais. A major advantage of this method is that it allows a trial phase. Electrodes are temporarily implanted at the targeted site, enabling patients to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment over 2-3 weeks. 'If the patient experiences at least a 50% reduction in incontinence episodes during this period, the device is permanently implanted. The system, similar to a pacemaker but placed in the buttocks, typically remains in place for at least 5 years, depending on the battery life,' she said. 'Urologists commonly use Botox to treat overactive bladder. Botox works by blocking acetylcholine, preventing muscle contractions, and reducing urinary leakage. In the rectum, Botox has a similar effect — blocking muscle activity and nerve signals to improve control in patients with fecal incontinence,' Duchalais noted. Although effective, Botox provides only temporary relief. 'Its effects typically last 6-9 months. However, a recent study showed that after 5 years, patients required injections only once every 3 years on average,' she added. Another approach currently under investigation is fat injection. 'Researchers are studying autologous fat injection into the anal sphincter as a potential treatment for urge incontinence. The technique aims to restore sphincter tone by harnessing the regenerative potential of stem cells found in fat tissue.' A clinical trial led by Rennes University Hospital, Rennes, France, is evaluating this method, and the early findings are promising. However, this approach remains experimental,' said Duchalais.
Chicago Tribune
10-07-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Hammond teen charged in Gary woman's murder
A Hammond teen was charged with murder Wednesday in a woman's death. Jack A. Marcardo, 19, is charged in the July 7 shooting death of Danielle Ellis, 30, of Gary. A potential motive is not clear in charging documents. No witnesses appear to have seen the shooter and it is not on camera. Court filings do not yet show a lawyer. He is in custody, held without bond. Hammond Police estimated Ellis was shot around 1:30 a.m. They arrived at the 5400 block of Haywood Avenue, finding her shot in the upper torso and lying on a sidewalk. She was taken to Community Hospital, before she was transferred to the University of Chicago Medical Center where she was pronounced dead just after 5 a.m. A man said he and his female relative went to Gary around 11 p.m. or 12 a.m. to pick Ellis up to hang out at their Hammond home. Somewhere during the evening, Ellis and the man got into an argument. The man and Ellis went for a walk. Along the way, he heard gunshots and Ellis fell down, an affidavit states. Meanwhile, the man's relative said she wanted to leave at some point and told his little brother to come with her as she went driving to look for them. Someone was riding a bike on the 900 block of State Street. She heard a gunshot and saw the man trying to aid Ellis. A witness told police they saw a blue Divvy bike abandoned nearby after the shots were fired. Police found two casings by the bike. Witnesses said they saw Jack – a friend of the man's little brother – on a bike in the area when the shooting happened. A witness said Jack was armed with an AR-style rifle that evening, charges state. Police went to Marcardo's mother's home, who said her older son – not Jack – rode that bike. The elder son hadn't been home for two weeks, she said. She didn't mention Jack and refused to let officers inside her home. A video showed a man running around the corner from where the shooting happened. The bike was found abandoned there. Police executed a search warrant July 8, where they arrested Jack. He refused to talk with police. Anyone with more information can contact Hammond Police Detective Sgt. Dan Mohoi at 219-853-6490.
CBS News
06-07-2025
- CBS News
4 wounded in 2 shootings in East Chicago, Indiana
Four people, including a 12-year-old boy, were injured in a pair of shootings Friday night in East Chicago, Indiana. Police said both shootings happened around 9 p.m. In the first shooting, officers responded to a call of shots fired in the 400 block of Vernon Street. Police said there was a disturbance during a large party in the alley, and someone fired a weapon into the crowd. Three adults were shot and taken to St. Catherine Hospital for treatment. The crowd at the party refused to cooperate with police and would not give officers any information on the shooter. In the second shooting, officers responded to Community Hospital in Munster, after a 12-year-old boy was brought in with a gunshot wound to the shoulder. The boy's family told detectives they were outside lighting fireworks in the 5000 block of Baring Avenue, when the boy complained of pain, and started bleeding from his shoulder. The family took the boy to the hospital, where doctors discovered he'd been shot. Witnesses said they didn't hear any gunfire in the area, and believe the boy was hit by a stray bullet. Anyone with information on either shooting is asked to contact Detective Miguel Pena at 219-391-8318 or mpena@ Anonymous tips can be provided at 219-391-8500.
Gizmodo
04-07-2025
- Health
- Gizmodo
Trump's ‘Big Beautiful Bill' Is Already Hurting Health Care Facilities
The U.S. House made it official Thursday, passing the so-called Big Beautiful Bill in a vote of 218-214. The bill, hailed by President Donald Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson, is projected to strip at least 17 million people of health insurance over the next decade and add $3-4 trillion to the national debt. And while there are plenty of predictions about what the massive cuts to Medicaid will do to hospital systems around the country long term, we won't have to wait too long to see the impact. Medical providers are already slashing jobs and closing clinics. The bill will create about $930 billion in cuts to Medicaid, something that President Trump and his Republican cronies insist won't happen. But health care providers are telling a different story, with one clinic in rural Nebraska blaming its closure on the plans for Medicaid. Community Hospital in Curtis, Nebraska, is closing its doors according to a new report from local TV station KLKN. 'Unfortunately, the current financial environment, driven by anticipated federal budget cuts to Medicaid, has made it impossible for us to continue operating all of our services, many of which have faced significant financial challenges for years,' Community Hospital CEO Troy Bruntz said in a statement to the news outlet. A study by the University of North Carolina, commissioned by Senate Democrats, found that 338 rural hospitals will be at risk of closing thanks to the GOP bill. But it's not just rural hospitals already feeling the pinch. Two of San Diego, California's largest medical providers announced layoffs in the last week. UC San Diego Health is laying off 230 workers and cited 'mounting financial pressures' as a result of 'federal impacts to health care,' including poor reimbursement rates for Medicare and Medicaid, in a memo seen by the San Diego Union Tribune. Sharp Healthcare, San Diego County's biggest provider, also announced it was laying off 315 employees who will work through early September. Executives at Sharp are also taking pay cuts, with CEO Chris Howard asking the board to cut his pay by 25%, according to the San Diego Union Tribune. Bea Grause, president of the Healthcare Association of New York State told the Times Union that hospitals are going to feel this. 'It's a fiscal pandemic,' Grause said. 'Medicaid is an important funder for all hospitals, and so it will financially hurt almost every hospital across the state of New York—and hospitals are central to the economy of each community. That's what the average New Yorker should be concerned about.' Many Americans probably don't even know they're on Medicaid, given the fact that each state administers its own program and has a different name for it. In California it's called Medi-Cal, in Massachusetts it's called MassHealth, and in New Jersey it's called NJ FamilyCare. But people also don't seem to understand that Medicaid helps hospitals pay for things that help everyone more broadly and pulling the rug out from under them will have ripple effects. The Congressional Budget Office estimates 11.8 million people will lose Medicaid coverage between now and 2034, according to the Washington Post, but the bill also abolishes other subsidies for the Affordable Care Act that the CBO estimates will dump another 4.2 million people. Another 1 million on top of that will lose their coverage because of other health provisions in the bill, bringing the grand total to somewhere around 17 million people over the next decade. When people lose their health insurance it doesn't mean that they're not going to need help. As Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, a Democrat from Nevada, pointed out during a virtual roundtable this week, these cuts will 'devastate health care in Nevada,' and people will go to the ER after they get sick enough. 'More people now are going to be showing up in our emergency rooms with acute care because they now have lost the health care that they need to even provide preventative care for them,' Cortez Masto said, according to the Nevada Current. The Republicans insist that Democrats are just fear-mongering and that nobody is going to lose their Medicaid coverage. Some Republicans will admit that people are going to get stripped of their health insurance, but they insist it's all about fighting 'waste, fraud, and abuse.' We'll see how many people who lose their health care in the coming years feel when they're simply dubbed fraudsters.
