Hundreds of hospitals in rural America are in danger of closing because they can no longer afford to stay open, according to the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform (CHQPR). The main reason: Insurance companies pay them much less than their big city counterparts for the same services. For example, in Trinity, TX, just 90 miles north of Houston, Mid-Coast Medical Center recently had to shutter because of this imbalance. The CHQPR report indicates 742 rural hospitals are at risk of closing, with over 300 of those being classified as being at "immediate risk." The CBO reports that Republicans' proposed cuts to Medicaid could leave more than 8.5 million people uninsured, forcing even more rural hospitals to close. Link: CBO Analysis