New Report Flags 3 Idaho Hospitals at Risk of Closing

You might be tuning out the news lately and quite frankly, we can’t blame you for needing a break. But chances are you’ve still heard the term ‘Big Beautiful Bill,’ even if you’ve tuned out the news.

According to CBS News, the bill is a massive 887 pages long and touches upon a laundry list of topics including limits on overtime, tip deductions, tax credits, tax deductions, green energy policies, homeland security and Medicaid restrictions.  

READ MORE: Only Four Idaho Hospitals Earn Top Safety Grades for Spring 2025

Those Medicaid restrictions could have a major impact on rural Idaho. Some experts believe that cuts to Medicaid will put the stability of hospitals, especially those in rural areas, at risk. A new report from The Daily Mail says that more than 300 rural hospitals could be faced with the decision to close, convert or stop offering certain services as a result of the cuts.

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In the study that they shared, a rural hospital was labeled “at risk” if they were in the top 10% Medicaid payer mix in the country, experienced three consecutive years of negative total margin or both. 

Using those metrics, three rural Idaho facilities ended up on the list of hospitals that could vanish.

Which Hospitals Are At Risk of Closing in Idaho?

The study in the Daily Mail article was put together by Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research in North Carolina. The three Idaho facilities on their list are:

Power County Hospital District

St. Luke’s Jerome Ltd

Cassia Regional Hospital

The study found its way to an Idaho sub-Reddit where users pointed out that if these hospitals were to close, there could be a healthcare desert between Twin Falls and Idaho Falls. Others were concerned that even if the hospitals were to stay open, the ones that still offer OB services may make the decision end them.

We want to reiterate that the study is simply a list of hospitals that could be at risk under a very specific criteria. The facilities have NOT announced any formal plans to close.