Oklahoma State Representative Advocates For Rural Hospitals Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

An Oklahoma state representative is pleading for federal and state assistance for rural hospitals struggling to stay open during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The CEO of Eastern Oklahoma Medical Center in Poteau said funding for the rural hospital was already a concern and describes COVID-19 as a breaking point.

State Representative Lundy Kiger serves LeFlore County. He said the EOMC in Poteau was forced to furlough about 50 staff members because it had to stop surgeries.

"Not being allowed to do elective surgeries, it reduces the hospital's revenue by 80 percent," Kiger said.

But EOMC CEO Bob Carter said rural hospital funding issues have been going on for years in Oklahoma.

Carter said a recent report in Becker's Hospital Review estimates 354 rural hospitals in the US are at risk of closing, 28 of those are in Oklahoma.

"We're number one in the nation as far of number of hospitals," said Kiger.

Kiger said because the state did not expand Medicaid, and many insurance companies don't reimburse rural hospitals at the same rate as the larger hospitals, it's crippled hospitals across the state.

He said the COVID-19 pandemic has made everything worse.

"We're beating the drum to the governor to not forget the rural hospitals," Kiger said.

Kiger hopes the state will give some money it gets from federal stimulus funding to their hospital and to other rural hospitals.

The Governor's Office tells us the CARES Act gave the state $1.5 billion which they are asking for flexibility to use the money where it's needed the most in Oklahoma.

They said rural hospitals have been great partners in the pandemic and they're committed to making sure federal money goes to them.

Governor Kevin Stitt said elective surgeries can start back up on Friday.