Sustaining Safety Net Providers

The Need

Regional hospitals already operate on narrow margins. As thousands lose Medicaid coverage, dramatically increased uncompensated care threatens financial viability. The critical goal is preventing service reductions and closures that would impact everyone in the community—not just those who lose coverage.

The Solution

Provide direct financial support that allows providers to continue serving newly uninsured residents without facing institutional crisis that forces service eliminations.

What This Could Look Like

• Direct payments to providers for documented care to residents who lost Medicaid coverage, including emergency visits, outpatient procedures, and prescriptions
• Regional charity care pool serving providers across all 17 towns with standardized eligibility and shared administration
• Payments to visiting nurse associations for aging residents who lost Medicaid coverage, maintaining ability to remain safely at home
• Financial stabilization support to prevent closures or service reductions that would eliminate healthcare access for the entire community

Why This Works

Directly addresses financial sustainability crisis, prevents service reductions or closures that harm everyone, allows providers to maintain care regardless of insurance status, and creates cost savings through prevention. Most importantly, it helps keep healthcare infrastructure intact and accessible to the entire community.