Medicaid cuts hurt rural hospitals - KNOE 8 News; KNOE-TV; KNOE.com |

RAYVILLE, La. (KNOE 8 News) - The $859 million slash in Medicaid funding is potentially devastating for rural healthcare facilities.

In the cuts, the state is eliminating its two main support funds to these hospitals. Richardson Medical Center Administrator James Barrett says this will mean a complete transformation in his facility.

"Rural hospitals will have to totally change the way...they're providing care, and those payments will have to be allowed for in the operation," says Barrett, "That's what we are looking at right now."

Although the medical center believes it can survive the cuts, health care providers aren't the only ones suffering. One resident says it would be a physical and fiscal imposition if her local health clinic were to shut their doors.

"I don't need to be leaving, going different places trying to find another place to take the kids to see the doctor," says Sharon Whitfield of Rayville, "When we've got local facilities here it helps us out and it serves a good purpose. When you got lots of kids and you got to pay for gas to get where you going, it's very difficult."

Administrators at the Richardson Medical Center aren't exactly sure how they are going to make up for the loss, but the ensure to patients that quality healthcare is not at risk.