The Flex Monitoring Team has published a new brief comparing the characteristics of communities served by Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) predicted to be at high risk of financial distress to communities served by all other CAHs. Using data from 2017, the Financial Distress Index (FDI) model assigns CAHs to high, mid-high, mid-low, or low predicted risk levels for 2019 using Medicare cost reports and Neilsen-Claritas data summed to market areas.
CAHs predicted to be at high risk of financial distress were found to serve communities with significantly higher percentages of non-White individuals (Black individuals in particular), lower high school graduation rates, higher unemployment rates, and worse health status.