MICHAEL CASEY, AMANDA SWINHART and DEVI SHASTRI.

Fall foliage colors the scene near the Community Church, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025, in Sugar Hill, N.H., a rural area where the closure of a community health center is leaving residents without nearby medical care. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

What to know about the impacts Medicaid cuts are having on rural health care

Medicaid cuts are being blamed for the closure of a community health center in New Hampshire’s White Mountains. This leaves residents, many of whom are elderly or have serious health issues, without nearby medical care. They now face longer drives to access services. The closure reflects broader financial struggles faced by rural health centers across the U.S. due to Medicaid cuts and rising insurance costs. Officials warn that more rural hospitals could close, affecting access to health care for low-income and uninsured patients. The community is concerned about losing long-standing relationships with health care providers and the impact on local health care access.

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Employees at Ammonoosuc Community Health Services pack up the reception office as the clinic closes for good, Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, in Franconia, N.H. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

For people in this New England mountain town, a health center’s closure leaves unanswered questions

Medicaid cuts are being blamed for the closure of a community health center in New Hampshire’s White Mountains. This leaves residents, many of whom are elderly or have serious health issues, without nearby medical care. They now face longer drives to access services. The closure reflects broader financial struggles faced by rural health centers across the U.S. due to Medicaid cuts and rising insurance costs. Officials warn that more rural hospitals could close, affecting access to health care for low-income and uninsured patients. The community is concerned about losing long-standing relationships with health care providers and the impact on local health care access.

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