SC rural hospital asks legislators to enact safety net in preparation for Medicaid cuts

By: Jessica Holdman

Outlets: South Carolina Daily Gazette

Published: March 13, 2026

Words: 1,132

Last Updated: 1 week ago

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With cuts to Medicaid payments looming, one rural South Carolina hospital is asking legislators to ensure they have alternatives should finances turn dire.

Allendale County Hospital is financially stable and not at risk closure. But if payments from government-funded health care programs were to dip too far, the independent hospital wants to be ready just in case, said CEO Lari Gooding.

The potential answer: A new Medicaid provider designation called a “rural emergency hospital.” Amid …

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