While the oil boom may be good for the overall economy of North Dakota, it has been taking a heavy financial toll on healthcare providers in the region.
The New York Times reports that the area’s medical facilities are being inundated with uninsured patients, resulting in unpaid medical bills, leaving the hospitals in serious debt.
The article states McKenzie County Hospital has seen its debt climb by more than 2,000 percent over the past 4 years to $1.2 million, according to the hospital’s CEO Daniel Kelly.
The Times also cites Darrold Bertsch, president of the state’s Rural Health Association, as saying the 12 medical facilities in western North Dakota saw their combined debt rise by 46 percent during the 2011 and 2012 fiscal years, and expenses at those 12 facilities increased by 15 percent.
McKenzie County’s Kelly has asked the state to give the region’s hospitals low-interest loans to borrow money for facility improvements, according to the article.
While aides to Gov. Jack Dalrymple said he has increased Medicaid financing for rural hospitals and is proposing to spend $68 million on a new medical school and $6 million on a nursing program, the Times reports.
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