More than 14 million people got health coverage through Medicaid because of the Affordable Care Act. That was a boon for rural hospitals, who traditionally serve patients who are poor and don't have health insurance.
Despite the seeming collapse of efforts to repeal the law this week, rural hospitals continue to watch nervously as some Republicans, including the president, say they still want to take down the law.
In Kentucky, hospitals provided $2.4 billion worth of "uncompensated care" in 2012. Three years later, it was $786 million. The 67 percent drop came after more than 400,000 people got health coverage through Medicaid.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell notes that rural hospitals are already in trouble. The Kentucky Republican says crafting a bill that wouldn't harm them would be very challenging.