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Small-Town Patients Face Big Hurdles as Rural Hospitals Cut Cancer Care - KFF Health News

KFF Health News
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84% Informative

For rural patients, getting cancer treatment close to home has always been difficult.

382 rural hospitals halting services from 2014 to 2022 , report says.

Texas led that list, with 57 rural hospitals cutting the service by 2022 .

Rural patients are less likely to survive at least five years after a cancer diagnosis compared with their urban counterparts.

The next-nearest infusion center in this sprawling region is an hour or more away, which discourages some patients from seeking care.

The federal 340B drug discount program provides “a huge kickstand for rural hospitals,” one expert says.

“I’m from the country, so small is better — it’s just more personable,’ says Dennis Woodward , 69 , who lives in Woodson , Texas .