William J. Rothwell

State College

The so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act that passed the Trump Congress is a wrecking ball aimed squarely at rural Pennsylvania. By curbing federal support for Medicare and Medicaid, this legislation has put local hospitals under even greater strain–and the Republican members of Congress who voted for it have abandoned the communities they swore to represent.

According to the Center for Healthcare Quality & Payment Reform, more than one in four rural hospitals in Pennsylvania (26%) are at risk of closing, with nearly 1 in 10 facing immediate danger. Over the last two decades, Pennsylvania has already seen dozens of rural hospitals either close entirely or cut vital services, reducing access to care in the communities that need it most. Analysts also warn that scaling back Medicaid support could threaten coverage for hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians, putting both patients and hospitals at risk.

These hospitals are often the only lifeline within miles–the largest employer in town, the first responder in an emergency and sometimes the only source of care within reach. Yet MAGA-aligned lawmakers sided with special interests over seniors’ lives and local livelihoods, parroting the lie that this bill would not harm Medicare or Medicaid.

This law isn’t fiscal prudence–it’s callous neglect. Rural seniors now face longer drives for medical care, dwindling local access and the very real possibility of hospitals shutting their doors. That vote was not an act of responsibility. It was the sound of a death knell for Pennsylvania’s rural communities.