Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government Millions of Americans are receiving healthcare that rivals Third World standards. Vast regions of the country have seen medical services evaporate over the past decade. Hospitals have closed, doctors have left, and pharmacies have been forced into bankruptcy. In this series,Ā Dried Up: America’s Medical Deserts, theĀ Washington ExaminerĀ will investigate what happened to these now barren terrains. Without adequate access to a hospital, primary care center, OBGYN, or other specialized medical services, the health of an estimated 30 million people is put in jeopardy.
When Michael Meit’s wife went into labor 19 years ago in northwestĀ PennsylvaniaĀ , the first-time father white-knuckled the five-minute drive to the closestĀ hospital , Bradford Regional Medical Center, a busy 109-bed facility. The drive felt like it took forever, and he was a nervous wreck the entire time. Had his wife gone into labor in 2022, that ride would have been much longer. The Meits would have been forced to cross the county line and travel more than 20 miles in inclement weather to have their baby…
