No.
Kansas ranked second nationally for rural hospitals at risk of closing, with 58 of its 100 hospitals considered at risk.
Texas led with 84 hospitals, according to an October 2026 report. Proportionally, Kansas ranked seventh, with 58% of its rural hospitals at risk.
Researchers used the most recent data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to identify hospitals that lost money while serving patients and lacked reserves to sustain those losses for more than six to seven years.
Nationwide, 698, or 31%, of rural hospitals are at risk of closing.
The report identified 260 hospitals, about 12%, at “immediate risk.” These providers lack reserves to sustain losses for more than two to three years. Kansas ranked third by number and sixth proportionally, with 21 of its 100 hospitals listed.
Researchers cite insurance underpayments, cuts to Medicaid and mounting operational costs as primary financial pressures on rural hospitals.
This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
KLC Journal partners with Gigafact to produce Fact Briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. Read our methodology to learn how we check claims.
Sources
- Center for Healthcare Quality & Payment Reform Rural Hospitals at Risk of Closing
- The Journal Cleaned Data Set — Rural Hospitals
- KFF How Might Federal Medicaid Cuts in the Enacted Reconciliation Package Affect Rural Areas?
- Commonwealth Fund Why Rural Hospitals are Facing a Funding Crisis — and How it Could Get Worse
Jessica Pearce is a Report for America corps member and covers civics in Kansas for The Journal.
This story previously appeared on The Journal.
Copyright 2026 High Plains Public Radio.
