In Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, Eric Halfen stands on the deck built by his father, watching as strangers sift through the belongings of his family home. An auction is underway, featuring items ranging from board games to the house itself. Eric grew up in this home, where his father, Terry Halfen, personally constructed the foundation and laid the bricks. After Terry was diagnosed with cancer in late 2023, Eric returned home to care for him.

Terry was receiving treatment at Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, which abruptly closed last year, resulting in the loss of nearly 1,400 jobs. The city called for a state investigation, labeling the closure as "abrupt and devastating," but no investigation was initiated. Eric noted, "It caused doctors to leave the area. They didn’t have the proper doctor to do the procedures." As a result, Eric faced long drives to hospitals farther away, sometimes totaling six hours in a single day, to be with his father.

In June, the family brought Terry home, but he passed away just 48 hours later. Eric expressed that had Sacred Heart remained open, it could have made a significant difference in his father's care. While he cannot definitively say it would have extended Terry's life, medical professionals have reported worsening conditions and even deaths linked to the closure of local hospitals.

On the same day Sacred Heart closed, St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chippewa Falls also shut down due to financial issues. With only four major hospitals in the region, the loss of two has sent shockwaves through the community and surrounding rural areas.

This situation reflects a broader national crisis, as hospitals across the country are closing. A new wave of Medicaid cuts could exacerbate this trend. The recent legislation proposed by the Trump administration aims to cut nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid funding over the next decade, claiming it will eliminate wasteful spending and create a $50 billion fund for rural hospitals. However, many health experts argue that this funding is insufficient. Over the past decade, nearly 100 rural hospitals have closed or reduced inpatient services, jeopardizing healthcare access for over 16 million people in rural areas who depend on Medicaid.

The financial strain on rural hospitals is severe, with many operating on thin or negative margins. A representative from Hospital Sisters Health System, which owned the closed hospitals, stated that the decision to close was "one of the most difficult and heartbreaking decisions." The representative cited challenges such as shrinking margins, workforce shortages, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Brady Didion, a family physician who previously worked at St. Joseph's, described the consequences of the closures. "People missing out on care, people having delayed care, diagnoses weren’t made," he said. He now practices at a rural hospital 50 miles away and continues to feel the effects of the closures. The remaining hospitals are overwhelmed, leading to delays in critical patient transfers.

Chippewa Falls Fire Station Chief Jason Thom highlighted the challenges faced by emergency services. With St. Joseph’s closed, transport times for critical patients have increased, often exceeding an hour. "It could be detrimental to the patient because we can do a lot of things; however, we can’t do everything," Thom said.

Inside the remaining hospitals, the strain is evident. One local hospital has converted its ambulance garage into a triage area due to overflow. Waiting rooms and patient rooms are consistently full. Paramedics report that patients are waiting longer to call 911, resulting in more severe conditions by the time they receive care.

Brooke Sommerfeld, a paramedic, noted, "They’re more sick when we see them. And so you’re kind of watching them… decompose almost in the back of the ambulance when you have them. It’s overwhelming." The community is grappling with the fallout from the hospital closures, as access to timely medical care becomes increasingly difficult.