The next few years will likely bring challenges to Northern Kentucky’s health care landscape as new federal policies change the economic outlook. Health professionals across Greater Cincinnati gathered Tuesday to discuss the problems and possible solutions as part of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce’s monthly "Eggs ‘N Issues" forum.
In Northern Kentucky health care, rising costs and increasing inaccessibility remain a critical issue, especially for rural areas. In some of these places, there’s the possibility of local hospital closures, as upcoming policy changes threaten their existence.
Lori Ritchey-Baldwin, chief financial officer at St. Elizabeth Healthcare, said through different impact studies they estimate 20-30 hospitals or health care systems throughout Kentucky will close. This is partially due to Medicaid cuts included in the “Big Beautiful Bill,” or HR 1, that Congress passed last year.
Ritchey-Baldwin said this is not a political point, but rather a real concern as the hospitals’ margin of operation is expected to decrease beginning in 2027.
Lisa Cooper, senior analyst in government relations at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, said the shift toward remote health care can help soften the blow of these policy changes in rural communities. Telehealth visits can expand rural patients’ ability to receive consistent care from their homes, even when a hospital is farther away.
Cooper said after surgery, follow-up visits can be done from rural patients' homes to save on travel costs and possible discomfort. This also has the potential to help with rising costs.
“We are hoping that with technology and with these virtual opportunities, that will obviously be a factor in not only providing quality care but also bringing some of the costs under control,” Cooper said.
The rise in health care costs means increasingly patients can’t afford care and hospitals rely on insurance companies for reimbursement. Ritchey-Baldwin said better communication between insurers and medical providers would help reach agreements on rates that would work for both parties. Conversations up until now have led to stalemates that push back decisions.
“The game of chicken takes place and the folks caught in the middle are employers and patients,” Ritchey-Baldwin said. “But health care systems have to do what they need to do, and the same with the insurers.”
Another challenge is the workforce. The number of people going into the health care sector is decreasing year by year. Cooper said they are constantly hiring for positions and see a potential shortage of physicians — and caps on student loans are part of the reason why.
Starting July 2026, graduate students will be capped at $100,000 in lifetime federal loans. Professional students, including doctors, will be capped at $200,000. Cooper said it sounds like a lot but really isn’t enough.
“Most people come out of medical school with $300,000 [to] $400,000 worth of loans, and that's not even for top private med schools,” Cooper said.
She said though there are lots of challenges, every community leader and business owner can help advocate for solutions alongside professionals.
“We need your voices in Frankfort,” Cooper said. “We need your voices in D.C. to come together with us so that it's not just us coming and asking for more money. It's you all advocating for the system so that we can work together.”
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