As Kentucky’s health care systems braces for billions of dollars in Medicaid cuts over the next several years, hospitals and providers are discussing how to move forward while still keeping Kentuckians healthy. Earlier this week, the Mobile Healthcare Association held its national conference in Louisville, where providers pitched mobile clinics as a way to get preventative care into communities that might feel Medicaid cuts the most.
Byron Gabbard, the chief financial officer for Appalachian Regional Healthcare, operates 14 hospitals across eastern Kentucky and West Virginia, and in many counties it is one of the biggest employers. Gabbard said the company is facing a $1 billion shortfall over the next decade as federal Medicaid cuts fall into place. He said he sees ARH expanding more into mobile clinics to fill health care voids.
“It really starts with the implementation of the One Big Beautiful Bill in 2027,” Gabbard said, referring to some Medicaid-specific portions. “We’ve got to find out what’s next and … I do think mobile plays a big, big role in that.”…