About one in eight rural hospitals could wind up closing in the coming years due to ongoing financial pressures, according to a new study by iVantage Health Analytics. Its analysis of more than 2,200 rural facilities concluded that 283 are at risk for closure. The study cited a variety of factors for its vulnerability, including the decision of many states not to expand Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act, and reimbursement cuts linked to the federal sequestration law. Altogether, the potential closures could restrict care access for 700,000 Medicare patients, reduce gross domestic product by $10.6 billion and cost rural communities 86,000 jobs. Read the full article at FierceHealthcare