Governor Kelly’s statement on the Oswego Community Hospital closure
The following statement is from Governor Laura Kelly regarding the closure of Oswego Community Hospital:
“Once again, we see the consequences of failing to expand Medicaid. Another Kansas hospital, this time in Oswego, has closed its doors. Studies show about 30% of our state’s hospitals are considered financially vulnerable. In small communities across our state – these facilities are at serious risk of closure.
“Just by expanding KanCare – the state’s Medicaid program – we can help keep these important facilities open and provide affordable health care to 150,000 more Kansans – no matter where they live. It is time to put politics aside and do what is best for the families and communities of Kansas.
“I look forward to legislators following through on their pledge to move our agenda through the committee process and allow for a full floor debate on our Medicaid expansion proposal.”
Sad what are people going to do? You have people do not drive, elderly and one’s do not travel. Baby boomers retiring wanting to move back to home towns. Smaller community’s are losing hospitals before you know it, less people living there.
Moving back to a small town, let alone one in Kansas, seems quite unwise for the foreseeable future. I grew up in Fort Scott, visited Oswego for school events, loved going to Scammon to eat at Josie’s.
The last time I visited, I was shocked at the general state of these towns. There are many reasons why people leave and never come back, or move to Johnson County or Wichita instead of their small towns. Life doesn’t seem to move forward in small Kansas towns; instead, it seems to want to hang on to yesterday without ever considering the negative impacts that stagnation has on a community.
It’s heartbreaking, but small town Kansas – understand that the way things are going isn’t working for you. Make necessary changes to the culture of these small towns, or I fear they will continue to wither into obscurity.