Harry Severance, MD warns that almost 800 U.S. hospitals are now at extreme risk of closure—a number that keeps rising with each new report. Many of these facilities serve as the sole lifeline for rural and disadvantaged communities, yet face crippling challenges: inadequate reimbursements, staff shortages, and selective underpayment to certain hospital settings.
Severance draws a sharp analogy to the Titanic disaster—leaders aware of looming dangers but distracted by other priorities, assuming the system is “too big to fail.” He cautions that ignoring these warning signs could push the nation’s healthcare infrastructure toward a similar fate, leaving millions without access to essential care.