CAPITAL REGION, NY (WRGB) — A new report released by the State Comptroller’s Office examined the challenges in healthcare shortages in 16 rural New York counties, including here in the Capital Region.
The report shows there are alarming shortfalls in primary care, pediatrics, obstetricians and gynecologists (OBGYN) doctors, dentists, and mental health practitioners.
Several counties reported having no pediatricians or OBGYNS at all.
The rural counties examined were Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chenango, Delaware, Essex, Franklin, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, Schuyler, Steuben, Sullivan, Washington, Wyoming, and Yates.
Ten of the sixteen rural counties covered in this report are federally designated as Health Professional Shortage Areas for primary care, dental, and mental health; all 16 counties examined have shortage designations for at least two of these fields of medicine.
On average, the 16 counties have four primary care physicians per 10,000 people; that’s a ratio that is less than half that of the state.
There is roughly one OBGYN physician for every 23,000 people in several of the counties. Hamilton, Herkimer, Schuyler, and Yates counties have no OBGYN physicians at all.
When it comes to staffing and recruiting, the report shows that the limited number of providers and physical facilities in New York’s rural counties presents an additional barrier to recruiting healthcare professionals.
According to the report, not all counties have hospitals or rural health clinics; those that do operate with support from the federal government.
Reductions in Medicaid and the Essential Plan were recently made in the enacted federal budget bill, ‘Big Beautiful Bill’; those cuts could exacerbate the issue, potentially forcing some rural hospitals and clinics to close.
Under a new federal program, $10 billion will be allocated to rural hospitals, clinics, and health centers in communities around the country from 2026 to 2030. However, not all states that apply are guaranteed funding.
To read the full report, click here.