On this West Virginia Morning, across Appalachia, and even rural America more broadly, hospitals are closing. Faced with increasing costs and aging, sicker and poorer patients, health care systems are consolidating their services, and in the process, increasing travel times for patients seeking specialized and emergency care. Freelance reporter Mason Adams recently dug into the impacts these changes are having on Appalachian communities in a story for In These Times. He spoke with 100 Days in Appalachia’s student editor Kristen Uppercue about his reporting.
Also on today’s show, the future of fracking for natural gas will be a key campaign issue in 2020, which is one reason President Trump has twice visited western Pennsylvania to promote the industry this year.
But 90.5 WESA's Chris Potter reports the issue can fracture coalitions in both parties.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from West Virginia University, Concord University, and Shepherd University.
