Senator Charles Schumer was in Norwich yesterday to announce new legislation to help rural hospitals. The Rural Hospital Access Act of 2017 will provide funds to assist hospitals in small communities as the federal government plans for cuts to Medicare and Medicaid. Schumer says many smaller hospitals rely on the two programs to pay for day-to-day operations, like Chenango Memorial in Norwich. The hospital is facing $20 million in cuts from the two health programs by 2027, despite being the only hospital in the county.
