Closure of Community Health Center Leaves Rural Patients in Distress

Wed Nov 19 2025 15:48:05 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The closure of the Ammonoosuc Community Health Services in Franconia, New Hampshire, has left many residents, especially elderly patients, facing significant challenges in accessing healthcare services, following cuts in Medicaid funding.

The closing of the Ammonoosuc Community Health Services in Franconia, New Hampshire, after decades of operation, has raised concerns for local patients, particularly the elderly and those with serious health conditions. The decision, attributed to federal Medicaid cuts, forces approximately 1,400 patients to travel further for care, impacting their relationships with healthcare providers and raising fears of increased health issues. Community leaders express anxiety over the future of rural healthcare in the wake of this closure.

FRANCONIA, N.H. (RTWNews) — For over 20 years, Susan Bushby, a 70-year-old housekeeper from Franconia, New Hampshire, cherished the short drive to her community health center, a place where she felt at home. Last month, however, Ammonoosuc Community Health Services permanently closed its doors, affecting the small tight-knit community of around 1,000 people.

The health center was not just a medical facility; it was a crucial part of the residents' lives, offering warm connections among patients and staff who celebrated their milestones together. The staff knew each patient's name and formed bonds that extended beyond health care.

Now, patients find themselves at least 10 miles away from the nearest health center, which is posing challenges for the nearly 1,400 patients, many of whom are elderly or have serious health challenges such as cancer and dementia. The emotional fallout was palpable as Bushby expressed her heartache over the relocation, stating, 'I just really like it there. I don’t know, I’m just really going to miss it.'

Officials have pointed to Medicaid cuts as a major factor leading to the center's closure. Experts are warning that the financial struggles facing community health centers are indicative of broader issues within rural health care systems. With more than 100 hospitals closing over the last decade and many more at risk, rural patients are increasingly vulnerable.

The fallout from the closure is significant, especially for families like that of Marsha Luce, who worries about the repercussions for her husband’s health needs. She expressed concerns about longer wait times and losing trusted relationships with care providers. 'It’s a relationship that you can talk to people and you tell them something,' Luce lamented, recognizing the depth of connection that comes from long-term healthcare.

Beyond individual stories, the closure signifies a troubling trend in rural health care, as community health centers are essential in providing care for uninsured individuals and those who cannot afford care. Many community health centers operate on slim margins, with nearly half reported having less than 90 days’ cash on hand.

Ed Shanshala, CEO of Ammonoosuc, indicated that the decision to close had financial necessity behind it, requiring a $250,000 savings given the funding shortfalls. 'To have to pull out of a community is devastating on a relational level,' he reflected on the emotional toll of the closure. 'We’ll help them with transportation, but it’s clearly a grieving process.'

As residents grapple with the closure and its implications, many express concern that this may signal the beginning of a series of health care losses in their community. On the last day of operations, there were no celebrations; instead, a bittersweet atmosphere lingered as patients said goodbye to a place that had been central to their wellbeing for years.