Times Union
There are no dentists in Hamilton County.
There are no OB-GYNs, either. And only one pediatrician, located in the far southeast corner of the county, according to a report from the state comptroller’s office.
The report, published this month, examines 16 rural counties containing just 3.8% of the state’s population but over 37% of its land mass. Despite fewer than 750,000 people inhabiting these counties, doctor-patient ratios can fall well below recognized guidelines, creating “an alarming lack of access to basic care,” the report says.
Access to health care is especially concerning in light of the federal law passed in July known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” due to cuts to eligibility for Medicaid and New York’s Essential Plan that could impact rural hospitals, the study asserts.
It’s not a new issue, according to David Armstrong, project director at the Center for Health Workforce Studies, a research center at the University at Albany. The center issues an annual report on where physicians go to work after completing residencies in New York. While the number staying in New York has gradually increased — from 45% in 2015 to 52% in 2024 — the number planning to practice in underserved areas remains small, at 16%, and in rural areas even smaller, at 4%.