Senate Republicans are taking Medicaid cuts even further than their House counterparts with legislation that targets hospital payments.

Senate Republicans say they are looking for ways to safeguard rural hospitals from proposed cuts to a key Medicaid funding method, amid concerns from the powerful hospital lobby and others that the budget reconciliation bill could force many facilities to close.

Critics are sounding the alarm about the potential for drastic Medicaid cuts in the new bill from Republicans making its way through the Senate.