News · Press Release

Virginia Hospitals and Health Clinics Are Reeling Because of Jen Kiggans and Rob Wittman

Virginia hospital and health care leaders continue to make clear that Jen Kiggans’ and Rob Wittman’s bill is gutting Medicaid and eliminating access to care across the Commonwealth. 

A rural hospital official told the Virginia Mercury that the Kiggans and Wittman-backed cuts are “pretty scary,” and the Cardinal News reported that the recent closure of three Virginia health clinics “could foreshadow things to come for more of rural Virginia.” 

Read some of the latest reporting for yourself:
  • Ballad Health’s chief operations officer Eric Deaton characterized the forthcoming challenges as “pretty scary.” He predicts Ballad could lose around $25 million in the first year the reconciliation bill’s hospital funding changes take effect. Ballad is one of the few hospital chains to have a footprint in rural areas.
  • With uninsured people less likely to seek preventative care, they are more apt to wait for emergencies to get help. That care becomes costlier; hospitals may absorb it for a time but will likely have to find ways to offset costs.
  • The newly created federal Rural Health Transformation Fund stands to make matters a little better, but Ballad government affairs manager Stacey Ely said it’s inadequate to offset the damage done by Congress’ reconciliation bill. […] “I think it’s a little bit misleading to say that this is going to save rural hospitals,” Ely said. “It’s a $50 billion plug for a $300 billion hole.”
  • Virginia U.S. Reps. Rob Wittman, R-Westmoreland, and Jen Kiggans, R-Virignia Beach, had joined a letter in opposition to versions of the bill before ultimately voting for it.
  • The Churchville practice is one of three closures announced by Augusta Health in early September. The health system has also closed a primary care practice in Buena Vista and an urgent care clinic in Weyers Cave.
  • Churchville patients are urged to go to the health system’s practice in Verona, an additional 10 miles from Churchville. […] But while 10 miles may not seem like a lot, it can be in a rural area, said a Virginia legislator who has studied the commonwealth’s delivery of rural health care.
  • Augusta Health has pointed to decreased revenues from Medicaid because of the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act as one reason for the closings.

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