Oregon giving out $37 million to preserve rural maternity care. Hospitals still worry about closures
The one-time aid combines $15 million in state money with more than $22 million in federal matching funds, officials said.
- Oregon will distribute $37.5 million in state and federal funds to 21 rural hospitals providing maternity care, with the Oregon Health Authority allocating payments based on each hospital's 2026 Medicaid patient counts.
- Federal legislation known as H.R. 1, or the "One Big Beautiful Bill," is projected to reduce support for Oregon's Medicaid program by roughly $11 billion over five years, threatening the financial stability of rural maternity providers.
- Hospitals like Wallowa Memorial plan to use payments for staff retention and medical equipment; CEO Dan Grigg said the funds "will help us for now," though the one-time assistance cannot solve long-term operating deficits.
- Ashley Thirstrup, Oregon Health Authority chief of staff, acknowledged the constraints of the one-off investment, stating "I don't think we're thinking this hole is going to be plugged by these dollars alone."
- Officials plan to tap the Rural Health Transformation Fund to pilot expanded care models including midwifery and neonatal telehealth, aiming to sustain maternity services as federal program changes take effect next year.
19 Articles
19 Articles
Oregon giving out $37 million to preserve rural maternity care. Hospit
Nearly two dozen Oregon rural hospitals will receive $37.5 million in state and federal funds to shore up labor and delivery care ahead of Medicaid cuts going into effect next year, though state and hospital officials say the one-time funds are likely a limited solution. The program, which was greenlit by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services last month, combines $15 million in state dollars with more than $22 million in federal matchin…
Associated Press News
Oregon giving out $37 million to preserve rural maternity care. Hospitals still worry about closures
Nearly two dozen Oregon rural hospitals will receive $37.5 million in state and federal funds to shore up labor and delivery care ahead of Medicaid cuts going into effect next year, though state and hospital officials say the one-time funds are likely a limited solution.
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