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 to shore up labor and delivery care, with the Oregon Health Authority allocating payments based on 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 rural hospital finances.
- Hospitals like Wallowa Memorial plan to use payments for staff retention and equipment; CEO Dan Grigg said the one-time aid "will help us for now," though it won't solve long-term challenges.
- Ashley Thirstrup, Oregon Health Authority chief of staff, acknowledged the constraints of the one-off investment, cautioning that the scale of Medicaid cuts "is going to put significant pressure on the system overall."
- Additional federal resources like the Rural Health Transformation Fund will pilot expanded care models including midwifery and neonatal telehealth to sustain services despite impending federal program changes.
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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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