REPORT: More than One-Third of Rural Hospitals in Virginia at Risk of Closure After Jen Kiggans Voted to Gut Medicaid and Affordable Health Care Subsidies 

See below for a press release from former Rep. Elaine Luria (D-VA02), who 100% justifiably is pounding the egregiously awful Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA02)

REPORT: More than One-Third of Rural Hospitals in Virginia at Risk of Closure After Jen Kiggans Voted to Gut Medicaid and Affordable Health Care Subsidies 

Virginia Joint Commission on Health Care: 13 rural Virginia hospitals at-risk of closure, including Bon Secours Southampton Memorial Hospital in VA-02

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – A new report from the Virginia Joint Commission on Health Care warns that more than one-third of rural hospitals in Virginia are at-risk of closing after Jen Kiggans and Congressional Republicans voted last year to slash nearly $1 trillion from Medicaid. Among the 13 hospitals identified as at-risk is Bon Secours Southampton Memorial Hospital in Virginia’s Second Congressional District.

“Every day, the consequences of Jen Kiggans’ broken promises and damaging votes become more and more clear,” Rep. Luria said.  “Jen Kiggans chose to put her political career and her allegiance to Donald Trump before her constituents, and as a result, working Virginians in Southampton County and across our Commonwealth are at risk of losing their access to affordable health care. Hospital and clinic closures impact all Virginians, whether it’s increased wait times or a longer drive to get the care you need. Unlike Jen, I will always prioritize the people of Hampton Roads and I will fight every day to lower health care costs, cut prescription drug prices, and expand access to care.”

Read the report for yourself: Financial Condition of Virginia’s Rural Hospitals Joint Commission on Health Care

• Rural hospitals in the Commonwealth face growing risk of financial distress, service reduction, and potential closure.
• Financial and operating pressures are forcing many hospitals to…reduce or eliminate inpatient services [leading to] longer travel times, delayed access to care, and the loss of an important economic anchor. 
• The seven hospitals at highest risk of…closure… [serve]…predominantly rural population[s] with limited commercial insurance coverage, [and obtain] the substantial majority of [their] revenue from Medicare and Medicaid.
• Federal policy changes under [the One Big Beautiful Bill Act] further compound risk factors faced by rural hospitals in the Commonwealth.

Kiggans has a long history of making health care more expensive and less accessible for middle-class and working Virginians. After months of political games, Kiggans voted against extending the ACA tax credits in January. In December, she refused to sign a bipartisan measure backed by a majority of members of Congress that would extend the ACA tax credits.

Similarly, despite repeatedly claiming she would oppose cuts to Medicaid, Kiggans decided to put President Trump and her political interests first and voted to authorize over $900 billion in cuts to Medicaid over the next decade. Virginians now face spiking healthcare costs and lack of access to quality healthcare because of her votes.

In March, Rep. Luria penned an op-ed in The Virginian-Pilot contrasting her record of voting to lower health care costs with Rep. Jen Kiggans’ record of voting to jack up the cost of health care for Virginians.

Kiggans has also established a pattern of promising Virginians one thing in public, only to turn around and vote the other way in Washington. Kiggans lied when she promised to protect access to health care, only to turn around and vote for the largest cuts to Medicaid in history. Kiggans lied again when she promised to protect clean energy tax credits, but then “flip-flopped” and voted to take a “sledgehammer” to the credits instead. Kiggans has voted 100% of the time with Donald Trump – demonstrating that she puts her D.C. party bosses ahead of the Virginians she claims to represent.