Republicans’ Deep Cuts to Medicaid Could Force Closures of Up To 13 Virginia Hospitals, Beginning Next Year

By Lisa Russell-Mina, Bridge2Blue

Across the country, as many as 400 hospitals could begin closing as early as 2027.

Why? Because H.R. 1, the massive bill signed by President Trump in 2025, dubbed (by Trump) “The One Big Beautiful Bill” (editor’s note: Democrats refer to it, much more accurately, as the “Big UGLY Bill”) made deep cuts to Medicaid. Many hospitals rely heavily on Medicaid payments as an important source of revenue, especially in rural communities. When that funding is reduced, hospitals can face serious financial shortfalls, which can lead to service cuts, staff reductions, or closure.

Beginning in 2027, the bill’s consequences will become increasingly visible in Virginia.

KFF estimates at least 260,000 Virginians will lose health insurance under this bill because of stricter Medicaid eligibility requirements and funding cuts. Senator Tim Kaine tried to protect Medicaid funding by introducing a series of amendments, but Republicans unsurprisingly blocked them.

In June, Virginia’s Joint Commission on Health Care released a report outlining the impact on rural communities that predicted 13 hospitals in the Commonwealth could eventually close because of the bill’s Medicaid cuts:

• First, hospitals and clinics may cut back services that communities count on — like chemotherapy, dialysis, addiction treatment, and maternity care.
• After that, when even more people are no longer covered by Medicaid, hospitals are in danger of closing altogether.

Even if you’re not a Medicaid recipient, you’ll still be affected if your hospital goes away.

Virginia Hospitals At Risk

The following list and map identifying at-risk hospitals, the service areas that would be affected by closures, and the U.S. congressional districts they overlap.

Interactive map and image compiled by Rob McCausland, Bridge2Blue. Sources: Commonwealth of Virginia Joint Commission on Health Care, Financial Conditions of Virginia’s Rural Hospitals (June 2026), and Virginia Navigator.

According the Joint Commission on Health Care report, the following five hospitals are at *immediate* risk of closure:

1. Bon Secours Southampton Memorial Hospital, Franklin, VA
2. Carilion Giles Community Hospital, Pearisburg, VA
3. Carilion Tazewell Community Hospital, Tazewell, VA
4. Sentara Halifax Regional Hospital, South Boston, VA
5. VCU Health Tappahannock Hospital, Tappahannock, VA

These hospitals are also at risk of closure, just not immediately:

1. Ballad Health Dickenson Community Hospital, Clintwood, VA
2. Ballad Health Smyth County Community Hospital, Marion, VA
3. Bath Community Hospital, Hot Springs, VA
4. Bon Secours Rappahannock General Hospital, Kilmarnock, VA
5. Bon Secours Southern Virginia Medical Center, Emporia, VA
6. Duke Lifepoint Twin County Regional Hospital, Galax, VA
7. HCA LewisGale Hospital Pulaski, Pulaski, VA
8. VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital, South Hill, VA

While Senators Warner and Kaine and every Democrat in Virginia’s congressional delegation opposed H.R. 1’s deep cuts to health care coverage, every Republican member of Virginia’s House delegation voted for the bill.

Although many of the largest Medicaid cuts will not take effect until 2027, those Republican votes will have serious consequences for communities across the Commonwealth very soon.

Tell these Republicans – Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA01), Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA02), Rep. John McGuire (R-VA05), Rep. Ben Cline (R-VA06) and Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA09) – exactly what you think about their health care cuts and their willingness to put local hospitals at risk of closure — then vote them out in November.