TRINITY — Mid Coast Health System will cease operations and close Mid Coast Medical Center Trinity, a vital rural hospital serving the Trinity County region, after operating for a little more than a year.
The closure is scheduled to take effect April 25, following months of efforts to secure financial stability and long-term sustainability for the facility.
Mid Coast Health System, which contracted to manage and operate the facility, notified local leaders after discussion with locally elected officials of the Trinity Memorial Hospital District and presenting several funding options. Mid Coast cited significant financial challenges experienced by hundreds of rural hospitals, which have been exacerbated by delays in establishing Medicare and Medicaid billing and contracts with commercial health insurers.
Additional setbacks included lower-than-expected revenue from collections owed on patient co-pays, increasing accounts payable for supplies and services, and insufficient local tax revenue to cover operational shortfalls.
“Despite our team's tireless work to restore services in Trinity, we are simply unable to continue operations under the current financial circumstances,” said Brett Kirkham, chief executive officer of Mid Coast Health System. “This is a deeply painful decision for all of us especially in consideration of the local commitment from the staff to serve patients in the Trinity community.”
Marjory Pulvino, president of the Trinity Memorial Hospital District Board of Directors, said the board is very disappointed to learn that that Mid Coast Medical Center Trinity has announced that it will be closing on April 25.
“The Board wants the community to know that (we are) working diligently to find a quality hospital system to take over the hospital and ER operations, and at this time is in discussion with a reputable hospital system,” she said. “In addition we are in discussion with other groups to continue high quality services at the clinic.”
The hospital, which previously closed in 2017, had hoped to qualify for the federal Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation — a program designed to support struggling rural facilities with enhanced reimbursement for emergency and outpatient services.
Unfortunately, because the facility was not operational as of the federal eligibility cutoff date of December 2020, it does not qualify for the designation under current rules.
“We strongly believe that if Mid Coast Medical Center Trinity were eligible for REH status, it would thrive and continue to meet the community’s emergency and outpatient healthcare needs,” Kirkham said. “We are urging our elected officials to support a waiver that would allow the Trinity hospital to access this critical support for a potential reopening in the future.”
Pulvino said the board agreea that the Rural Emergency Hospital designation would be the ideal solution.
Mid Coast Health System is encouraging community members to contact U.S. Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, as well as U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions, to advocate for a federal waiver allowing MCMC Trinity to qualify for REH designation. Such a waiver could unlock essential federal funding to help maintain healthcare access in Trinity and the surrounding rural region.
“This is a call to action — for the Trinity community, our leaders, and our nation — to recognize the unique challenges rural hospitals face and to fight for solutions that keep care close to home.” Kirkham stated.
