WA Rural Health Care At Risk

[Solstice]

Fourteen rural hospitals in Washington state are at risk of losing services or closing altogether if proposed federal health care cuts are approved.

According to data from the University of North Carolina’s Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, the Big Beautiful Bill proposed by (name withheld to comply with BB rules) and the (name withheld to comply with BB rules) party threaten closures of the following hospitals our state:

Samaritan Hospital in Moses Lake
Toppenish Community Hospital
Summit Pacific Medical Center in Elma
Odessa Memorial Hospital
Coulee Medical Center in Grand Coulee
Prosser Memorial Health
Klickitat Valley Health
Othello Community Hospital
Three Rivers Hospital in Brewster
Forks Community Hospital
Mid-Valley Hospital in Omak
Astria Sunnyside Hospital
Mason General Hospital in Shelton
Providence St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chewelah

All 14 are rural hospitals that serve some of the state’s most medically under-served areas and many of them are also among the largest employers in their respective communities.

Consider this a public service announcement. Mail your ballot for the Three River Hospital Levy request at the post office before closing on August 5, 2025, to ensure it’s postmarked on time—or take advantage of your local ballot drop box.

[Solstice]

The Three River Hospital Levy request looks as though it passed handily—73.46% approved to 26.54% rejected, following the second round of counting with only a handful of ballots left to count.

Voter turnout was decent for this "off season" election. If you want to see your precinct results, they're available via the WA State and Okanogan County websites.

We're lucky. Three Rivers is our closest hospital and the results seem to demonstrate a commitment to preserve a modicum of healthcare for our region.