Madera Community Hospital is reopening its doors a little over two years after it shut down due to severe financial trouble.
Hospital CEO Steve Stark will welcome Sen. Anna Caballero (D–Merced) and Asm. Esmeralda Soria (D–Fresno) on Tuesday to celebrate the reopening.
The backstory: Madera Community Hospital shut its doors in January 2023 after declaring bankruptcy.
- Operating costs had skyrocketed in the years preceding the closure as paying for travel nurses and low Medi-Cal reimbursements handcuffed the hospital.
- American Advanced Management took over operations of the hospital in December 2023, which led to the state granting the hospital a $57 million no-interest loan to facilitate the reopening. The loan was granted through the Distressed HOspital Loan Program.
What they’re saying: “Healthcare access is not a privilege – it is a fundamental right,” Caballero said in a statement. “No family should ever have to wonder where to go in a medical emergency. With today’s reopening, Madera families can once again have the quality care they deserve, right in their own community.”
- Soria added, “Today, we can say that we have restored access to healthcare for the residents of Madera and our neighboring communities. Madera Community Hospital not only opens its doors to the community today, but it also brings peace of mind. When you listen to the needs of your constituents, these are the results. I want to thank Senator Anna Caballero for her partnership to get this Hospital re-open.”
