Madera County is providing financial assistance to Madera Community Hospital in an effort to help the region’s lone hospital reopen.
The funding comes in the form of federal COVID-19 relief money approved by the Madera County Board of Supervisors.
The backstory: After years of financial troubles, Madera Community Hospital went bankrupt and shut its doors in January with no immediate plan to reopen.
- Last week, Adventist Health signed an agreement to manage the hospital, bringing a reopening plan to the forefront and making Madera Community Hospital eligible for state grants.
The big picture: Tuesday, the Madera County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to give Madera Community Hospital $500,000 in American Rescue Plan Act dollars.
- The payments will be made in $125,000 weekly allocations throughout August.
- With the Adventist Health partnership in hand, Madera Community Hospital has also applied for assistance from the California Distressed Hospital Loan Program, which offers a $150 million pot for hospitals throughout California that are experiencing financial difficulties.
What they’re saying: “This really is a pivotal point in helping us get reopened,” said Karen Paolinelli, Madera Community Hospital CEO. “We’re very excited about the opportunity for the future, for our hospital, for the community. We need to bring healthcare and services back to Madera, and we know that this is a step in the right direction.”
- Supervisor Jordan Wamhoff said this allows the hospital to run for 30 days in the hopes of receiving state funding to provide for an actual reopening.
- “The hospital’s still in the ocean. This is only a temporary liferaft. This is on the hopes that the hospital can obtain the funds from the Distressed Hospital Loan Program…” Wamhoff said. “This deal is incumbent on the state granting the necessary funds for the hospital to reopen and operate.”
