'Fewer people will have health insurance'

HEALTH CARE

When Augusta Health announced the closing last week of two primary care locations and an urgent care center, the impact of the federal Big Beautiful Bill was cited as one of the major reasons.

The loss of Medicaid coverage from the legislation will have a "long-term'' negative impact, said Cecilia Carpenter, the chief operating officer of Augusta Medical Group. Augusta Medical Group is the hospital's multi-specialty physician

"Fewer people will have health insurance and we are obligated to take care of them,'' she told The News Virginian.

But Carpenter cited another reason in the interview: the longterm outlook for growth at the three locations. Carpenter said Augusta Health is not seeing population growth in the three communities affected, Buena Vista, Churchville and Weyers Cave.

Closing are Buena Vista Primary Care, Churchville Primary Care and Weyers Cave Urgent Care.

Patients at Buena Vista Primary Care are expected to transition to Augusta Health Maury River Family Practice or Augusta Health Primary Care in Lexington, both less than 10 miles away from Buena Vista. Patients will also have the advantage of going to practices open five days a week while Buena Vista Primary is open only one day a week, Carpenter said.

Patients who have been cared for at Churchville Primary Care are encouraged to go to Verona Health Family Practice in Verona, which is less than 10 miles away from Churchville. The Verona site is open five days a week while Churchville is open three days a week.

Patients who have gone to the Weyers Cave Urgent Care are encouraged to drive to Augusta Health's Staunton Urgent Care Center, the closest Augusta Health urgent care to Weyers Cave.

Carpenter said the closing of three facilities is more of a consolidation of resources.

"All of our team members are going to other clinics, there are no layoffs,'' Carpenter said.

Still, the closing of medical facilities in rural locations coming on the heels of the Big Beautiful Bill garnered attention from many.

Among those concerned about the impact of the closing is Jena Crisler, the Democratic candidate for Virginia House District 35, which includes part of Augusta County. Crisler also serves as a physician part-time at an Ocean City Md. hospital.

She told The News Virginian in a statement that "the closure of three rural health primary care units by Augusta Health is a response to anticipated and extremely significant decreased reimbursement from the cuts that the Big Beautiful Bill will incur."

Crisler said the "folks seeking care now have to travel at least 10 more country miles and probably wait much long than they would have to be able to be seen. This is a tax on the patient as well as the caregivers."

Bob Stuart (540) 932-3562 rstuart@newsvirginian.com @oldyankee53 on X