by RODERICK MULLINS

A report released by the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen identifies 10 Virginia hospitals at risk of closure, including two in southwestern Virginia, following recent federal funding adjustments.

The report links the financial strain to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a legislative package supported by Republican Reps. John McGuire (5th District), Ben Cline (6th District), and Morgan Griffith (9th District). According to Congressional Budget Office estimates, the legislation is projected to reduce federal spending on Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program by $911 billion over the next decade.

The two local facilities identified in the report include Buchanan General Hospital, in Grundy, and Dickenson Community Hospital, in Clintwood.

Virginia Democratic Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner criticized the legislation in a joint statement, arguing the cuts prioritize tax breaks for high-income earners over rural health care stability.

“Hospitals across the Commonwealth are now at risk of closure because of this bill,” the senators said. “This latest report shows the impact on reliable access to affordable, quality care.”

The financial impact is already being felt in some regions. Centra Southside Community Hospital in Farmville recently ended labor, delivery, and OB-GYN surgical services. Hospital officials stated the facility must adapt to “significant financial and operational challenges, including recently enacted reductions in federal healthcare funding.”

The legislative shift comes as redistricting changes loom for Virginia’s congressional map. Rep. Griffith is set to represent a portion of Augusta County pending the results of an April 21 referendum.

For more information about the potential closures, click here to see the complete article and charts on Public Citizen