North Carolina Faces Medicaid Funding Cuts Threatening Rural Hospital Reopening

Martin County’s only hospital shut its doors in 2023, yet the facility remains powered, with air conditioning still cooling vacant patient rooms and the county continuing to cover the medical gas system expenses.

Residents of this rural eastern North Carolina community have been committed to preserving the beige brick structure to prevent further decay and to eventually revive the hospital, which had faced financial difficulties for years before closing.

Following North Carolina’s Medicaid expansion later in 2023, which provided government health insurance to low-income adults, the county saw a chance to partially reopen the hospital. This was largely fueled by increased federal funding covering patient care through Medicaid.

However, the recent passage of a sweeping domestic policy bill by Congress, aimed at financing tax cuts by cutting federal Medicaid spending, now threatens these plans. States that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act face significant challenges due to these budget reductions.

If Medicaid expansion is rolled back in North Carolina, the reopening of Martin General Hospital is highly unlikely—a development described by local community leader Paul Roberson as having "catastrophic and fatal consequences." A sign outside the hospital simply states, "CLOSED. If you need immediate assistance, dial 911."

"The absence of a local hospital is costing lives," Roberson emphasized, pointing out that the nearest medical facility is approximately a 30-minute drive away. "This is the most critical issue for our community."