Sayre (Okla.) Memorial Hospital, a 31-bed nonprofit hospital, abruptly closed on Monday, according to The Oklahoman.
Sayre Memorial ceased operations Monday afternoon, and officials said the closure was due to a number of factors, including Oklahoma's decision not to expand Medicaid.
"The closure is due to the continual financial strain that the hospital has felt. After the 2008-2009 recessions, Sayre was hit with the federal sequestration, which cut Medicare payments by 2 percent," hospital officials said in a statement quoted by the report. "Then in 2012, CMS reduced reimbursements by 30 percent to 35 percent to Sayre for Medicare patients who can't cover their out-of-pocket expenses. In addition to these strains, the State of Oklahoma not expanding Medicaid has been detrimental to the hospital's operations."
The local economy also had a negative effect on Sayre Memorial. The hospital said the shutdown of North Folk Correctional Facility in Sayre contributed to its closure.
Sayre Memorial's financial troubles have been ongoing, and the city has helped keep the facility afloat. The Sayre Chamber of Commerce said, "The city had been making payments and keeping the hospital open by funding payroll. With the huge loss of city revenue there is no money left to give."
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