Augusta Medical Group announced in September the closure of three medical facilities serving the Rockbridge and Augusta areas, citing the impact of federal health care cuts passed earlier this year.
The closures affect patients in Buena Vista, Churchville and Weyers Cave, forcing many to travel farther for medical care. Buena Vista is an independent city in Rockbridge County, while Churchville and Weyers Cave are census-designated places in Augusta County.
The shutdowns are part of Augusta Health’s “ongoing response to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” according to the announcement. The massive federal spending legislation will cut Medicaid and Medicare funding by $1 trillion over the next decade, according to VPM.
Local officials have been at odds about the reasons behind the clinics’ closure. According to previous reporting by the Phi, State Delegate Terry Austin said at a candidate forum that “the three facilities that closed had facilities within 10 miles. It was not effective to have parallel facilities 10 miles away.”
The Rockbridge and Augusta closures are part of a broader trend seen throughout the nation. Rural hospitals and clinics across the country are shutting down at increasing rates because they struggle to operate with reduced government reimbursements, according to ABC News.
Rural facilities depend on Medicare and Medicaid, according to CNN. When payment rates fall below the cost of care, many centers must either operate at a loss or close.
As per Augusta’s press release, Lexington facilities now receive patients from Buena Vista. Churchville patients are directed to Verona, while those who relied on the urgent care center in Weyers Cave must travel to Staunton.
For older adults, families with young children and residents without reliable transportation, these increased travel distances pose significant barriers to receiving care.
“My husband is 87 and I am 80,” local resident Ruth Stoner wrote in a Facebook comment section. “Transportation to out-of-town doctors is beginning to be a problem for us. I believe it will get worse here down the road.”
Augusta Health said in its announcement it will deploy a mobile clinic to Weyers Cave to help fill the gap. However, a study in the American Journal of Managed Care found that mobile clinics cannot fully replace the comprehensive care available at permanent facilities.
Health experts warn that without sustainable funding and policy solutions, more rural communities could lose access to critical medical care, according to NPR. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act includes a provision for $50 billion invested directly to rural health clinics over the next five years, according to the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
For now, thousands of rural Virginia residents must make new plans on how they will receive future health care.
