The Pioneer Family Medical Clinic in Stuart closed Monday, according to hospital administrator Jeanette Filpi.
“Medicare decided to stop our payments,” Filpi said. “That severely hurt our cash flow.”
Medicare stopped payments after determining it had overpaid, Filpi said and explained that decision was partly due to a formula used to determine the amount of reimbursements and because Pioneer became more efficient in 2016.
After determining it had overpaid, Filpi said Medicare had two options: withhold future reimbursements while asking for the total amount due or set up a repayment schedule.
The agency opted for the latter, which meant additional reimbursements would be withheld, she said. “In good conscience, we could not keep the clinic open,” Filpi said. “They’ve pretty much halted our cash flow.”
The hospital closed on Sept. 15. The closing affected an estimated 140 employees. Twelve employees were affected when the clinic closed on Monday, she said.
“It’s horrible this happened. It’s tragic, but the most important thing is that patients know where the providers are,” Filpi said.
Patients affected by the closing can continue to see Dana Mabe and Pam Wright at the Patrick County Family Medical Practice. Both nurse practitioners will join the staff there, Filpi said.
“Dr. Cole came though very quickly to make sure patients” could receive care, she said. Cole is the director of the medical practice.
Filpi said she and other employees are working to ensure Wright and Mabe maintain access to electronic patient records.
She also noted the impact of the closing is far-reaching, with local rescue squads required to transport patients longer distances for care.
As tragic as the situation is, Filpi said she maintains hope the hospital – which filed bankruptcy in 2016 – and clinic may reopen.
“A couple of interested parties are talking with the chief restructuring officer and the broker,” Filpi said.
Town, county and economic development officials are working with state legislators, U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith and others to try to save the hospital, she said.
“Locally, our community comes together” in a crisis, Filpi said.”That says a lot about who we are” as a community. “We’re not ready to give up. The light at the end of the tunnel is getting more narrow, but I still see it,” Filpi said.
A special called meeting of the Patrick County Board of Supervisors and the Patrick County Economic Development Authority Board is scheduled to be held at 6 p.m. on Wednesday in the Patrick County Administration Building, which is located on Rucker Street in Stuart.
