Industry
Protect Our Care: 52 Maternity Wards Closed Since HR1 Passage
Protect Our Care, a non-profit advocacy group, reports that 52 maternity wards in the US have closed since the HR1 federal spending bill was announced in July 2025, with eight more closures announced. The group's analysis links the closures to upcoming cuts in federal Medicaid funding under the law, warning that hospitals are already feeling financial strain even though the full impact of the spending reductions will not hit until next year. Rural and low-margin hospitals that rely heavily on Medicaid reimbursement for obstetric services are described as most exposed. The report frames the closures as an early warning sign of broader access disruptions as Medicaid cuts phase in.
Why it mattersState Medicaid agencies and managed care plans overseeing maternal health networks face growing provider access gaps that will require network adequacy and delivery-system interventions as obstetric capacity shrinks ahead of deeper federal funding cuts.