WASHINGTON - Three Valley hospitals are addressing concerns raised by several Democratic U.S. senators regarding potential financial strain from a new federal spending law. The law, signed by President Donald Trump, includes more than $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act.

A June 12 letter from Sens. Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts, Ron Wyden of Oregon, Jeffrey A. Merkley of Oregon, and Charles E. Schumer of New York, warned President Trump, Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota, and House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana, that hundreds of rural hospitals nationwide could face financial distress, including closure or reduced services.

The senators cited data from the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina, which identified 338 rural hospitals as vulnerable due to factors such as unprofitability for three consecutive years or a high proportion of Medicaid patients.

Among those mentioned as possibly “at risk” in the senators' letter was East Liverpool City Hospital, identified as a leading Medicaid provider. UPMC Jameson in New Castle, Pennsylvania, and UPMC Horizon Hospital in Greenville, Pennsylvania, both have experienced three consecutive years of negative financial margins, according to the letter.

East Liverpool City Hospital and Coshocton Regional Medical Center, two of 11 Ohio hospitals listed on the senator’s letter, issued a statement Thursday emphasizing the hospital's financial stability while acknowledging its role as a safety net provider.

"Coshocton Regional Medical Center and East Liverpool City Hospital remain committed to providing exceptional and compassionate care to the communities we are honored to serve," the statement reads.

"While Coshocton and East Liverpool hospitals are financially sound and not at risk for closure, both hospitals do serve a high percentage of Medicaid patients in our respective communities, reflecting our strong commitment to providing a safety net for our most vulnerable community members," the statement continues.

The statement also echoed industry concerns about the proposed Medicaid cuts in House Bill 1, stating they "will have an adverse effect on the health of all communities and hospitals across Ohio, where Medicaid hospital payments are expected to be reduced by more than 20% under the current proposal."

The statement concluded by urging federal lawmakers and industry colleagues to work together on refining the Medicaid proposals "to ensure that any adjustments made protect the health, safety, and access to care for everyone in our state and country."

In response to inquiries from 21 News, a UPMC spokesperson emailed the following one-sentence statement: "We remain committed to supporting access to essential care for all our patients across the communities we serve."

The senators' letter contended that the cuts could result in 16 million Americans losing health insurance coverage and worsen the challenges faced by rural health care systems. They argued that reduced payments could force hospitals to stop providing essential services, such as obstetric, mental health, and emergency room care, or even close entirely.