The Cumberland River Hospital closed yesterday (August 7, 2020) because of unprecedented circumstances of unexpected non-reimbursements for provided services and severe staffing shortages.

Owner and CEO of Cumberland River Hospital, Johnny Presley of Crossville, said the following in a letter to the Tennessee Department of Licensure and Regulation:

“Due to unprecedented circumstances of unexpected non-reimbursements for provided services as well as severe staffing shortages, secondary to the Coronavirus pandemic, we are forced with an ill reality of a temporary hospital closure and placing our license in temporary inactive status. Due to the severity of the current financial burden and inability to continue without reimbursements, we feel this is the best and only way to move forward. The hospital has been unable to secure financial funding and/or grants from the state and local EMS has been taking a majority of transports to facilities outside Clay County which has also contributed to a significant loss of revenue opportunities as well.”

“A time frame cannot be adequately assessed for reopening at this time as we are unable to predict when financial funding will be secured and reimbursements collected. This is an unexpected and swift turn of events for us, and hopefully a very temporary solution to the issues at hand. If there are any opportunities for the state to provide financial assistance in the form of grants, until further funding becomes available, we would be willing to reassess our ability to stay open during this pandemic.”

Cumberland River Hospital first closed down in 2019 but Presley stepped in and reopened it April 17, 2020.

(Photo courtesy of NPR)

Click on following link to see the full letter from Presley:

Presley letter.pdf