The MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s publicly funded hospital system, is asking County Council to reverse $4.5 million in proposed cuts to its public subsidy over the next two years.
County Executive Chris Ronayne’s proposed budget calls for a $3 million reduction – from $35 million to $32 million overall – in 2026 and a $1.5 million reduction – from $35 million to $33.5 million – in 2027.
The cuts would come at an especially challenging time for the hospital system, CEO Dr. Christine Alexander-Rager told County Council during budget hearings Monday.
“We are facing cuts. But we also have a strong belief in ourselves as a system that we've weathered many storms,” said Alexander-Rager. “We've been around for almost 200 years. And we believe that we can weather this storm.”
The hospital’s expenses have gone up from $1.6 billion in 2022 to a little over $2 billion last year and are expected to reach $2.3 billion in 2026.
MetroHealth finished 2023 nearly $22 million in the red and are projected to end this year with a deficit of $48 million.
Its bills for uninsured patients have skyrocketed, Alexander-Rager said – from $176 million in 2022 to $367 million by the end of this year, and those costs will continue to rise, with expected uninsured costs reaching $446 million by the end of 2026.
“Those are unprecedented levels and actually exceed what happened during the Great Recession,” Alexander-Rager said.
The system has cut staff, closed facilities, sought ways to operate more efficiently, started a program to help county residents sign up for insurance and cut free care to some uninsured households in an effort to close its funding gap.
MetroHealth is also nearing completion of a massive construction project at its main campus in Cleveland and will be paying to tear down its old, unused hospital tower at the main campus over the next two years, Alexander-Rager said.
In response to a question about whether MetroHealth is sustainable as a public hospital that continues to accept all uninsured or underinsured patients that come through its doors, Alexander-Rager said hospitals across the country are facing potential closure.
“We're no different than that. But, despite these headwinds, we feel like we have a solid plan, but we do need help. We do need assistance, and that's why we're here before you, asking not to be cut,” Alexander-Rager said.
County Council is expected to outline changes to Ronayne’s proposed budget at a meeting later this week.
