The Trump administration's "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" could result in the closure of 11 Oregon hospitals, according to new research from nonprofit Public Citizen.

Nationwide, 446 hospitals are at heightened risk, many serving low-income patients.

Patrick Banks, chief financial officer of Bay Area Hospital in Coos Bay, said the facility serves the sickest and most financially vulnerable on Oregon’s south coast. While concerned about financial effects, he stressed his greater worry is for patients.

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"Just the impact to care that this could have," Banks observed. "The cascading effect that has on emergency room operations, on delayed care in a large and already vulnerable population, that really deserves as much concern."

Banks pointed out the hospital is working to become more efficient and is not planning any service shutdowns or closures so far. He added the next closest hospital is up to four hours away for some patients.

Jeffrey Gustaveson, organizer for the nonprofit Firelands Workers United, said the Trump administration’s argument cuts to Medicaid will reduce waste and fraud is a distraction. He noted the funds from the cuts will go to the wealthiest people in the country.

"Folks pushing this bill would rather talk about nonexistent fraud than they would about what the bill actually does, which is closes hospitals, steals healthcare from working families, and hands a huge tax cut, billions of dollars, back to those at the top," Gustaveson asserted.

The analysis found the hospitals at risk of closure across the country provide nearly 70,000 beds and employ about 275,000 direct patient care workers.