Joyce, Husted, Rulli Urge DOJ to Investigate Hospital Closures in Trumbull County

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Dave Joyce (OH-14), Senator Jon Husted (R-OH), and Congressman Michael Rulli (OH-06) sent a letter to United States Attorney General Pam Bondi urging a formal investigation into the legality and transparency of the recent closures of Trumbull Regional Medical Center and Hillside Rehabilitation Hospital in Warren, Ohio. The lawmakers raised serious concerns about the potential misuse of public funds and lack of clear, accurate communications to local officials and hospital staff.

On August 21, 2024, Steward Health Care announced the closure of both Trumbull Regional Medical Center and Hillside Rehabilitation Hospital. However, the shutdown was paused when Insight Health Systems submitted its intention to purchase the hospitals and become the interim operator in September. At the end of March, Insight announced the closure of both facilities. 

“Given your experience and ongoing advocacy for public accountability, we respectfully ask that your office or an appropriate investigative body consider evaluating the legality of the events that led to the subsequent closures. If fraud or abuse played any part in this outcome, it is essential that those responsible be held accountable. The citizens of Mahoning Valley deserve answers, and we must work collectively to ensure that such closures are not allowed to proceed without rigorous scrutiny,” said the letter. 

Read the full text of the letter here.

Congressman Joyce has been a longtime advocate for rural healthcare in Congress. Please see below for a list of legislative actions on this issue: 

• SIREN Reauthorization Act signed into law to extend funding through fiscal year 2028 for SIREN Act grants to rural fire and EMS agencies nationwide. 

• Introduced the Improving Care and Access to Nurses (ICAN Act), which eliminates the federal barriers imposed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), which prevents Ohioans insured under Medicare and Medicaid from receiving care directly from qualified nurse practitioners. These barriers increase costs, circumvent state laws, and undermine patient choice. This bill would increase access to care, especially in light of the healthcare provider shortage across Ohio and the nation. 

• Co-Chair of the Congressional Nursing Caucus, a bipartisan group of legislators dedicated to advancing policies to support the nation’s 4.2 million registered nurses. 

• Introduced the Providing Real-World Education and Clinical Experience by Precepting Tomorrow’s (PRECEPT)Nurses Act, a bipartisan bill that would address our country’s nursing shortage by establishing a $2,000 tax credit for nurses who serve as a clinical preceptor to nursing students. 

• Co-Chair of the Addiction, Treatment, and Recovery Caucus, a bipartisan group of Members dedicated to supporting communities across the United States and driving commonsense solutions to the problems contributing to the country’s historic overdose crisis, which has only been exacerbated by the healthcare workforce shortage and a lack of access to care. 

• Introduced the Nurse Faculty Shortage Reduction Act in the 118^th Congress, which creates a pilot program that would allow schools of nursing to apply to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to receive grants that would be used to offset the salary differential between a practicing nurse and a nurse educator.

• Introduced the Stop Nurse Shortages Act in the 118^th Congress, which would create a grant program to help nursing schools create, expand, or support accelerated nursing degree programs, which are geared towards training those with an undergraduate degree in another field as nurses at an accelerated pace.