Sole Community Hospital

Mount Nittany Medical Center continues to pursue the restoration of its Sole Community Hospital (SCH) designation, which was terminated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services earlier this year.

As part of that effort, Mount Nittany Medical Center expects to file a brief in support of a motion for summary judgment on Monday. This filing will ask the federal court to consider the legal arguments and evidence in the case and determine whether the matter can be decided without a trial.

Restoring Mount Nittany Medical Center’s SCH designation is important to our patients, our community and the long-term strength of local healthcare.

As we have continued to analyze the impact of losing the designation, we now estimate the annual financial impact to be approximately $15 million. The loss affects reimbursement for both inpatient and outpatient services and includes payments from traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans.

SCH reimbursement has helped support Mount Nittany Health’s ability to provide high-quality care locally and invest in the services, technology, facilities and providers our community needs. Seeking restoration of the designation is part of our continued commitment to preserving Mount Nittany Health as an independent, community-governed health system, with decisions about healthcare in our region made locally.

There is no set timeframe for the court to rule on the motion. We will continue to provide updates as meaningful developments occur in the case.