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Llano County approves $450K to operate hospital

Llano Hospital

Llano Hospital at 200 W. Ollie St. Photo by Brittany Osbourn

Llano County has dedicated $450,000 for the management of Llano Hospital with the impending separation of Mid Coast Health System as service provider due to concerns over the facility’s financial viability. The Llano County Hospital Authority Board will use the money as needed to ensure the hospital continues to function during and after the transition.

According to Llano County Judge Ron Cunningham, Mid Coast and the county could be separated by March 1, at which point, the Hospital Authority Board will oversee facility operation and get a better picture of expenses, needs, and what it will take to keep the doors open.

“It’s not as simple as (Mid Coast) walking out and us walking in; there are still a lot of back operations,” said Cunningham following the Llano County Commissioners Court’s regular meeting Monday, Jan. 27, when the $450,000 allocation was approved. “There’s a lot more questions than answers right now, and we’re working through it.”

While the exact path forward for the hospital has not been determined, Cunningham reaffirmed the county’s commitment to keeping the facility open and maintaining its current level of service.

“The hospital is still open. It has dedicated staff that are putting in lots of hours to keep it going,” he said. “Our plan is to not have any change in that.”

The judge went on to say that the Hospital Authority Board might remain in charge, even after the transition, but nothing is set in stone.

Llano Hospital, also known as Mid Coast Medical Center-Central, is owned by Llano County but has been operated by Mid Coast since 2021. The Llano County Hospital Authority Board consists of seven members appointed by the Commissioners Court and represent county residents in regard to hospital management.

Questions about the hospital’s financial viability were raised as early as June 2024, when Mid Coast indicated it could no longer run the facility without funding from the county, state, or federal government. The matter escalated in November 2024 when Llano County took emergency action to establish a fund and legal counsel for ensuring the hospital’s continued operation in the event of Mid Coast’s departure. 

A dozen hospital employees were furloughed by Mid Coast in December 2024, and a public announcement of “mutual separation” between the county and the health system was made on Jan.15.

dakota@thepicayune.com