ICYMI: Because of Donald Trump and Vulnerable House Republican Zach Nunn, Rural Iowa Hospital Forced to Close – With More on the Way Arrow

This week, MercyOne Ottumwa Family and Internal Medicine Clinic in southeastern Iowa announced it would be closing its doors on February 27. MercyOne is the first rural hospital closure in Iowa since Donald Trump and Republicans' Big Ugly Bill took effect.

MercyOne is located in Iowa's 3rd congressional district, represented by vulnerable Republican Zach Nunn - who voted for the Big Ugly Bill that's threatening health care access for Iowa families.

A reminder: Trump's Big Ugly Bill has created a health care crisis in Iowa, from kicking 110,000 Iowans off their health insurance to forcing rural hospitals like MercyOne to close their doors, all so that billionaires pay even less of their fair share.

In response, DNC Deputy Communications Director Abhi Rahman released the following statement:

"MercyOne's closure is a tragic casualty of the health care crisis Donald Trump and Republicans like Zach Nunn have created in Iowa. Thanks to Trump's $1 trillion cut to Medicaid in his Big Ugly Bill, rural hospitals across the state are struggling to stay afloat and are now closing, forcing Iowans to travel further to receive lifesaving health care when seconds and minutes matter. While Republicans harm rural Iowans by raising their costs and ripping away their health care and hospitals, Democrats won't stop fighting to lower Iowans' costs and protect their health care."

Read more below:

Ottumwa Courier: MercyOne Ottumwa clinic to close Feb. 27; another clinic reduces services

By Kyle Ocker

• Ottumwans will have fewer health care services available after one primary care clinic announced Wednesday it will soon close and another confirmed a reduction in services.

• MercyOne Ottumwa Family and Internal Medicine Clinic will close Feb. 27, MercyOne confirmed. In a statement to The Ottumwa Courier, MercyOne said the decision followed an evaluation of operations as the health system adapts to changing demographics and needs.

• "February 27 is the last day we will see patients at MercyOne Ottumwa Family Medicine and Internal Medicine," the statement said. "This decision was not made lightly, and we continue to value the relationships and partnerships we've built within the Ottumwa community."

• "This news came as a shock to providers and staff as well, as we were only notified a few short hours before this became public knowledge," she wrote.

• Separately, Pella Regional Medical Clinic in Ottumwa reduced its family practice operations effective Jan. 15.