County board approves $70,000 to fund feasibility study for community hospital

The Chippewa County Board of Supervisors voted to authorize $70,000 in county funds to the Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative to support a financial feasibility study for a proposed community hospital, following a lengthy discussion about service gaps left by recent hospital closures and questions about payer mix, location and sustainability.

The board read Resolution 209-24, “Resolution to support the location of a community hospital in Chippewa County and to authorize $70,000 to be used by Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative to complete a financial feasibility study.” County Administrator Randy Schultz explained that the cooperative requested $140,000 for the study and the county would contribute $70,000 from the land development fund, which Schultz said has roughly $3 million to $3.5 million available. Schultz also described a proposed in-kind exchange: county support in exchange for access to a morgue the cooperative would provide, noting details were not yet in writing.

Patty Darley, vice chair of the Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative, and Bob Krause, a cooperative member and northern Chippewa County resident, described the cooperative’s goals and scope. Darley said the cooperative is considering up to five parcels across Chippewa and northern Eau Claire counties and prefers a rural Chippewa County location to retain rural-designation benefits. She said the cooperative will build a member-owned, nonprofit hospital governed locally and that the group is exploring financing, physician partnerships and sustainability to avoid failure.

Supervisors asked detailed questions about the proposal. Supervisor Garrick asked whether the cooperative was also considering sites in northern Eau Claire County; Darley said five parcels across both counties are under consideration but said Chippewa County is a high-probability location because it qualifies as fully rural and that rural designation offers better reimbursement and programs. Supervisor Guzman pressed the cooperative on payer mix and demographic risks, noting that prior utilization data showed a high share of Medicaid/BadgerCare patients; consultant work on payer mix and procedural volumes will be part of the feasibility study, Darley said. Supervisor Lotz asked about timeline; cooperative representatives said the feasibility study would take six to eight weeks and they hoped to break ground this year if the study supports the plan, with construction taking a minimum of three years after that.

The resolution was moved onto the floor and seconded by Supervisor Bergeron. The board voted to approve Resolution 209-24 (vote called; outcome: approved). No formal roll-call tally for that vote was provided in the meeting transcript.