Alexandria Council releases contingent funds to Inova Alexandria Hospital for obstetric services

Alexandria City Council voted on May 27 to release contingent fiscal-year 2025 reserve funds to Inova Alexandria Hospital to support obstetric services, after hospital officials described the facility’s unreimbursed Medicaid and uninsured costs.

Melissa Riddey, director of government and community relations (Northern Virginia region), and Dr. Rena Bansal, president of Inova Alexandria Hospital, told council staff and members that a portion of the hospital’s obstetric and neonatal patient population is Medicaid-covered or uninsured. Their slides, presented to council, said that about one-third of the hospital’s obstetric volume consists of Medicaid and uninsured patients and that the two-year total loss on Medicaid and uninsured obstetric and neonatal care was $3.2 million for 2023–2024. Hospital presenters also said the health system provides charity care to patients at or below 400% of the federal poverty level and said the system’s charity-care policy is among the most generous in the region.

Councilman Craig McPike moved to release contingent reserve funds from the fiscal-year 2025 budget to Inova; Councilwoman Green seconded. The roll-call vote recorded ayes from the councilmembers present and the motion carried. Council members asked clarifying questions about patient origin data and capacity; hospital staff said patient residence was shown by ZIP code on the slide and that delivery volumes overall had declined 10 percent while the Medicaid/uninsured share had increased, and that no current capacity constraints were reported.

The council did not attach additional conditions in the meeting minutes; members thanked hospital staff and noted the hospital will continue to provide obstetric trauma and maternity care in the city.