A patient’s death in March 2025 put federal funds for Oregon State Hospital in jeopardy. But in recent days this peril appears to have passed as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services found Oregon’s locked psychiatric hospital to be in compliance with federal standards.
In a news release, the state heralded the development as a sign of improvement. The “decision affirms the significant progress staff have made to strengthen patient care and safety,” Oregon Health Authority director Dr. Sejal Hathi said in a written statement, adding, “Our charge now is to hardwire these gains into everyday practice.”
The state hospital has faced much scrutiny over the years; this is not the first time CMS has threatened to restrict federal dollars over concerns of inadequate conditions. (WW examined the hospital’s dysfunction in 2022 and returned to the subject late last year, exploring how the patient population has transformed over the past two decades.)…