Outlines of the Madera Community Hospital sign being covered by a tarp at the Emergency Room entrance of the hospital on Jan. 2, 2023. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local

As officials from all levels of government seek a solution, the true impact of this month’s closure of Madera Community Hospital has come into clearer focus in a filing with the state.

Madera Community Hospital reported 772 permanent layoffs effective Jan. 3 associated with the closure of its operations. That’s according to a required notice filed with the state Employment Development Department under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act.

A total of 687 layoffs were reported for the main hospital campus, 70 for the nearby Family Health Services clinic in Madera, eight for a Mendota clinic and seven for a Chowchilla clinic.

Local elected officials have been exploring options for reopening the hospital while a planned bankruptcy filing has yet to be made. One such option is a taxpayer-funded health care district, with a more detailed consultants’ report expected before the Madera Board of Supervisors in February, reported KVPR.

Newly elected Rep. John Duarte (R-Modesto) also told sjvsun.com that he is co-signing a letter with Rep. Jim Costa (D-Fresno) to the California Attorney General and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services seeking emergency relief.

The hospital was running an operational shortfall up to $2.5 million a month, according to Madera County officials. The cost to reopen the hospital is estimated at $55 million for the first year and $35 for a second year.