Roseland Community Hospital to Suspend Obstetric Services

Roseland Community Hospital will halt its labor and delivery services at month’s end. This marks another South Side hospital withdrawing from obstetric care. Hospital President and CEO Tim Egan explains the decision wasn’t a choice but a necessity due to historical underfunding of safety-net hospitals. This funding issue has jeopardized crucial services.

Egan states, “This closure will be felt far beyond our neighborhood.” The community’s women now face increased travel and wait times for obstetric care, amplifying risks during labor and delivery.

Financial Struggles and Medicaid Payments

Roseland had 17 obstetric/gynecology beds and recorded 107 births in 2025, as per the Health Facilities and Services Review Board report. Like many Chicago safety-net hospitals, Roseland faces financial challenges. Earlier this year, payroll difficulties arose from delayed Medicaid managed care payments.

Tim Egan voiced concerns to the media during U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin’s visit, highlighting threats from Medicaid cuts to safety-net hospitals.

Safety-net hospitals serve large Medicaid populations, a program funded by state and federal resources for low-income and disabled individuals. Medicaid often reimburses hospitals less than private insurers, not covering full care costs, according to hospital leaders. Medicaid constituted about 51% of Roseland’s inpatient revenue in 2025.

Impacts on Maternal Health

South Side hospital obstetric unit closures exacerbate maternal health disparities between Black and white women. Since 2019, three other hospitals have closed obstetric units: Jackson Park Hospital, St. Bernard Hospital, and Insight Hospital in Chicago.

The Illinois health department reported Black women were three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related conditions than white women from 2018 to 2020. Severe pregnancy or delivery complications were over twice as common among Black women compared to white women. In 2025, 89% of Roseland patients were Black.

Egan lamented, “Maternal mortality rates here are already too high. This will make them worse.” The changes at Roseland reflect a broader trend of community hospitals cutting obstetrics due to demographic shifts and preference for hospitals with large birthing centers.

Wider Implications Across Illinois

Prime Healthcare recently announced suspending obstetric care at three Illinois hospitals: St. Joseph Medical Center, Mercy Medical Center, and Resurrection Medical Center. Prime plans to centralize services at two hospitals and invest in community maternal health. The decision faced criticism from the Illinois Nurses Association union, worried about losing these services.