Causer Issues Statement on Meeting with UPMC Officials

February 28, 2025

COUDERSPORT – Rep. Martin Causer (R-Cameron/McKean/Potter) issued the following statement regarding a meeting with UPMC officials about their plans to eliminate labor and delivery services at UPMC Cole. The meeting involved state officials; county commissioners from Potter, Cameron and McKean counties; and representatives of federal lawmakers, along with several UPMC officials.

“Despite the strong case we laid out for keeping labor and delivery services in here in Coudersport, and the deep concerns we shared about the risks to expectant mothers and their babies, UPMC will not reverse course on its decision.

“Their actions cause a significant maternity care desert with no labor and delivery services in multiple counties in our region. UPMC insists the reason for the decision is their inability to recruit an OB/Gyn physician to Coudersport, along with a shortage of labor and delivery Registered Nurses. UPMC is adamant this is not a financial decision; however, I question that premise because I have heard from area nurses that UPMC Cole pays some of the lowest rates in our region. We have so many exceptionally skilled and talented health care professionals in our region who should be compensated appropriately for their life-saving skills. 

“I specifically raised concerns about the risk this action poses for our expectant mothers and babies with long travel times to another facility, transportation accessibility challenges and the burden placed on our already fragile EMS system. In response, we were told UPMC was committed to providing 24/7 ambulance transportation for inter facility transport of patients; personalized coordination of transportation services; and overnight accommodations for expectant mothers and family members, including fuel subsidies.

“Legislators have focused a great deal of resources on rural health care over the last several years but what has become clear to me is our supposedly not-for-profit huge health care companies are failing to live up to their commitment to providing affordable, accessible care in rural communities like ours. We deserve better and I will continue to fight for rural health care.”


Representative Martin T. Causer
67th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Patricia A. Hippler
717.772.9846
phippler@pahousegop.com
RepCauser.com / Facebook.com/RepCauser