NEWS RELEASE – February 19, 2026
ARH Response to National Day of Action event in Whitesburg
LEXINGTON, KY – Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH) is aware of a national nurses’ union event planned for today in Whitesburg that has referenced our organization. ARH is not a partner in this event and is not participating in its planning or promotion.
ARH respects the rights of individuals and organizations to express their views. As a healthcare provider, our focus remains on delivering safe, high-quality care and ensuring the long-term stability of the hospitals and communities we serve.
We understand that public discussion surrounding the event has included concerns about Medicaid reimbursement and its impact on rural healthcare providers. Medicaid covers a significant portion of the patients we serve, and ARH, like healthcare organizations across the country, closely monitors policy developments that may affect access to care in rural communities.
ARH is financially stable and operationally strong. We have no plans to close hospitals, reduce services, or lay off employees. As a multi-hospital system built on years of careful planning and responsible financial stewardship, ARH remains positioned to adapt to changes in the healthcare environment while continuing to serve our region.
Recently, ARH finalized a three-year agreement with our nurses that strengthens wages, benefits, and wellness support. The agreement reflects the ongoing working relationship between ARH leadership and our nursing workforce.
This year marks 70 years of service to eastern Kentucky and southern West Virginia. Building on the legacy of the Miners Memorial Hospital Association, ARH remains committed to supporting the health and stability of the communities we serve.
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About Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH)
Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH) traces its roots back to 1955, when the United Mine Workers of America opened the Miners Memorial Hospital system – a network of 10 hospitals dedicated to providing care throughout the coalfields of eastern Kentucky and southern West Virginia. Seventy years later, ARH has grown into a 14-hospital not-for-profit health system that serves more than 500,000 residents of central Appalachia each year. ARH hospitals in Barbourville, Harlan, Hazard, Hyden, Martin, McDowell, Middlesboro, Paintsville, Prestonsburg, West Liberty, Whitesburg, and South Williamson in Kentucky, and Beckley and Hinton in West Virginia, ensure that residents, tucked away in even the most remote areas, can access the highest quality of care without traveling hours from home. ARH’s hospitals, clinics, multi-specialty physician practices, home health agencies, home medical equipment stores, retail pharmacies, and medical spas boast more than 6,700 employees with a network of more than 1,300 providers, making it the single largest employer in southeastern Kentucky and the third-largest private employer in southern West Virginia.