County Commissioners Approve $300,000 Loan for Bucktail Medical Center Amid Insurance Reimbursement Delays

By Emily Wright

LOCK HAVEN— At the Clinton County Commissioners’ meeting on Thursday, July 24, 2025, the board approved a $300,000 unsecured loan for Bucktail Medical Center (BMC). Commissioner Angela Harding shared a brief update on BMC, outlining both its recent accomplishments and ongoing financial challenges.

“Bucktail Medical Center is doing quite well,” Harding reported. She also highlighted that the medical team at BMC recently provided life-saving measures following the accident that occurred on the railroad tracks in Farwell. 

The loan does not require any collateral and must be fully repaid by October 31, 2025. If BMC does not repay the loan by then, interest will begin to accumulate at an annual rate of 18%.

During the meeting, Commissioner Harding emphasized that the loan is not a sign of financial distress, but rather a response to delayed reimbursements from insurance providers. “This loan is due to delayed payments, and what I mean by that is Medicaid, Medicare, and even private insurance sometimes wait a couple of months before they reimburse Bucktail Medical Center for the services that they’ve already provided,” she explained. 

Harding reported that the board is working with legislators from both the state and federal governments to ensure that these reimbursements are made to BMC more quickly moving forward. 

Harding voiced her support for BMC, stating, “I don’t want anyone to think that Bucktail, the staff, and the administration aren’t doing a lot of wonderful things up there,” she said. “I just wanted to be clear that we are privileged enough at this time to be able to assist them with some of these payment gaps that they’re facing, and hopefully we’ll be able to get those delays in payment ironed out over the next few months.”

The next meeting of the Clinton County Commissioners will be held on Monday, August 4, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. Meetings are held in-person at the Piper Building, located at 2 Piper Way, in the 2nd-floor conference room. Meetings are also available via livestream on the “Clinton County Government” Facebook page.