RNs rally to reopen postpartum unit at MedStar amid D.C. health crisis

Washington D.C. Nurses Advocate for Reopening of Postpartum Unit Amid Health Crisis

On Saturday, October 10, registered nurses will gather for a rally in Washington, D.C., urging MedStar Washington Hospital Center to reopen its closed postpartum unit. This action is part of a response to an ongoing Black maternal health crisis affecting the District. Following the rally, participants plan to deliver a letter to hospital management, calling for the immediate restoration of the unit.

The National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU) represents the registered nurses at MedStar Washington Hospital Center.

"As nurses who have seen the devastating effects of a racist health care system that has left too many Black families suffering, we can not stand by silently as MedStar shutters this critical unit for families in D.C.," stated Ingrid Guardado-Cruz, RN. "We are demanding that MedStar reopen this postpartum unit immediately."

The event will also address the impact of federal health care funding reductions from H.R. 1 on hospitals in the D.C. area, with calls for management to restore essential services. According to NNU's analysis, all five of D.C.'s hospitals, including George Washington University Hospital and MedStar Washington Hospital Center, are at risk due to their reliance on Medicaid and Medicare funding.

Event Details

Who: MedStar Washington Hospital Center nurses, community allies, and National Nurses United

What: 'RED ALERT' rally and community event

When: October 10, 2026 | Free wellness checks and food available from 11 a.m.; rally begins at 12 p.m.

Where: Wangari Gardens, D.C. at Kenyon St. NW & Park Place NW

Speakers: Renelsa Caudill, RN, Cathy Kennedy, RN, Sam Epps, and Sequnely Gray

These hospitals handle approximately 80,000 inpatient visits annually and face potential losses of $140.5 million to $223.8 million each year due to H.R. 1. Learn more about the impact of H.R. 1 here.

Nurses emphasize the need for MedStar management to prioritize patient care, especially under the threat of H.R. 1 funding reductions. ProPublica reports that MedStar Health had over $1 billion in net assets as of June 2025, with CEO Kenneth A. Samet earning more than $7 million. Meanwhile, MedStar is involved in union-busting efforts at MedStar Franklin Square Hospital in Baltimore, reportedly spending $28,000 to $40,000 weekly.

Advocates criticize the closing of the postpartum unit, noting the limited birthing options it causes during a time when resources are critically needed. Black women represent 84% of pregnancy-related deaths in D.C. but only 31% of births, according to city data. MedStar Washington Hospital Center is responsible for delivering about one-third of the babies born in the District.

"As we see the health care landscape under attack in D.C., we must fight for the most vulnerable in our community, the newborn babies and their families," said Averie Foster, RN. "Since we have had the postpartum unit closed in July, we have had to put our hospital on labor and delivery diversion 22 times. This means laboring patients are traveling further for care which puts them and their babies at risk for poorer outcomes."

With additional cuts expected from the expiration of ACA subsidies and potential Medicaid and Medicare reductions, D.C. patients may face increasing barriers to care. More than 285,000 D.C. residents rely on Medicaid, and an estimated 95,000 could lose coverage.

Moreover, H.R. 1's planned $187 billion cut to SNAP over the next decade is already impacting families. Since its implementation, nearly 10,000 individuals in D.C. have lost SNAP access, with up to 230,000 families expected to lose benefits.

More than one in three Black residents in D.C. are in households using SNAP, with almost half enrolled in Medicaid. Residents in Wards 7 and 8 will be most affected by H.R. 1.

Further information on H.R. 1's impact on D.C. hospitals can be found here.

The rally is part of the National Nurses United’s RED ALERT bus tour, which is raising awareness about the reduction of health care services due to H.R. 1, and urging hospital leaders to prioritize patient care. The tour has visited several U.S. locations, including California, Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois, and Maine.

H.R. 1, the 2025 budget bill, cuts over $1 trillion in Medicaid and Medicare funding, reallocating funds to tax breaks and military spending. Nurses have condemned these cuts and their support for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), calling for ICE to be abolished.

Nurses are sharing their Vision for a Healthy Society, encouraging community involvement in advocating for patient-focused care. RED ALERT aims to build solidarity among those affected by political decisions.

"The billionaire class and their Republican puppets are gutting public health protections to make themselves richer and militarize our neighborhoods, with zero regard for working people and families struggling to survive," said NNU President Jamie Brown, RN. "Nurses refuse their deadly agenda. We’re taking the wheel and bringing our vision for a healthy society directly to patients and communities who will bear the brunt of Republican policies. We invite everyone who has felt abandoned by the political system to join us and build real working-class solidarity."

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National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the United States with nearly 225,000 members nationwide. NNU affiliates include California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, DC Nurses Association, Michigan Nurses Association, Minnesota Nurses Association, and New York State Nurses Association.

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