Cuts Coming to Aspirus Keweenaw

Changes are coming to a hospital in the Keweenaw — layoffs and reduced schedules for at least some of the employees who remain.

It’s Aspirus Keweenaw Hospital in Laurium.

Officials say they have to make cuts — their announced goal is to cut the annual costs by 5%.

And they’ll have to make layoffs.

What’s still unclear — how many layoffs there’ll be and how many employees will have their hours reduced.

Administrators have held employee forums to let staff know what will be going on.

They say they need to cut expenses because of a rise in uninsured patients and because of how compensation comes in for Medicaid and Medicare services.

Hospital officials say long-term plans to expand the facility shouldn’t be affected.