From Los Alamos Visiting Nurse Service, Inc.:

After 52 years of dedicated service to the communities of Los Alamos County and Rio Arriba County, Los Alamos Visiting Nurse Service, Inc. will close its doors on Feb. 20, 2026.

This decision was not made lightly. For more than five decades, our organization has been honored to provide home health and hospice care to patients and families during some of life’s most vulnerable moments. Unfortunately, mounting financial pressures have made it unsustainable for us to continue operating.

Over the past 20 years, home health and hospice agencies nationwide have experienced steadily declining reimbursement rates, despite sharply increasing healthcare costs. Staffing expenses, medical supplies, insurance, and technology requirements have all risen significantly, while reimbursement has failed to keep pace.

Additionally, current reimbursement structures often do not adequately reflect the complexity of care provided. Under global or standardized payment models, low-acuity and high-acuity patients may be reimbursed at the same rate. When an agency serves a higher volume of medically complex patients in a rural setting, as we often do, this mismatch can result in substantial financial shortfalls.

Other economic pressures have further compounded these challenges, including market-rate increases in rent, rising administrative and regulatory compliance costs, and ongoing changes in federal and state healthcare policies that directly impact reimbursement levels.

Together, these factors have created an environment in which continuing operations is no longer financially viable, despite strong community need and the dedication of our staff.

At the same time, we recognize how vital hospice care is to the Los Alamos community. To that end, we are currently in discussions with Red Willow Hospice to explore ways to continue Los Alamos Visiting Nurses’ long-standing mission of ensuring access to compassionate, high-quality hospice care for local residents. While these discussions are ongoing and no final agreements have been reached, our hope is that this collaboration may help preserve hospice services in the community we have served for more than half a century.

We are deeply grateful to the patients, families, clinicians, volunteers, and community partners who have supported Los Alamos Visiting Nurses throughout our history. It has been a privilege to serve this region for more than 50 years.

With gratitude and respect,

Los Alamos Visiting Nurse Service Board: Nancy Coombs, president; Linda Light, vice president; Anita Barela, secretary; and board member Jose Arellano.

Ruben Vasquez, executive director and Susie Edwards, clinical manager