Both Imperial County hospitals have received loans from the State of California.

The Department of Health Care Access and Information is distributing loans through the Distressed Hospital Loan Program. Pioneers Memorial Healthcare District and El Centro Regional Medical Center will receive loans in the amount of $28 million each. The Distressed Hospital Loan Program was established earlier this year to offer interest-free, working capital loans to non-profit and publicly operated financially distressed hospitals. The program is jointly administered by the California Department of Health Care Access and Information and the California Health Facilities Financing Authority. The loans are at zero-percent interest and are repayable over 72 months, with an initial 18-month grace period at the beginning of the loan term. The loans are scheduled to be released in the coming weeks.