This Ballad hospital, flooded by Hurricane Helene, will be rebuilt for $44M in a flood plain

By: Brett Kelman, KFF Health News

Outlets: Tennessee Lookout

Published: February 9, 2026

Words: 1,251

Last Updated: 3 weeks ago

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A small Tennessee hospital that was destroyed by a surging river during Hurricane Helene will soon be rebuilt on low-lying farmland that could face several feet of flooding in a much smaller storm, risking another disaster if the new facility is not built to withstand extreme weather, according to a KFF Health News analysis.

Ballad Health announced in January that it would spend about $44 million to rebuild the 10-bed Unicoi County Hospital in …

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