On a slim 16-12 vote, the Oregon Senate, on the final day of a five-week session, passed House Bill 4075 allowing the transfer of $44 million from the Common School Fund into a state loan guarantee for Bay Area Hospital.   The rural hospital in Coos Bay serves Southwest Oregon, but was on the verge of going to 50-beds, down from 172 due to financial problems.  A high-interest private-sector loan from a Canadian bank, necessary to upgrade the hospital’s IT systems as well as electronic health record-keeping, is seen as a major part of BAH’s financial problems, along with Medicaid or Medicare patients which pay less than private insurance.  CEO Gretchen Nichols reportedly says an aggressive turnaround plan implemented late last Summer has BAH now operating in the black; however, re-establishing the required $50 million reserve is currently out of reach. Some State lawmakers are reporting unsure that the bailout will succeed.  Others looked at it as a very important project for the State of Oregon involving rural hospitals and the people they serve as well as the type of care they provide.  In a bi-partisan effort, State Rep. Boomer Wright (R-Reedsport) and Rep. Rob Nosse (D-Portland), teamed up to push the Bill through the Legislature.