ALTOONA, Pa. -- Altoona Regional Health System notified their employees that nearly 50 jobs will be cut. Another 19 vacant positions will not be filled to make up for a budget deficit and the lack of patients.

Hospital officials said the biggest problem the hospital is facing is Medicare reimbursements can't keep up with the hospital's rising costs.

The reimbursements cover about half of the system's patients.

Officials are also closing transitional care at the Bon Secours campus.

Hospital officials said the layoffs will happen across the board and will take effect over the next several weeks.

Even after the layoffs, hospital officials said they won't be in the clear financially. The board will be moving forward with consolidation of acute care.