The fallout is rising once more towards embattled Steward Healthcare as the corporate tries to unload a few of its belongings in Massachusetts to compensate for again payments.Steward disclosed to the state it needs to promote its community of physicians to United Well being Group, a transfer that might assist Steward pay a few of its payments, together with a reported $50 million in unpaid lease. It is also attempting to promote its 9 Massachusetts hospitals.Steward not too long ago confirmed its curiosity in leaving the state and Gov. Maura Healey has demanded they go away. Final month, the corporate mentioned it had secured bridge financing to offer it time to switch not less than a few of its hospitals to different operators.The state’s Well being Coverage Fee will evaluate the proposed sale and the impression on sufferers.“It might be a desperation transfer for Steward, nevertheless it doesn’t imply it’s a nasty factor for the commonwealth,” mentioned well being care professional David Williams.Williams mentioned the hospitals will probably be much less enticing with out the bundle deal of a medical doctors group included.“The physicians are a feeder to the hospital. If I’m Steward – proudly owning hospitals and physicians – I would like these physicians to refer sufferers to the hospital the place I can do costly issues to them,” he mentioned. That costly care is why Williams mentioned we should always transition to extra clinics and medical doctors’ places of work.”We really want to maneuver care out of the hospital and into the neighborhood,” he mentioned. “It is most likely higher if we didn’t have as many hospitals.”However neither Sen. Elizabeth Warren nor Sen. Ed Markey are shopping for into the brand new proposal.”I’m involved that this sale is not going to profit sufferers or well being care employees, or assure the survival of those services,” Warren mentioned in a press release. “It will be a horrible mistake for Steward to be allowed to stroll away whereas looting Massachusetts hospitals another time.”Warren identified Optum is already the biggest employer of medical doctors within the nation, controlling over 10% of the market.”Optum, a UnitedHealth Group subsidiary, is already the biggest employer of physicians within the nation, controlling over 10 p.c of American medical doctors, which implies this deal raises vital antitrust considerations in Massachusetts and nationally,” Warren mentioned in a press release. Williams mentioned Massachusetts already has a medical big: Mass Normal Brigham.”I really suppose it could be a constructive factor, so it is perhaps two gorillas wrestling. Now the query is, ought to we’ve got big gorillas? That’s an open query, however I really suppose this improves the ability inside Massachusetts,” he mentioned. Markey has mentioned he plans to convene a congressional area listening to about Steward’s troubles on April 3 and that he plans to name Steward executives – together with CEO Dr. Ralph de la Torre – to testify.Dallas-based Steward operates the next hospitals in Massachusetts: Carney Hospital in Dorchester, Good Samaritan Medical Middle in Brockton, Holy Household in Haverhill and Methuen, Morton Hospital in Taunton, Nashoba Valley Medical Middle, New England Sinai Hospital, Norwood Hospital, Saint Anne’s Hospital in Fall River and St. Elizabeth’s Medical Middle in Brighton.The corporate employs greater than 16,000 nurses, medical doctors, and different frontline, important well being care employees within the state.
NORWOOD, Mass. — The fallout is rising once more towards embattled Steward Healthcare as the corporate tries to unload a few of its belongings in Massachusetts to compensate for again payments.Steward disclosed to the state it needs to promote its community of physicians to United Well being Group, a transfer that might assist Steward pay a few of its payments, together with a reported $50 million in unpaid lease. It is also attempting to promote its 9 Massachusetts hospitals.
Steward not too long ago confirmed its curiosity in leaving the state and Gov. Maura Healey has demanded they go away. Final month, the corporate mentioned it had secured bridge financing to offer it time to switch not less than a few of its hospitals to different operators.The state’s Well being Coverage Fee will evaluate the proposed sale and the impression on sufferers.“It might be a desperation transfer for Steward, nevertheless it doesn’t imply it’s a nasty factor for the commonwealth,” mentioned well being care professional David Williams.Williams mentioned the hospitals will probably be much less enticing with out the bundle deal of a medical doctors group included.
“The physicians are a feeder to the hospital. If I’m Steward – proudly owning hospitals and physicians – I would like these physicians to refer sufferers to the hospital the place I can do costly issues to them,” he mentioned.
That costly care is why Williams mentioned we should always transition to extra clinics and medical doctors’ places of work.”We really want to maneuver care out of the hospital and into the neighborhood,” he mentioned. “It is most likely higher if we didn’t have as many hospitals.”
However neither Sen. Elizabeth Warren nor Sen. Ed Markey are shopping for into the brand new proposal.”I’m involved that this sale is not going to profit sufferers or well being care employees, or assure the survival of those services,” Warren mentioned in a press release. “It will be a horrible mistake for Steward to be allowed to stroll away whereas looting Massachusetts hospitals another time.”Warren identified Optum is already the biggest employer of medical doctors within the nation, controlling over 10% of the market.”Optum, a UnitedHealth Group subsidiary, is already the biggest employer of physicians within the nation, controlling over 10 p.c of American medical doctors, which implies this deal raises vital antitrust considerations in Massachusetts and nationally,” Warren mentioned in a press release. Williams mentioned Massachusetts already has a medical big: Mass Normal Brigham.”I really suppose it could be a constructive factor, so it is perhaps two gorillas wrestling. Now the query is, ought to we’ve got big gorillas? That’s an open query, however I really suppose this improves the ability inside Massachusetts,” he mentioned.
Markey has mentioned he plans to convene a congressional area listening to about Steward’s troubles on April 3 and that he plans to name Steward executives – together with CEO Dr. Ralph de la Torre – to testify.Dallas-based Steward operates the next hospitals in Massachusetts: Carney Hospital in Dorchester, Good Samaritan Medical Middle in Brockton, Holy Household in Haverhill and Methuen, Morton Hospital in Taunton, Nashoba Valley Medical Middle, New England Sinai Hospital, Norwood Hospital, Saint Anne’s Hospital in Fall River and St. Elizabeth’s Medical Middle in Brighton.The corporate employs greater than 16,000 nurses, medical doctors, and different frontline, important well being care employees within the state.