Steward Health Care announced on Friday that it is closing two hospitals in Massachusetts due to a lack of qualified bids after declaring bankruptcy earlier this year. The U.S. Senate is investigating Steward’s bankruptcy, with Democrats accusing the company of allowing private equity executives to strip its assets at the expense of local communities.
Steward stated that despite efforts to sell or transition all its Massachusetts hospitals, there were no qualified bids for Carney Hospital and Nashoba Valley Medical Center, leading to their closure around August 31. Carney Hospital is in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood, while Nashoba Valley Medical Center is in Ayer, around 45 miles west of Boston.
In May, Steward announced plans to sell off all its hospitals after filing for bankruptcy protection. The company operates approximately 30 hospitals across eight states.
Gov. Maura Healey of Massachusetts attributed the closures to the greed and mismanagement of Steward Health Care and CEO Ralph de la Torre. She assured residents that preparations have been made to facilitate a smooth transition for affected patients and employees.
Steward will work closely with Carney and Nashoba patients to find suitable care alternatives and assist employees during the closure process. Remaining hospitals in Massachusetts have received bids to not only maintain but improve services.
Carney and Nashoba will remain open for now and go through an orderly closure process. The next step involves a bankruptcy judge approving Steward’s motion to close, followed by coordination with the state Department of Public Health for patient and worker transitions.
The state has developed an online dashboard to help patients locate nearby hospitals, understand available services, and monitor patient volumes and bed availability updates.
An investigation into Steward’s bankruptcy has been authorized by a Senate committee, with CEO de la Torre subpoenaed to testify before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee on Sept. 12. Sen. Bernie Sanders highlighted the dangers of private equity executives profiting from hospitals at the expense of community well-being.
Members of Congress, including Markey, are seeking assurances that healthcare and retirement benefits of Steward hospital workers will be protected. Markey emphasized the need for Steward to keep remaining hospitals open and criticized the company’s actions that negatively impact the health of Massachusetts residents.
By Steve Leblanc
Please rewrite the following sentence:
“The dog ran quickly through the park.”
Rewritten: The dog sprinted through the park with speed.
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