The state of Massachusetts has brokered an agreement to keep five hospitals owned by Steward Health Care open while the struggling health system undergoes bankruptcy, forcing the sale of five hospitals to other operators to ensure they remain operational.
According to an official announcement, Gov. Maura Healey’s administration will use eminent domain to seize control of Saint Elizabeth’s from Steward and transfer the facility to a new owner, and when the process is completed it will effectively end Steward’s presence in the state.
“Today, we are taking steps to save and keep operating the five remaining Steward Hospitals, protecting access to care in those communities and preserving the jobs of the hard-working women and men who work at those hospitals,” said Governor Healey in the statement. “Our team under Secretary Kate Walsh worked day in and day out to secure new, responsible, qualified operators who will protect and improve care for their communities. We’re grateful for the close collaboration of the Legislature to develop a fiscally responsible financing plan to support these transitions.”
“When it comes to finalizing a deal for Saint Elizabeth’s, MPT, Macquarie and Apollo have repeatedly chosen to put their own interests above the health and wellbeing of the people of Massachusetts,” Healey added. “Enough is enough. Our administration is going to seize control of Saint Elizabeth’s through eminent domain so that we can facilitate a transition to a new owner and keep this hospital open.”
Healey’s administration has thus far:
- Committed $30 million to keep the hospitals open through the end of the month.
- Yesterday, the Governor demanded that Steward make good on its commitment for severance pay to employees as part of any Massachusetts sale.
- The MassHire Rapid Response team has been onsite at Nashoba and Carney and met with hundreds of workers to provide job services and connect them with job openings.
- In the next two weeks, MassHire Rapid Response will host job fairs at both Carney and Nashoba on August 23 and August 27. The job fairs will include more than 40 health care employers in Massachusetts looking for skilled talent.
