‘Game of hide the numbers’: Governor Healey faults Steward Health Care system for its fiscal woes

Gov. Maura Healey ripped into the financially embattled Steward Health Care system Monday, saying the company’s financial woes are of its own making and added that the state is still working toward what she called an orderly transition away from the company.

She said state monitors are on the ground keeping an eye on the nine health care facilities operated by the company, including hospitals in some of the state’s poorer communities.

The Democrat also said she’s demanded that Steward guarantee safe staffing levels, cooperate with monitors from the state Department of Public Health and provide additional financial information.

“We are focused on protecting patients, protecting jobs, protecting the stability of our health care system,” Healey told reporters in her office Monday.

“This is a problem that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts did not create,” she added. “One individual and one management team at Steward created this mess and it has put a lot of people at risk, caused a lot of understandable concern and makes a lot of us really, really angry.”

A spokesperson for Steward said the company has provided state officials with audited financial statements through 2021 but does not have audited statements yet for 2022, and will turn them over as soon as they are completed.

“To date, we have given a voluminous amount of financial material and documentation and we continue to work with state officials to provide information. We are unsure of the source of confusion, but we are intent on clearing it up and coming to resolution.” Josephine Martin said in a statement.

Healey last week demanded that Steward Health Care CEO Ralph de la Torre produce financial records to the state that are required of other health care systems.

Healey said the financial information that was turned over to the state fell short and hadn’t been audited by the company.

“I’m only surmising here, but the reason it is not audited is because no auditor will sign off on the information.” she said,

She described Steward as “a house of cards and a charade” that has put patients and providers and the stability of our market at risk.

“The fault is with Steward and its management. It frankly disgusts me,” she added.

Democratic House Speaker Ronald Mariano said Steward had been less than forthcoming about their financial situation for more than a decade.

“If anyone is feeling sorry for Steward right now, they’re crazy, he said. “Steward has practiced the game of hide the numbers and they’ve been very successful at it.”

Asked if there’s a chance of a criminal investigation or criminal charges, Mariano said, “there’s always a chance.”

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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