Steward wants to sell four Mass. hospitals soon, congressman says
Steward Health Care wants to sell four of its Massachusetts hospitals as soon as possible, including Norwood Hospital, U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch says.
The for-profit company also wants to sell Nashoba Valley Medical Center, St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Brighton and Holy Family Hospital, Lynch said, according to WCVB.
Dallas-based Steward Health Care, which reportedly owes $50 million in unpaid rent, also operates Carney Hospital in Dorchester, Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton, Morton Hospital in Taunton, New England Sinai Hospital and St. Anne’s Hospital in Fall River.
Norwood Hospital has been closed since June 2020 because of flooding. Steward was moving forward with plans to rebuild it.
Lynch said state officials were blindsided by the announcement and are now scrambling to keep Steward hospitals open.
"They expressed their intent to exit the Massachusetts health care market," Lynch said. "They own nine hospitals. How do you spin that in a good way?"
'Not going to get bailed out': Steward last year warned of health care 'market failure'
5 places with hot cocktails: From buttered bourbon cider to a spiked peanut butter coffee, these South Shore drinks sound delicious
The Massachusetts congressional delegation sent a letter to Steward's CEO reminding him of the significant impacts on patient care if they decide to pull out of the health care business in the state.
"This is happening at a time of a surge of cases now because of COVID, so we're seeing increased demand," Lynch said. "Very much caught off guard, and I think I speak for the whole congressional delegation in that respect."
Management downplayed reports of closures in an email to employees obtained by WCVB.
"We are working hard to address the challenges we're facing and have been working diligently with our lenders to secure additional funding which will go a long way to normalizing hospital operations," Executive Vice President Michael Callum said in an email to staff Thursday.
"We have not asked the state and currently do not believe we need any form of government bailout," Callum wrote.
Mass General Brigham said it was moving surgeries and procedures scheduled at one of Steward's hospitals.
"After hearing that certain surgical equipment may not be available, we made the decision to reschedule upcoming orthopedic and GI procedures at Holy Family Hospital," said Tom Sequist, chief medical officer at Mass General Brigham.
The Boston Globe reported last week that a new mother died after equipment that could have saved her life was repossessed at St. Elizabeth's after Steward didn't pay the bill for it.
In a written statement, Steward Health Care said, "The fact that one of the largest health care providers in Massachusetts rescinded their care underscores the fact that Steward hospitals do not receive the support they need, nor the recognition of the quality care they provide."
Steward has said it serves a large number of Medicare and Medicaid patients, and they're not being reimbursed for that care as well as they need to be.
The company employs more than 16,000 nurses, doctors and other frontline, essential health care workers in the state.
Steward closed Quincy Medical Center in 2014, three years after buying it. The emergency room was closed in 2020.
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Steward wants to leave Mass. health care market, Lynch says
