Lifespan, Boston Medical Center and Lawrence General Hospital tentatively agreed to take over six Steward Health Care hospitals in Massachusetts, state officials announced Friday.
If the proposals are finalized, Providence, Rhode Island-based Lifespan would acquire and operate Morton Hospital in Taunton and St. Anne’s Hospital in Fall River, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey (D) said in a news release. Lawrence General Hospital would take over Steward’s Holy Family hospitals in Haverhill and Methuen, while Boston Medical Center would operate Good Samaritan in Brockton.
Related: Steward signs definitive agreement to sell physician group
In addition, Boston Medical Center plans to operate St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Brighton following the state's control of the facility, which is aimed at keeping it open during the transition, Healey said.
“When it comes to finalizing a deal for Saint Elizabeth’s, [Medical Properties Trust], Macquarie and Apollo have repeatedly chosen to put their own interests above the health and wellbeing of the people of Massachusetts,” Healey said in the news release. “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.”
Dallas-based Steward declined to comment.
Last week, Steward secured $30 million in financing from the state to help keep the six Massachusetts hospitals open.
The tentative deals were announced as part of Steward's plans to sell its national hospital network and physician group after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in May.
The proposals, which would need approval from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas, do not include Steward’s Carney and Nashoba facilities that are slated to close by the end of the month. Steward closed a rehabilitation hospital in Stoughton in April.
Earlier this week, the for-profit hospital chain signed definitive agreements to sell its physician group and several northern Florida hospitals.
Private equity-owned Rural Healthcare Group plans to acquire Steward’s physician group for $245 million. Orlando Health intends to purchase Rockledge Regional Medical Center, Melbourne Regional Medical Center and Sebastian River Medical Center in a $439.4 million acquisition agreement with Steward.
