Steward Health Care’s Bankruptcy Filing and Hospital Sales: A Closer Look at the Scandal in Massachusetts

Steward Health Care recently declared bankruptcy and plans to sell all of its U.S. hospitals in order to pay off its $9 billion debt. The company, which owns 31 hospitals across the country, including nine in Massachusetts, has been under scrutiny for unpaid bills and potential supply shortages in its hospitals, as highlighted in a CBS News investigation. Despite the bankruptcy filing, both the company and Massachusetts officials have reassured that there should be no disruptions to daily operations.

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey condemned the situation, attributing it to greed, mismanagement, and lack of transparency on the part of Steward’s leadership in Dallas. Governor Healey has set up a hotline and website for patients seeking information or assistance regarding the bankruptcy. The auctions for the hospitals are scheduled for June 28 for locations outside of Florida and July 30 for the Florida hospitals. Steward is headquartered in Dallas and operates hospitals in eight states.