Steward Health Care, headquartered in Dallas, is planning to sell its U.S. hospitals through an auction to pay off its $9 billion debt. The company owns 31 hospitals across eight states and operates in Massachusetts, Florida and other locations. Despite the bankruptcy filing, both the company and state officials have assured that there will be no disruptions to daily operations.
The auctions for Steward’s hospitals are scheduled for June 28 for locations outside of Florida and July 30 for the Florida hospitals. Steward’s attorney mentioned during a bankruptcy hearing that the company hopes to keep all hospitals operational in the long term.
Stewart Health Care has been under scrutiny for unpaid bills and potential supply shortages in its hospitals, as highlighted in a CBS News investigation. 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.