BOSTON — Gov. Maura Healey on Monday doubled down on her inability to prevent the closure of Steward Health Care’s hospitals, including those that received qualified bids but still face an uncertain future during bankruptcy proceedings.
Up to five Steward hospitals could transition to new owners after a sales hearing in bankruptcy court, which was slated for Tuesday but is now postponed until Friday.
Healey has already said there’s nothing she can do stop Steward from closing Carney Hospital in Dorchester and Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer, and on WBUR “Radio Boston” Monday morning she underscored her administration’s lack of authority to intervene in any other major health care service disruptions.
More: Healey: Fate of Steward hospitals ‘in the hands of the lenders’
“This really isn’t up to me. This is all on Steward and the lenders at this point,” Healey said when asked whether she would allow other Steward hospitals to close depending on the sales process.
“We have been very active, I have been very active, our secretary of health and human services and our commissioner of public health have been very active in working with and helping to save these hospitals,” Healey continued. “I’ll just say at the outset, it breaks my heart to see a hospital close. It breaks my heart to see patients or residents worry about where they’re going to access care. It breaks my heart to see nurses and health care workers facing the specter of losing jobs. I hate it.”