PHOENIX — Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes announced Friday her office is opening an investigation into Steward Health Care, the operator of multiple Valley medical facilities, after the company recently announced it was filing for bankruptcy.
Steward intends to sell off all 31 of hospitals nationwide during an auction next month. Mayes said she wants to investigate the circumstances leading up to Steward's bankruptcy filing and is considering intervening in the bankruptcy process.
"I am deeply concerned about the potential impact this could have on Arizona patients and medical providers,” Mayes said in a statement. “No matter who ultimately ends up owning and operating these facilities, I am committed to ensuring that no Arizonan is harmed by this bankruptcy."
Steward operates the following facilities in Arizona:
- St. Luke's Hospital in Tempe
- St. Luke's Behavioral Health Center in Phoenix
- Mountain Vista Medical Center in Mesa
- The Florence Hospital in Pinal County
The AG's office said Steward also operates numerous medical practices in Arizona.
Steward officials have said they do not expect any interruptions in its hospitals’ day-to-day operations during the Chapter 11 process.
Mayes, a Democrat, said she wants to ensure prospective buyers do not take advantage of Steward’s bankruptcy to purchase hospitals or medical practices when those buyers would have otherwise been barred from buying them due to antitrust laws.
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