VICTOR VALLEY COMMUNITY HOSPITAL: Deal Falls Apart Over Indigent Care
Tennessee-based Community Health Systems' attempted acquisition of Victor Valley Community Hospital is off, the Riverside Press-Enterprise reports. Community Health withdrew its plans to purchase Victor Valley after California Deputy Attorney General Chet Horne informed the company of a state requirement mandating continued care for indigent patients "in an amount equal to 1% of the hospital's combined Medicare and Medi-Cal reimbursements." That would have required Community Health to spend $61.2 million on charity care. Horne said that Community Health wanted "to adopt the hospital's current policy, which has no level of commitment." A Community Health spokesperson confirmed the company had sent a letter to the California Attorney General saying it was no longer interested in the acquisition, but would not comment on the details (Benson, 7/19).
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