California Attorney General’s Delay of Verity Hospital Sale Jeopardizes Health Care Services for Santa Clara County Residents
Potential Closure of O’Connor and Saint Louise Hospitals Could Leave Thousands Unemployed
WHAT:
County Officials will update the media on the status of the purchase agreement for O’Connor and Saint Louise hospitals, following California Attorney General Xavier Becerra’s outright rejection of the County’s good faith efforts last week in Sacramento to discuss terms of the sale.
County officials will be joined by doctors, patients and community members.
WHO:
Joe Simitian, President, County of Santa Clara Board of Supervisors
Cindy Chavez, County of Santa Clara Board of Supervisors
SusanEllenberg County of Santa Clara Board of Supervisors
Jeffrey V. Smith, M.D., J.D., County Executive, County of Santa Clara
Miguel Màrquez, Chief Operating Officer
Sara Cody, M.D., Santa Clara County Health Officer and Public Health Department Director
Ben Field, Executive Officer, South Bay AFL-CIO Labor Council
Patients, doctors and community members will provide testimonials
WHEN AND WHERE:
Thursday, January 24, 2019 – 12 Noon
County Government Center – Back patio
70 West Hedding St., San Jose, California
WHY:
On December 27, 2018, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Los Angeles approved the County’s bid to acquire O’Connor Hospital in San Jose, St. Louise Regional Hospital in Gilroy, and DePaul Health Center in Morgan Hill for $235 million. The California Attorney General, Xavier Becerra, requested that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court stay the sale order approving the purchase of the Hospitals by the County.
The U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Los Angeles set a hearing date regarding the stay for January 30. If granted, the stay would block the sale during the Attorney General’s appeal of the sale order. This will likely cause a breach of the purchase agreement between Verity and the County – which would kill the deal.
County leaders and community members are asking the Attorney General to not block the sale of the Verity Hospitals in the South Bay. Attorney General Becerra’s interference sets a dangerous precedent for local governments trying to save health care services.
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About the County of Santa Clara, California
The County of Santa Clara government serves a diverse, multi-cultural population of 1.9 million residents in Santa Clara County, the sixth largest county in California. With a $7 billion budget, more than 70 agencies/departments and 20,000 employees, the County of Santa Clara plans for the needs of a dynamic community, offers quality services, and promotes a healthy, safe and prosperous community for all. The County provides essential services including public health and environmental protection, medical services through Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (SCVMC), child and adult protection services, homelessness prevention and solutions, roads, parks, libraries, emergency response to disasters, protection of minority communities and those under threat, access to a fair criminal justice system, and scores of other services, particularly for those members of our community in the greatest need.
Visit the County of Santa Clara at: http://www.sccgov.org
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Media Contact: Laurel Anderson/Marina Hinestrosa, Office of Public Affairs, (408) 299-5119; Joy Alexiou/Maury Kendall, County of Santa Clara Health System, (408) 885-4164.
Posted: January 23, 2019