Some who questioned the sale of Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg to a for-profit corporation in April were left even more uneasy Tuesday amid news that the new owner -- Health Management Associates -- could be sold to Tennessee-based Community Health Systems Inc. HMA owns 23 hospitals in the state and dozens of clinics.
A number of publications around the state took note of how the prospective sale, which creates the largest for-profit hospital chain in the country, could affect their area:
- An HMA official has told St. Petersburg officials that Community Health will have to honor the agreement HMA made with the city on continuing charity care at Bayfront Medical Center, the Tampa Bay Times reports.
- The lease of Munroe Regional Medical Center, which had considered Community Health but ultimately selected HMA in last year’s search for a company to run its hospital, will move forward as planned, the Ocala Star-Banner reports.
- Community Health says the sale shouldn’t affect the planned HMA merger at Bert Fish Medical Center in New Smyrna Beach, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.
