Colorado AG sued over HCA/HealthOne deal

Former HCA/HealthOne board members are suing Colorado Attorney General John Suthers for approving last month's joint venture deal between HCA/HealthOne and the Colorado Health Foundation and allegedly violating a hospital-transfer law.

In the deal, worth $1.45 billion, for-profit hospital operator HCA became the sole owner of Denver's largest healthcare system, which includes seven hospitals and 13 ambulatory surgery centers, reports the Denver Business Journal. The lawsuit claims the Colorado Health Foundation altered its mission when it sold 40 percent of its business to the for-profit partner.

With his approval, Suthers did ask parties to ensure community protections in extending HealthOne's care for Medicare and Medicaid patients and in avoiding hospital closings, reports The Denver Post. The board members question whether the price of the deal was fair and whether the hospital owner will continue to provide care to poor residents, according to the Business Journal article.

HealthOne said it always intended to continue providing extensive uncompensated care.

For more information:
- read the Denver Post article
- read the Denver Business Journal article

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