A crash in Hanover, Massachusetts, left a person trapped in a car and people nearby without power.
Fire officials say the crash happened near the Hanover Police Department on Rockland Street, sharing photos of a badly-damaged sedan against a utilit…
post
Steward’s physician group purchased by Optum, Sen. Markey says
In a disclosure that hinted that further transactions, state health care officials received notifications Tuesday in connection with the proposed sale of Stewardship Health Inc. and the contracting Steward Health Care Network to OptumCare, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group.
The office of Sen. Ed Markey issued a press release that “Minnesota-based Optum Financial has purchased the physician group of Steward Health Care.”
Stewardship Health Inc. is the parent of Stewardship Health Medical Group Inc., which employs primary care physicians and other clinicians across nine states, according to the Health Policy Commission.
“This is a significant proposed change involving two large medical providers, both in Massachusetts and nationally, with important implications for the delivery and cost of health care across Massachusetts,” HPC Director David Seltz said. “Details of the proposal will be reviewed by the HPC to examine potential impacts on health care costs, quality, access, and equity. The sale cannot be completed until after the HPC’s review and any concurrent review by state or federal antitrust authorities.”
More on the Steward Health Care crisis
Once all required information has been provided about the sale, the HPC will have 30 days to assess potential impacts of the transaction, according to the agency. If the sale is anticipated to have a significant impact on health care costs and market functioning, the HPC can initiate a full Cost and Market Impact Review, an option that it has often not pursued in the past.
Steward’s financial problems have received widespread attention in recent weeks and the outlook for its Massachusetts assets remains cloudy. The HPC said that transactions involving the sale of Steward’s eight Massachusetts hospitals would also require review by the agency, and review by the Determination of Need program at the Department of Public Health.
“After Steward recklessly took on massive debt that is continuing to … put hospitals in Massachusetts and across the country into financial crisis, the Massachusetts health care system must move away from Steward’s financial insecurity,” Democratic Sen. Ed Markey said in a statement. “With this announcement, Optum must demonstrate that it can meet the even greater responsibility to preserve and protect health care access in the Commonwealth, and I hope they will live up to that responsibility by controlling costs and putting patients and providers first.”
In its new notice of material change, Steward Operations Holdings LLC, in response to a question about other material changes anticipated in the next 12 months, wrote: “Steward anticipates providing Notices of Material Change regarding transactions concerning certain of its acute care hospitals and other provider operations in the next 12 months.”
Access to natural psychedelics could soon be on the Massachusetts ballot
The debate over legalizing natural psychedelic drugs to treat illnesses such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD could soon be left up to voters.
The push to get it on the ballot came to Beacon Hill on Tuesday by a group of advocates who swear by the …
Brothers team up to fight food insecurity through Roxbury church
At Roxbury’s historic Twelfth Baptist Church, long lines for free food are formed weekly.
This congregation harmonizes and heals thousands of the food insecure.
“We traditionally may think of what food security may look like. It’s actually your neighbor, your friends, people we interact with every day.”
Winston Bodrick of the Greater Boston Food Bank works with his brother Willie, the senior pastor of Twelfth Baptist, to have meals prepped by staff.
Those meals are bagged up and carted home by those in need.
“I grew up with this guy, and I knew that we grew up in a household that prepared us for this type of work.”
The brothers, born in Atlanta, are sons of a pastor and a public school teacher.
“We saw them give back. We saw them buy meals, we saw buy clothes and support, whether it be their students, whether it be congregates.”
Before the church van delivers the meals to the building, canned goods, pastas, peanut butter and other items are boxed up and loaded up at The Greater Boston Food Bank warehouse.
“We know this is a real issue. And it’s an issue that we as a city can solve and for us that’s rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ, Matthew verse 25, when I was hungry, did you feed me? When I was thirsty, did you give me something to drink? We’re trying to make that real in the lives for people in the city of Boston.”
For the city of Boston and beyond, helping those in need is personal for the Greater Boston Food Bank and the Bodrick brothers.
“Together, with our faith, with our connection and commitment to community, and we will continue to overcome.”
Real estate tips for prospective home buyers
Steve Rife and his family moved to a home in Winchester, Massachusetts, last November.
He bought the house back in October — right when interest rates were nearing a historic 8%. He says the house was exactly what they were looking for.
“T…
Boston to pay $4.6M to settle lawsuit in 2016 police killing of mentally ill man
The city of Boston will pay about $4.6 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit stemming from the police killing of a mentally ill man in 2016.
The mother of Terrence Coleman, 31, filed the federal lawsuit six years ago. Hope Coleman had called f…
