Hearing on Steward Payment for Residency Program Delayed
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – A U.S. Bankruptcy Court hearing on a motion filed by Western Reserve Health Education Inc. related to the Steward Health Care System bankruptcy has been moved from Friday to Sept. 17.
The change includes a response filing deadline of Sept. 11.
The motion to compel, filed by Western Reserve Health Education on Aug. 7, relates to the master funding and services agreement between Steward and the WRHE, which provides graduate medical training through residencies and fellowships at the two Steward-owned hospitals in Trumbull County.
Steward declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy May 6 and filed a notice Aug. 21 that stated it would close Trumbull Regional Medical Center in Warren and Hillside Rehabilitation Hospital in Howland by Sept. 20.
The WRHE is funded through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, as well as the Ohio Department of Medicaid. Steward renewed funding for the program May 28 but stopped paying teaching services and vendors involved in the program, according to WRHE. As of Aug. 7, Steward reportedly owes the WRHE $207,774, resulting in faculty threatening to stop teaching and vendors cutting off services to the program.
The WRHE also joined the city of Warren and Trumbull County on Tuesday in filing an objection to the announced closure of Trumbull Regional, Hillside and satellite medical facilities.
The objection asks Judge Christopher M. Lopez of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court to extend the closure date to Nov. 20, which could give the group, led by Warren City Hospital, sufficient time to raise $30 million to operate the hospitals.
Donations to support the effort are still being collected through the United Way of Trumbull County.
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