WARREN, Ohio – Trumbull County commissioners plan to meet in July with Insight Health System officials and others to learn about efforts to reopen Insight Hospital & Medical Center Trumbull in Warren and Insight Rehabilitation Hospital Hillside in Howland.

Commissioner Rick Hernandez said he has been in contact with Holly Gross, one of the attorneys from Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff LLP, a Chicago- and Columbus-based law firm that is representing Insight.

According to Hernandez, Gross said work is ongoing behind the scenes to reopen the two hospitals Insight acquired through the Steward Health Care System bankruptcy.

On June 9, Patrick J. Lombardi, another attorney from the same law firm, filed in U.S. Bankruptcy court in Houston, Texas, a request to represent Insight Foundation of Hillside and Insight Foundation of Trumbull in any proceedings.

While he remains “cautiously optimistic,” Hernandez said if Insight wants the support of the Trumbull County commissioners, there are some answers he would like to have.

A special meeting is scheduled after the commissioners’ July 22 work session. Gross and Insight officials have agreed to attend the meeting, Hernandez said.

Hernandez said U.S. Sen. Bernie Morino, R-Ohio, U.S. Rep. David Joyce, R-14th, and Warren Mayor Doug Franklin will also be invited to the meeting.

At an earlier meeting, Morino said the best step forward would be for Insight Health to step aside, allowing another hospital operator to reopen the facilities. At the public meeting in May, Morino told commissioners that Medical Properties Trust, which owns the hospitals’ properties, was working with a new operator to transition the facilities.

“We were all pretty elated,” Hernandez said.

But Hernandez said Gross indicated there has been no offer from another hospital group. 

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced earlier this month that he had a fruitful meeting with Insight’s leadership team about how his office could help facilitate the reopening of the hospitals.

Insight has said it closed the hospitals in March due to not receiving Medicare or Medicaid payments from Steward or another company that was later appointed through the bankruptcy.

Hernandez said Insight recently received a $200,000 lump sum payment. But it was insufficient and no additional funding is expected to come through Steward’s bankruptcy, he said.

Hernandez said Gross has indicated Insight is working to obtain licensing so it can collect Medicare and Medicaid money after services are rendered.

Hernandez said questions and concerns remain, including the possible lack of a workforce. Many employees have moved on to other jobs after the hospitals closed. 

Hernandez also questioned what happens to lawsuits filed by medical equipment supply companies and others.

“I’m just hoping that they follow through with what they’re telling us and that we see something positive when we meet,” Hernandez said.

Pictured at top: Insight Hospital & Medical Center Trumbull in Warren.