A group of Democratic members of Congress, led by Sen. Edward Markey of Massachusetts, is seeking reassurances that workers at hospitals owned by Steward Health Care will have access to protected health care and retirement benefits.
Steward said last month he plans to do so Selling all its hospitals After announcing it Filed for bankruptcy protection.
In a letter to Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su on Monday, Markey said Steward’s bankruptcy “raises concerns for nearly 30,000 workers, including nearly 10,000 workers in Massachusetts, who rely on Steward Healthcare for their paychecks and health care plans.” and retirement benefits.”
“We write to ask the U.S. Department of Labor to ensure that workers and retirees receive the health care and retirement benefits to which they are entitled. Workers and retirees must be protected from further harm resulting from Steward’s gross financial mismanagement,” Markey wrote.
Representatives for Steward did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on what steps, if any, the company has taken to ensure workers receive their benefits.
The Dallas-based company, which operates more than 30 hospitals across the country, said it does not anticipate any interruption in the day-to-day operations of its hospitals throughout the Chapter 11 process.
Many workers who rely on Steward Health Care for their livelihoods are already facing financial uncertainty and anxiety, Markey said. In Massachusetts, steward workers’ salaries were delayed after filing for bankruptcy because of processing delays, he said.
Markey and other lawmakers are asking the Department of Labor to take steps to protect workers, including defining a stewardship plan to continue benefits during bankruptcy as well as in the event a facility closes or is acquired and making sure health claims are paid throughout the bankruptcy process.
“Although responsibility for this crisis rests exclusively with Steward and its corporate collaborators, a solution to this crisis that protects workers, patients, and communities requires engagement and cooperation among federal, state, and local authorities,” Markey said in the letter.
In addition to Massachusetts, Steward employs workers in Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas.
The letter was also signed by Democratic Senators Sherrod Brown of Ohio and John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, and Independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Democratic Representatives Ayanna Pressley, Stephen Lynch, James McGovern, and Seth Moulton, all from Massachusetts, also signed the letter.