Tenet Healthcare said it is open to resuming talks with the state of Connecticut over its failed deal to buy five hospitals. The company pulls no punches in its response to Governor Dannel Malloy’s invitation.
Over a period of more than two years, Tenet had negotiated deals with Waterbury Hospital and St. Mary’s in Waterbury, as well as facilities in Bristol, Rockville, and Manchester. But after hearing the conditions that state regulators would impose on them, the company simply walked away.
Malloy wrote to Tenet on January 12, seeking further talks.
In reply, Tenet CEO Trevor Fetter said he is still concerned as to whether an agreement could be reached given what he called the “overall environment” in Hartford, but he laid out very clearly some conditions of his own, if any deal were to go forward.
Fetter wants one set of conditions to cover all the deals contemplated by Tenet, and for the same conditions to apply to any other hospital deals by other companies in the future. He also said it is essential that Tenet has the opportunity to make the hospitals self-sustaining.
The Office of Health Care Access had previously said that Tenet could not alter staffing or service levels for five years after the acquisition. Fetter called such a condition excessively onerous.
Tenet only wants to operate in places where it is wanted by the local community, Fetter said. He will not be offended if Malloy turns his attention to other ways of addressing the difficulties of Connecticut hospitals.
