Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Lancaster County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
A Tennessee-based hospital chain has agreed to buy Health Management Associates for $7.6 billion, it was announced Tuesday.
The acquisition would make Community Health Systems a company with 206 hospitals and 31,000 beds in 29 states.
Among those hospitals would be two local HMA facilities, Lancaster Regional and Heart of Lancaster.
The price includes the assumption of $3.7 billion in HMA debt.
If you need hip replacement surgery, you will face a wide range of charges here, depending on the hospital you choose.
Lancaster Regional Medical Center charged the most for major joint replacement surgery, $60,434, of the four hospitals here, according to a recent federal report on 2011 charges.
Across town, Lancaster General Hospital charged the least, $37,761, about $23,000 less than Regional.
But hang on to your crutches, patients. There’s more.
Though LGH charged the least, Medicare, the federal insurance for the elderly paid it the most of all the hospitals here, $13,400.
Confused yet? Join the club.
A national health-care chain that operates two hospitals in Lancaster County has come under fire after an investigative TV news program aired allegations that profits — and not patient care — motivated many of the company’s decisions in the emergency room.
CBS correspondent Steve Kroft on “60 Minutes” Sunday charged Health Management Associates with running unnecessary tests and admitting patients without cause — all to drive up revenue.
Based in Naples, Fla., HMA is the nation’s fourth-largest for-profit hospital chain. Locally, HMA operates Lancaster Regional Medical Center at 250 College Ave. and Heart of Lancaster Regional Medical Center in Lititz.
Danielle Gilmore, director of marketing for Lancaster Regional, declined to discuss the CBS report, instead sharing a statement issued by HMA’s corporate office in Naples.
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