Gov. Maura Healey hails Brown Health takeover of Saint Annes, says move preserved jobs and access to care

Gov. Maura Healey on Thursday joined local officials and Brown University Health leaders in Fall River to mark Brown Healths takeover of Saint Annes Hospital, calling the transition a coordinated effort that preserved services and jobs after the prior operator entered bankruptcy.

"We were able to save hospitals, to protect jobs, and to protect the stability of a health care market and access to critically needed care," Healey said, adding that efforts to stabilize Steward facilities statewide helped save roughly 13,000 jobs and about 1,500 positions at Saint Annes.

Why it matters: State officials and union leaders framed the acquisition as the result of sustained advocacy and operational intervention after Steward Health Care facilities faced financial collapse. Healey credited the Department of Public Health, the state incident command structure, labor unions including 1199 SEIU and the Massachusetts Nurses Association, and partner hospitals and payers for making a deal to keep community hospitals open.

John Fernandez, president and chief executive officer of Brown University Health, said Brown stepped in to ensure continuity of care and that staff on site exceeded expectations during the transition. "It's been absolutely incredible to watch the hard work led by Carol and the team and the physicians and nurses," Fernandez said.

Union role and staff perspective: Tim Foley, executive vice president of 1199 SEIU, said the union and community allies had pushed for a solution, recalling an April 25, 2024 rally that demanded the hospital remain open. "On behalf of those members that work tirelessly every single day to deliver high quality community health care, I wanna say thank you," Foley said.

Several front-line workers who spoke at the podium described relief and optimism. Daniella Ferreira, a certified nursing assistant who said she has worked at the hospital for 12 years, called Browns takeover "a chance to push forward through all of the troubling times" and said staff hope to "be bigger and better than ever." A long-tenured nurse identified as Erin said St. Annes "is a family" and expressed gratitude for the new chapter.

Financing and next steps: Officials acknowledged that bankruptcy cleared prior debt but did not provide operating capital for the new owners. Brown Health, Fernandez said, has provided short-term operating support; department leaders noted the state put its "buying power" behind hospitals to preserve access, and Healey estimated about 90 days of working capital may be needed as services ramp up and payments catch up.

The governor also flagged policy tools that a nonprofit operator can use, including participation in the federal 340B drug-pricing program, which can help lower medicine costs for eligible providers. An audience member raised concerns that converting to a nonprofit could impose a seven-figure cost on the city; Healey and local officials said the RGGI (Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative) analogy did not apply and that there was no expectation of a one-time payment from state programs to cover that local cost.

Whats next: Healey said the administration will continue working with Brown Health, local leaders and health partners through working groups to revitalize access in affected communities and to address disparities in care. She closed with a public-health reminder for residents to seek care and get vaccines as the winter and respiratory virus season approaches.

Sources and attribution: Quotes and on-the-record remarks in this article come from Governor Maura Healey; John Fernandez, president and CEO of Brown University Health; Kate Walsh, secretary of Health and Human Services; Robbie Goldstein, commissioner of the Department of Public Health; Tim Foley, executive vice president of 1199 SEIU; and staff members who identified themselves as Daniella Ferreira, Joe Peterson and Erin (nurse).