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Unidentified committee member urges federal review of Steward after alleged mismanagement
Summary
An unidentified committee member told the committee that Steward’s management under Mr. De La Torre was "reprehensible," alleging understaffing, unpaid vendor bills of about $40,000,000 and endangering patients; the speaker called for HHS oversight and noted no administration witnesses were present.
An unidentified committee member urged a federal review of Steward after alleging widespread mismanagement under Mr. De La Torre that affected multiple facilities, including Glenwood and five hospitals in Utah.
The unidentified committee member said Steward “was operating in my state from 2017 to 2023” and accused the company of understaffing health-care facilities, failing to pay for required medical equipment and refusing to pay a number of vendors “to the tune of about $40,000,000.” The speaker called the conduct "reprehensible" and said it “never should have happened.”
The member added that the company’s actions “endangered lives,” and said it is difficult to calculate precisely how many people were seriously affected. The speaker argued the allegations warrant a "careful and thorough federal review," noting that the Department of Health and Human Services has responsibility for oversight intended to combat "waste, fraud, and abuse." The speaker also said it appeared all three — waste, fraud and abuse — were involved at Steward.
The committee member expressed regret that no representative from the current or prior administration appeared to explain what HHS should be doing in response. The speaker asked whether Congress should direct HHS to strengthen oversight of hospitals — particularly those in rural areas — and whether state-level actions are also required to ensure minimum levels of care.
No formal motions or votes were recorded in the provided transcript. The speaker’s remarks close with a call for additional federal attention and clarification of HHS’s role in preventing similar problems at rural and other hospitals.
