FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear has rejected a proposed merger of University Hospital in Louisville and two other
hospital systems, saying it wouldn't be in the best interest of the
state.
Beshear announced his decision on Friday.
Under the proposal, University Hospital would have joined Jewish
Hospital & St. Mary's HealthCare and Saint Joseph Health System.
Talk of merging the public hospital with the religiously affiliated
hospital systems has raised eyebrows in Louisville. Some critics
have questioned how the merger would affect reproductive health
care in the state's largest city.
Beshear said he made his decision after exhaustive discussions
and research that caused him to believe the risks to the public
outweigh any potential benefits.
