Hutcheson Bankruptcy Hearing Stalled by State Officials
FORT OGLETHORPE, GA (WDEF-TV) – So close—but still no agreement.
Although all of the parties in the Hutcheson hospital bankruptcy agreed, the state of Georgia temporarily halted action by the court.
The troubled north Georgia hospital is close to having a new owner, but state officials are working to determine if the current license would still be valid.
Just when you thought Hutcheson hospital would get a reprieve, all parties are still waiting for a final agreement.
There were two separate actions Friday to clean-up loose ends so bankruptcy Judge Paul Bonapfel in Atlanta could sign-off on it.
First—a new buyer, People’s Choice Hospital of Illinois offers 4-million dollars for the main campus.
Although all of the parties in the Hutcheson hospital bankruptcy agreed, the state of Georgia temporarily halted action by the court.
The troubled north Georgia hospital is close to having a new owner, but state officials are working to determine if the current license would still be valid.
Just when you thought Hutcheson hospital would get a reprieve, all parties are still waiting for a final agreement.
There were two separate actions Friday to clean-up loose ends so bankruptcy Judge Paul Bonapfel in Atlanta could sign-off on it.
First—a new buyer, People’s Choice Hospital of Illinois offers 4-million dollars for the main campus.
STUART JAMES. ATTORNEY, REPRESENTING WALKER CO. "What’s going to happen is, the judge will be presented with an agreement to allow People’s Choice to come in and manage the hospital, starting today..so that the license expiration on the hospital doesn’t happen."
The operating license was to expire Monday morning.
STUART JAMES "What it’ll do is keep health care in the northwest Georgia area, which is something Walker county has been wanting to happen."
Also, to clear a path for agreement, Catoosa and Walker counties withdrew their objections to the sale of Hutcheson properties. That includes Parkside Nursing Home in Rossville. That was a stumbling block in a proposal last week from Prime Healthcare Services, which offered 4.75 million for the main campus.
SKIP PATTY, CATTOOSA COUNTY ATTORNEY "So the sale of the nursing home will go through. The residents of the nursing hiome will be allowed to stay in the nursing home; there is a purchaser for it that just picks it up and moves on with it..its not going to be closed down."
If eventually approved, both countries will receive a credit for one and a half million dollars each toward the 10-million dollars each owes to Erlanger hospital which operated Hutcheson at one time.
The action by the counties was a key part of the bankruptcy settlement.license to operate will still be valid.
According to attorney Stuart James, the decision by the bankruptcy judge will be delayed until Monday morning.
But even if it is approved, the future of the Hutcheson Surgery and Center on Battlefield Parkway is still yet to be decided.
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