State Seeks Comment on Lifespan-CNE Merger

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Attorney General and the Rhode Island Department of Health will hold virtual public comment meetings concerning the proposed merger of Lifespan and Care New England Health System (CNE) today from 5-7 p.m.

The AG and RIDOH will hold fa second meeting next Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022 from 3-5 p.m. A third meeting in February will be announced at a later date.

Sign up here to provide public comment at one of these meetings.

Virtual meeting access information:

January 20, 2022

5-7 p.m.

https://esquiresolutions.zoom.us/j/94898924339?pwd=VFJOYndUWHlsNWJpZm9lUkNLR1ZZQT09

+1 669 900 6833 or +1 346 248 7799 US Toll

If joining from an H.323/SIP room system: Dial: 162.255.37.11 (US West) or 162.255.36.11 (US East)

• Jan. 26, 2022

3 – 5 p.m.

https://esquiresolutions.zoom.us/j/93624453049?pwd=ZmJXMWtNSTlxSWVYendRdXlqbWhGZz09

+1 669 900 6833 or +1 346 248 7799 US Toll

If joining from an H.323/SIP room system: Dial: 162.255.37.11 (US West) or 162.255.36.11 (US East)

If accommodations are needed to ensure equal participation, please contact the

Attorney General’s Public Information Officer at (401) 274-4400 ext. 2234

3 days prior to the public information meeting.

Written comment

The Attorney General and RIDOH are also accepting written comments regarding the proposed transaction from now through February 1, 2022. Written comments may be forwarded to:

Maria R. Lenz

Assistant Attorney General

Office of the Attorney General

150 South Main Street Providence, RI 02903

[email protected]

Fernanda Lopes, MPH,

Chief, Office of Health Systems Development

Rhode Island Department of Health

Three Capitol Hill, Room 410 Providence, RI 02908

[email protected]

Merger application available online for public review

The transacting parties’ application is available on the RIAG web site here: https://www.riag.ri.gov/about-our-office/divisions-and-units/civil-division/public-protection/healthcare and the RIDOH web site here: https://health.ri.gov/programs/hospitalconversionsmerger/

The Lifespan/CNE application was deemed complete and accepted for review on November 16, 2021. Prior to being made public, the application and all attached documents were subject to a confidentiality review, which is required by the Hospital Conversions Act. As part of this review, Lifespan and CNE requested that documents or parts of documents they consider confidential be withheld from public disclosure. Those requests were reviewed by the Attorney General and anything deemed to be confidential, such as confidential business/propriety information and personally identifiable information, was redacted or withheld from this public disclosure.

A complete list of all the documents submitted as part of the application – including documents deemed confidential and the reasons why – is available here. (Application_confidentiality_review.pdf)

At this stage in the process, the Attorney General and RIDOH continue the review process, which involves requesting information from the transacting parties.

Under the HCA, the deadline for a decision approving, approving with conditions, or denying the transaction falls 120 days from the date of completeness. In this case, the deadline remains March 16, 2022.