May 25, 2016

The Connecticut Office of the Attorney General today issued its proposed final decision on the application for a joint venture between the Eastern Connecticut Health Network, Inc. (ECHN) and Prospect Medical Holdings, Inc. 

The proposed final decision approves the transaction, but places certain conditions on its approval.

The Office of the Attorney General is now accepting public comment on the proposed final decision. Public comments will be accepted until Friday, June 3, 2016. A final decision will be issued on Friday, June 10, 2016.

Public comments to the Office of the Attorney General can be submitted in writing to Assistant Attorney General Gary W. Hawes, Office of the Attorney General, 55 Elm Street, PO Box 120, Hartford, CT 06106. Public comments will also be accepted by email to gary.hawes@ct.gov.

Pursuant to Connecticut law, the Office of the Attorney General is responsible for reviewing certain proposed transfers of assets or operations of nonprofit hospitals to for-profit entities within the State of Connecticut. The state's Hospital Conversion Act requires the Office of the Attorney General to review each transaction in accordance with the procedures and criteria the law sets forth, which generally focus on protection of the charitable assets of the nonprofit hospital – ensuring that the assets are properly valued in the transaction, not placed unduly at risk in the transaction and will continue to be used after the transaction for their intended charitable purposes.

Assistant Attorneys General Gary W. Hawes; Henry Salton, head of the Health and Education Department; and Paralegal Specialist Cheryl Turner are assisting the Attorney General with this matter.

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