Memorial Medical Center appears to have cooperated with a notice of violation issued by the city of Las Cruces in August.
According to a news release, the city has received documents requested from the medical facility requested in the letter. The news release stated that MMC has been working with the city to provide documents and has requested and received an extension to produce the remaining documents.
“The city granted the extension in recognition of MMC’s efforts to comply with the requirement,” the news release said.
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On August 30, a notice of default was sent to Lifepoint Health and Province Healthcare Company, of Robles, Rael and Anaya, a law firm representing the city, requiring Memorial Medical Center to honor specific portions of the lease and a second agreement, an Asset Purchase Agreement, which details how patients receive care at Southern New Mexico Hospital. The letter also established the city’s and Doña Ana County’s right to reports showing that Memorial Medical Center was meeting its obligations under the agreements.
Memorial Medical Center was initially given 30 days to comply with the letter’s demands.
MMC has a 40-year lease with the county and city of Las Cruces.
The requested documents include records relating to extended care services between 2018 and 2024, as well as any documents relating to cases in which that care was denied. The city also plans to review between 2018 and 2020 capital expenditures associated with operating the hospital and setting prices for services related to extended care.
The city expected to receive by September 30 an annual report that MMC was contractually obligated to submit to the city and Doña Ana County, as well as reports for the period 2018 through 2024 detailing how MMC met its “obligations” during that period ” satisfied.
The letter requires MMC to demonstrate how it plans to correct the errors described in the letter.
“While we are here to publicly ask MMC to fulfill its obligation to our community, it is also about the City of Las Cruces taking responsibility for our role in this agreement,” Mayor Pro Tem Johana Bencomo said during a news conference in August. “I want Lifepoint to know today that this letter is just one step forward in rebuilding the trust that has been broken.”
Memorial Medical Center came under scrutiny in June when NBC published an article detailing how several patients were denied care or asked to pay for care upfront, in an alleged violation of the hospital’s operating agreement. Weeks later, New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez announced that his office was investigating Memorial Medical Center for possible violations of New Mexico’s law governing the treatment of low-income and indigent patients.
On August 28, Memorial Medical Center announced that John Harris would retire as CEO of the hospital.
This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Memorial Medical Center is cooperating with City’s notice of breach of contract
