Massachusetts governor faults Steward Health Care system for its fiscal woes

BOSTON (AP) — Gov. Maura Healey ripped into the financially embattled Steward Health Care system Monday, saying the company’s financial woes are of its own making and added that the state is still working toward what she called an orderly transition away from the company.

She said state monitors are on the ground keeping an eye on the nine health care facilities operated by the company, including hospitals in some of the state’s poorer communities.

The Democrat also said she’s demanded that Steward guarantee safe staffing levels, cooperate with monitors from the state Department of Public Health and provide additional financial information.

“We are focused on protecting patients, protecting jobs, protecting the stability of our health care system,” Healey told reporters in her office Monday.

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“This is a problem that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts did not create,” she added. “One individual and one management team at Steward created this mess and it has put a lot of people at risk, caused a lot of