ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Members of the independent monitor took questions from the public on Aug. 4, regarding HCA’s 2019 purchase of Mission Hospital.
Independent monitor discusses HCA’s ownership of Mission Hospital. (WLOS)
One of those questions was “Is there any chance of a new health care system, like UNC Health, taking over Mission Hospital?”
Rachel Ryan with the independent monitor said she didn’t know what the chance of that would be.
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“But I can say under the APA, HCA is actually under an obligation not to sell Mission Hospital during the first 10 years,” she said. “If it wants to sell the hospital, it must receive the consent of what’s called an advisory board, and we’re not aware of any desire by HCA to sell Mission Hospital.”
The independent monitor’s 2025 report identifies two areas of potential non-compliance with the purchase agreement from 2019. One regards discontinuation of certain service through Mission and care partners. The other involves the hospital’s multiple instances of “Immediate jeopardy” as designated by the centers for Medicare and Medicaid in recent years.
Another question centered on the performance of the five rural hospitals in the mission health system. The independent monitor said that there were no concerns with any of them.