Health-Care Merger Focus Of Public Hearing At Napa City Hall

NAPA, CA — A public hearing is scheduled for Friday morning at Napa City Hall on a proposal to merge two major Northern California health care providers. Opponents claim the merger of Providence St. Joseph Health, which owns Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa, and Adventist Health, which owns Adventist Health St. Helena, would adversely affect patients by
eliminating competition and raising prices for care.

"This merger would make two hospital chains even more profitable at the expense of Napa Valley residents," said Paula Reimers, a respiratory care practitioner at Queen of the Valley Medical Center.

Reimers said Queen of the Valley is already understaffed and it will get more patients without the staffing to care for them.

The merger would combine five Adventist hospitals and four Providence St. Joseph hospitals in Northern California.

Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who must approve the merger, postponed a decision until September and scheduled the hearing in Napa Friday.

The National Union of Healthcare Workers opposes the merger and wants Becerra to analyze its impact on patient care at Queen of the Valley Medical Center.

The health care providers claim the merger will provide improved access to quality care in the region particularly for underserved and vulnerable populations. They said a partnership would build upon their faith-based traditions and common value of dignity, excellence and service and provide care closer to home for more patients.

Adventist Health is affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist faith while Providence St. Joseph Health is affiliated with the Catholic faith.

The public hearing is at 10 a.m. at Napa City Hall, 955 School St.

— Bay City News Service