St. Elizabeth’s Hospital and Carney Hospital Both Serve Patients from the Massachusetts 7^th & 8^th Districts

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) and Congressman Stephen F. Lynch (MA-08) issued a joint statement on the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s preliminary agreement to keep six Steward hospitals open under new operators. Last month, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Lynch rallied with colleagues, patients, and providers to speak out against Steward’s abrupt closure of Carney Hospital in Dorchester.

“The public health crisis created by Steward Health Care’s shameful greed demands an aggressive response that holds Steward accountable and protects the patients, providers, and communities they have failed. The agreement announced yesterday by the Healey-Driscoll Administration—especially the seizure of St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Brighton—is the type of pivotal action needed in this moment, and we urge the Commonwealth to move with the same level of urgency to keep Carney Hospital in Dorchester open as well.

“We remain outraged and devastated for everyone who will be harmed by Carney’s closure, including the veterans, low-income, Black and Brown communities, and non-English speakers who depend on Carney for life-saving care. Since 2022, Carney Hospital has helped tens of thousands of patients that reside in Boston, and we are very concerned about the lack of nearby healthcare sites that have the capacity and resources to provide emergency room services to residents in the area. 

“This crisis was entirely preventable, were it not for Steward Health Care putting profits over people, and their CEO Ralph De La Torre will leave a damning legacy of hurt and harm in the Massachusetts 7th and 8th Districts and across the entire Commonwealth. We will continue to demand full accountability and work together to build a just healthcare system that affirms it as a human right, and prevent crises like these from ever happening again.” 

In Congress, Rep. Pressley has repeatedly demanded accountability and transparency from Steward executives, and she has been worked with her colleagues at the federal and local levels to ensure care remains accessible and Steward’s other facilities remain open.

• In July 2024, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Lynch rallied with colleagues, patients, and providers to speak out against Steward’s abrupt closure of Carney Hospital in Dorchester.
• In July 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on the announcement by Steward Health Care of the closure of hospitals in Massachusetts, including Carney Hospital in Dorchester.
• In May 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement condemning Steward’s filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and failure to protect patients and workers.
• In February 2024, Rep. Pressley joined members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation in seeking answers from Cerebrus on the private equity firm’s role in creating the current financial challenges at Steward hospitals, which threaten access to medical care for thousands of people in eastern Massachusetts.
• In January 2024, following a Boston Globe report indicating that Steward Health Care System is in dire financial condition, Rep. Pressley, Sen. Warren, and the Massachusetts congressional delegation pressed Steward to brief them on Steward’s financial position, the status of their Massachusetts facilities, and their plans to ensure the communities they serve are not abandoned. 

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