The Buhl Regional Health Foundation (BRHF) has released a statement asking for reconsideration of its offer to Meadville Medical Center (MMC) for the buyout of Sharon Regional Medical Center.

The statement comes after the lengthy and heavily documented events around Steward Health's bankruptcy and search for a buyer for Sharon Regional with threats of closure to the facility.

The statement says that the BRHF is a private foundation funded by the original sale of Sharon Regional that occurred in 2014 and has the mandated goal of "mandat[ing] the health and well-being of the neighbors we serve."

MMC contacted BRHF in the summer to fund a buyout of Sharon Regional but the $45 million proposed to be needed for the buyout was thought to be exorbitant and unsubstantiated and the request was declined, according to the statement.

The statement says that another grant request from MMC. On December 12 BRHF requested $36 million in a buyout of Sharon Regional.

According to the statement the BRHF board convened to discuss the buyout but agreed to supplement a low-interest loan of $11 million instead. Community partners then matched with another load bringing the total to $20 million.

The statement closes with a plea: "We remain hopeful that community partners will consider creatively and flexibly working together to
suggest alternative solutions in this matter and we maintain our commitment to participate in those
discussions."

Here is a copy of the statement in its entirety: