On April 6, Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno commented via an official letter on the ongoing legal issue between Insight Health Systems, the new hospital owners, Steward Health Care, the former hospital owners, and Medical Properties Trust, the landlord.

He chastised all three for their failure to ensure continuous operations of the Trumbull Regional Medical Center and Hillside Rehabilitation Hospital as well as endangering the continued utilities for the next door 911 dispatch center that relied on their support.

"Your collective predatory and potentially illegal actions have resulted in over 200,000 Ohioans losing access to health care services," said Moreno's letter.

The letter concluded with the threat of law enforcement investigation and prosecution followed by demanding a response to a series of questions within five days.

• "How are you working to resolve disagreements to reopen Trumbull County and Hillside
  Rehabilitation Center?"
• "If you do not plan to resolve disagreements, how will you assist the over 700 employees
  that you laid off find employment or provide retraining opportunities?"
• "If you do not plan to resolve disagreements, how will you assist the patients you've
  abandoned find adequate health care in your collective absence?"
• "Confirm that you have immediately contacted the Trumbull County officials who have
  repeatedly contacted you to reassure them that they will continue to have a functioning 911
  Dispatch Center."

According to an interview with Moreno none of the three companies had responded to the letter as of the day before the deadline.

However, a letter that was sent from MPT to Moreno's office sent three days before the deadline indicates otherwise.

In the letter MPT did not directly answer Moreno's questions, rather explain what they have done to ensure the hospitals on their land remain open and operating. 

However, a spokesperson for the company claimed it has been working closely with Insight to keep the utilities running at the 911 dispatch center in Trumbull County. Additionally the spokesperson said the company offered to let the 911 center use their hospital building if needed.

According to the letter MPT stated that they had no hand in the process of Steward selling off their operations of hospitals and instead worked to find replacement operators when Steward could not.

"Our team worked tirelessly over that period and successfully transitioned operations to new operators in five markets, including Insight Health in Ohio."

The letter claims they financially assisted Insight in their operations via $20 million worth of loans and rent payments deferred until October of 2026.

And finally, they assert that, as a landlord, they have no authority in the dysfunctional bankruptcy agreement between Insight and Steward, 

"As we are sure Insight will explain, they have been relying on legacy Steward for various services and licensing while they work to fully redesign operations. There is nothing that MPT can do to influence that fact one way or another."

WFMJ has not received word at this time whether or not Insight or Steward have sent responses to Sen. Moreno in the same manner as MPT.

The senator's communication director, Reagan McCarthy said in a statement, "Senator Moreno's investigation into the hospital closures is ongoing and he is actively considering all options available to hold those at fault accountable."