AG TO HOLD HEARING ON MERGER SEPT. 28

Attorney General Jay Nixon will hold a public hearing Sept. 28 in Cape Girardeau on the proposed hospital merger.

The hearing is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at the Osage Community Centre.

Nixon's office will look into the proposed merger of St. Francis Medical Center and Southeast Missouri Hospital and its impact on health-care access, price and availability.

The two hospitals are also holding a public meeting Tuesday to present information and garner input on the proposed merger. Southeast and St. Francis will hold their town hall meeting at 7 p.m. at the Osage Community Centre.

The hospitals project $44.4 million in savings over five years if the merger is approved.

Hospital officials are offering to enter into a consent decree with Nixon's office to guarantee those savings. Provisions would include a two-year price freeze and setting up a health-care foundation funded by any shortfall in the projected savings.

Anyone wishing to make comments at the Sept. 28 hearing should contact Nixon's Cape Girardeau office in advance at 290-5679.

Written comments will also be entered into the record and may be submitted to the Attorney General's Office, Attention: Trey Hanna, P.O. Box 899, Jefferson City, Mo. 65102.