RIAG and RIDOH make Lifespan-CNE merger
application available to the public, schedule public
comment meetings
Application can be found on RIAG and RIDOH web sites at links below
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Pursuant to Rhode Island’s Hospital Conversions Act, the Office of the Attorney General and the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) have made available to the public the transacting parties’ application in the proposed merger of Lifespan and Care New England Health System (CNE).
The application is available on the RIAG web site here: https://www.riag.ri.gov/about-our-office/divisions-and-units/civil-division/public-protection/healthcare
And the RIDOH web site here: https://health.ri.gov/programs/hospitalconversionsmerger/
The Lifespan/CNE application was deemed complete and accepted for review on November 16, 2021. Prior to being made public, the application and all attached documents were subject to a confidentiality review, which is required by the Hospital Conversions Act. As part of this review, Lifespan and CNE requested that documents or parts of documents they consider confidential be withheld from public disclosure. Those requests were reviewed by the Attorney General and anything deemed to be confidential, such as confidential business/propriety information and personally identifiable information, was redacted or withheld from this public disclosure.
A complete list of all the documents submitted as part of the application – including documents deemed confidential and the reasons why – is available here. (Application_confidentiality_review.pdf)
At this stage in the process, the Attorney General and RIDOH continue the review process, which involves requesting information from the transacting parties.
Under the HCA, the deadline for a decision approving, approving with conditions, or denying the transaction falls 120 days from the date of completeness. In this case, the deadline remains March 16, 2022.
Public comment meetings
The Attorney General and RIDOH will hold virtual public comment meetings concerning the proposed transaction on Thursday, January 20, 2022 from 5pm-7pm and Wednesday, January 26, 2022 from 3pm-5pm.
Sign up here to provide public comment at one of these meetings.
Virtual meeting access information:
January 20, 2022
5pm-7pm
https://esquiresolutions.zoom.us/j/94898924339?pwd=VFJOYndUWHlsNWJpZm9lUkNLR1ZZQT09
+1 669 900 6833 or +1 346 248 7799 US Toll
If joining from an H.323/SIP room system: Dial: 162.255.37.11 (US West) or 162.255.36.11 (US East)
January 26, 2022
3pm – 5pm
https://esquiresolutions.zoom.us/j/93624453049?pwd=ZmJXMWtNSTlxSWVYendRdXlqbWhGZz09
+1 669 900 6833 or +1 346 248 7799 US Toll
If joining from an H.323/SIP room system: Dial: 162.255.37.11 (US West) or 162.255.36.11 (US East)
Written comment
The Attorney General and RIDOH are also accepting written comments regarding the proposed transaction from now through February 1, 2022. Written comments may be forwarded to:
Maria R. Lenz
Assistant Attorney General
Office of the Attorney General
150 South Main Street Providence, RI 02903
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Fernanda Lopes, MPH,
Chief, Office of Health Systems Development
Rhode Island Department of Health
Three Capitol Hill, Room 410 Providence, RI 02908
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
If accommodations are needed to ensure equal participation, please contact the
Attorney General’s Public Information Officer at (401) 274-4400 ext. 2234
3 days prior to the public information meeting.
Top Republicans are harshly criticizing the Biden administration's decision to halt weapon shipments to Israel. Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell sent a letter to President Biden expressing alarm over the administration's decision to put a hold on a shipment of bombs. The leaders said security assistance to Israel "is an urgent priority that must not be delayed." 
