Waterbury Nursing Home To Stay Open Under New Ownership

ct.gov, Oct 03, 2006

Governor M. Jodi Rell announced today that Marathon Healthcare Group, an established Connecticut nursing home operator, has agreed to purchase the Health Center of Greater Waterbury and keep the 150-bed nursing facility open.

Marathon is purchasing the nursing home from Five Star Quality Care of Newton, Mass., which had announced plans to close it before intervention by Governor Rell in April.   Based on the signed letter of intent between the parties, the sale agreement is anticipated to be final and a change in ownership due by September 1, 2006. 

The sales agreement effectively means the nursing home will remain open without interruption and that a looming threat of court action for state receivership will likely be unnecessary, the Governor said.  The facility currently employs 219 people and is licensed for 150 residents.

In April, after Five Star threatened to close the facility, the Governor directed the Department of Social Services (DSS), which funds Medicaid costs for many nursing home residents, to do whatever it could to keep the facility open and available for the people in the area.  Since then, DSS officials have facilitated the dialogue between prospective buyers and Five Star.  Today, DSS received a copy of the signed letter of intent between the Five Star and Marathon, which sets forth the terms of the sales agreement. Read more at ct.gov