Arkansas hospital closes: 5 things to know

De Queen (Ark.) Medical Center stopped providing patient care in February, filed for bankruptcy in April and closed May 7.

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Five things to know:

1. The 22-bed hospital, owned by Kansas City, Mo.-based EmpowerHMS, faced financial troubles for months before entering Chapter 11 bankruptcy April 3.

2. The hospital ceased patient care in February after hospital employees reported going months without pay, according to the Arkansas Democrat Gazette.

3. Sevier County (Ark.) leaders originally planned to take over the troubled hospital, but they ultimately decided the hospital was facing too many court judgments and liens to save.

4. County leaders are planning to build a new hospital. The county may issue bonds and create a new sales tax to pay for the new facility, according to the report.

5. De Queen Medical Center is the first hospital in Arkansas to close since the state expanded Medicaid in 2013, according to TV station KARK.

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