For the third time, merger talks are on the table between Rhode Island's biggest health systems — Lifespan and Care New England, according to Rhode Island Public Radio.
Timothy Babineau, MD, president of Lifespan, told the radio station in an interview the Providence, R.I.-based health systems resurrected negotiations after Care New England put out a request for partnership proposals this spring.
Two previous attempts to merge were blocked by financial and regulatory challenges, according to the report. Most recently, the systems dropped plans to merge in 2010, after spending $8 million planning the transaction. Together, the systems control 70 percent of Rhode Island's healthcare market, according to the report, and in 2010 unions were skeptical of the merger and economic difficulties in the market did not favor a combination. The systems also sought to combine forces in 1998, but dropped the plans in 2000, according to the report.
Care New England said in a statement it is in talks with prospective partners, but did not provide additional detail, according to the report.
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