Gov. John Bel Edwards is expected to begin the process to terminate the contract for the state’s partner that operates safety net hospitals in Shreveport and Monroe, The USA Today Network of Louisiana reports.
Although a last-minute deal remains possible, Edwards had been set to send a termination notice to BRF—formerly Biomedical Research Foundation—Tuesday.
The governor, however, postponed the action until he could meet with the north Louisiana legislative delegation in Shreveport on Thursday.
The USA Today Network of Louisiana reports that the latest conflict between the Edwards administration and Shreveport-based BRF is over an antitrust lawsuit BRF filed against Willis Knighton Health System, the dominate health care provider in northwest Louisiana.
The lawsuit makes the contract untenable. BRF has said its other partner, LSU Health Shreveport, and Willis-Knighton have worked to undermine it since it took over the two hospitals in 2013.
