Presbyterian Healthcare, UnityPoint Health call off merger plans

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Earlier this year, UnityPoint Health and Presbyterian Healthcare Services announced plans to form a new health care company.

Throughout the pandemic, Presbyterian had lost more $100 million, so the board of directors were looking at ways to cut costs.

On Wednesday, the two health care systems announced that they were calling off the proposed merger.

“Our goal for this partnership was to strengthen local, not-for-profit healthcare in the face of mounting cost pressures across the industry,” Presbyterian Healthcare Services CEO Dale Maxwell said in a release. “At Presbyterian, that goal remains unchanged with today’s news. We will continue to explore new ways to address these structural shifts in healthcare so we can invest in clinical innovation and our workforce. We will remain focused on building a sustainable path forward to serve New Mexicans for generations to come.”

Sally Gray, the board chair for UnityPoint Health, shared the following statement:

“We believe this decision allows us to better meet the needs of our patients, team members, communities, and key stakeholders. As we move forward, UnityPoint Health is focused on identifying new, innovative ways to deliver low-cost, high-quality care to those we serve.”