State delays Western Maryland Hospital Center privatization vote

At issue for the powerful Board of Public works was whether to approve outsourcing up to $128 million in nursing, long-term acute care and brain injury services State officials on Wednesday delayed voting on multimillion dollar contracts to privatize care at Western Maryland Hospital Center, a chronic-care facility in Hagerstown, citing the need for more information amid mounting opposition from unions and lawmakers. At issue for the powerful three-member Board of Public works was whether to approve outsourcing up to $128 million in skilled nursing, long-term acute care and brain injury services before a vendor was selected, an accelerated timeline that critics of the contracts say term-limited Gov. Larry Hogan wants locked in before he leaves office.