Lawmakers Join Chorus Protesting Fairview Takeover

ST. PAUL (AP) - Two lawmakers are joining a growing tide of officials pressuring to keep University of Minnesota hospitals in the state's hands.

Rep. Joe Atkins and Rep. Dan Schoen, both Democrats from the Twin Cities area, introduced bills Monday that would block any entity from outside the state from taking control of the school's hospitals.

South Dakota-based Sanford Health's discussions of acquiring Fairview Health Services, one of the state's largest hospital systems, have raised concerns since those talks came to light late last month. Attorney General Lori Swanson pressed Sanford to explain its motive and how a takeover would impact the state's health care at a public hearing Sunday.

The two bills are expected to be discussed next week. The university has proposed its own takeover to pre-empt Sanford's move.