Cities threaten to 'turn off the lights' if KC-based hospital chain Empower doesn't pay bills

Larry Paine and the rest of the city leaders in Hillsboro, Kan., have a problem.

EmpowerHMS, the North Kansas City-based company that manages their hospital, owes the city thousands in unpaid utility bills. A check written to the city in December bounced, and Paine, the city administrator, can’t get anybody from the company to resolve it.

“Last night the mayor announced to the city council he has ordered me to turn off the lights, turn off the electricity at noon Friday, unless we get paid,” Paine said Wednesday.

Empower, headquartered at 1700 Swift Ave., operates 14 rural hospitals nationwide, including three in Kansas (Hillsboro Community Hospital, Oswego Community Hospital and Horton Community Hospital) and two in Missouri (Fulton Medical Center and I-70 Community Hospital in Sweet Springs).

Read more: https://www.kansascity.com/news/business/health-care/article224023410.html

Cross-posted in the Missouri Group.