WARREN — Mayor Doug Franklin on Thursday called for a federal criminal investigation into the handling of Medicaid and Medicare funds tied to the sudden suspension of services at Insight Hospital and Medical Center Trumbull and Insight Rehabilitation Hospital Hillside, which left hundreds of employees unpaid and disrupted critical health care services in the region.

Speaking at a news conference at Warren City Hall, Franklin accused Steward Health Care, the hospitals’ former operator, of withholding millions in reimbursements meant for Insight, which took over operations last year. He urged Ohio’s congressional delegation, including Sen. Bernie Moreno and Sen. Jon Husted and Rep. Dave P. Joyce, to push for an inquiry into whether federal health care funds were misused.

“This scheme must stop,” Franklin said. “These are public dollars, and they can’t sit on them. It’s not theirs. Millions of dollars are at stake, and our community’s health care is at stake as well.”

The mayor said that some employees had received partial back pay but said that full compensation was still owed. He did not specify which workers had been paid or how much they received.

Tom Connelly, RN and president of AFSCME Local 2026, spoke at a Trumbull County Commissioners meeting before the conference, where he echoed frustrations over the lack of transparency from Insight.

At the news conference, Connelly described the sudden closure as a “lockout” and said employees were given little warning before losing pay and health benefits.

“We were told to leave the hospital. They didn’t give us pay. They haven’t spoken to us,” Connelly said. “We want the hospital reopened and our jobs back, but we’re not going to get treated like this.”

Councilmen Todd Johnson I-1st Ward and Ron White, D-7th Ward, joined Franklin in condemning the financial fallout, which they said had strained families already grappling with inflation. Johnson warned that nurses and other staff were seeking jobs elsewhere, further jeopardizing the hospitals’ ability to reopen.

Safety Service Director Eddie Colbert said Congress had previously subpoenaed Steward’s owner over similar financial disputes in other states, but had been ignored. Meanwhile, local agencies, including Trumbull Community Action Program (TCAP) and Trumbull County Job and Family Services, are offering emergency aid to affected workers.

TCAP Community Service Manager Cedric Brown announced a walk-in event on April 16 for past-due rent, utility assistance and food vouchers, while Job and Family Services will host a Rapid Response Event today, at Kent State Trumbull to help workers file for unemployment and other benefits.

Franklin said he’d continue pressuring Insight and federal officials for accountability.

“We will not stop until we get some resolution,” he said.

Community Assistance Events:

Rapid Response Event

(hosted by Trumbull County Job and Family Services)

WHEN: Today.

WHERE: Kent State Trumbull Campus Auditorium, 4314 Mahoning Ave. NW.

TIMES: 9 a.m. (last names A-K), 11 a.m. (L-Z), makeup session at 1 p.m.

DETAILS: Assistance with unemployment claims and support services.

Call 330-675-2179 for info.

TCAP Assistance for Insight Employees

WHEN: April 16, 2025.

WHERE: Restoration Christian Fellowship Church, 760 Main Ave. SW (rear entrance).

TIMES: 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. (50 people per session).

REQUIREMENTS: Photo IDs, Social Security cards, proof of income, and termination letters. No copies will be made on-site.