Officials: De Queen hospital owner delinquent on taxes; operator owes in seven states [View all]

More than $117,000 in back real estate and property taxes are owed on De Queen Medical Center, part of almost $2 million in similar taxes owed by company-operated hospitals across seven states.

The struggling hospital recently came under investigation by labor regulators because of late payroll checks and claims of unpaid insurance premiums and taxes on employees' behalf. It is in delinquent status for tax years 2016 and 2017, and on Friday it owed $117,519.12 in taxes, with interest accruing daily, according to the Sevier County tax collector's office.

The unpaid bill is part of a pattern seen at other facilities run by Missouri-based ownership group EmpowerHMS.

According to representatives in the tax collector's, treasurer's or trustee's offices in Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee and Florida, nine EmpowerHMS-affiliated hospitals are in delinquent tax status, owing at least $1,771,638 in real estate and property taxes. The number isn't exact because of interest, as well as variances in the how parcels are assessed by local governments.

Read more: http://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/texarkana/story/2019/jan/21/officials-de-queen-hospital-owner-delinquent-taxes-operator-owes-seven-states/762082/