Struggling Steward Health Care sells physician network to Optum Care, a UnitedHealth Group subsidiary.

Steward Health Care, a struggling hospital group, is selling its physician network to Optum Care, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, as it faces millions of dollars in debt. The sale does not involve the physical hospitals, but further transactions could be underway. The Massachusetts Health Policy Commission, an independent state agency, needs to review the proposed sale to assess its potential impact on healthcare costs, quality, and access.