University of Louisville Hospital in talks to move tubal ligations

University Hospital officials are negotiating with another local healthcare operator to offer tubal ligations to indigent women if a pending merger goes through putting the safety-net hospital under control of a Catholic health-care system. The ongoing negotiations, if successful, could solve one of the trickiest aspects of maintaining current levels of reproductive care while honoring Catholic directives against sterilization. Officials involved in the merger have yet to explain how it uninsured women who normally rely on University to have their tubes tied in the same surgery as a C-section delivery would be cared for. James Taylor, CEO of University Hospital, would not name the other organization involved in the "complicated negotiation," but said the facility in question will have a license to provide maternity services. Taylor would not confirm it is in Louisville but said it is be "geographically accessible." Besides University, only two other Louisville hospital operators, Norton Healthcare and Baptist Healthcare System, deliver babies. However, Taylor would not say whether either organization is involved in the negotiations.