WVU Health, Independence Health Announce Merger Plan

The West Virginia University Health System and Independence Health System announced their intent for Independence Health System’s five hospitals—Butler Memorial, Clarion, Frick, Latrobe, and Westmoreland Hospitals—and its affiliated physician groups and other subsidiaries to join the WVU Health System in the fall of 2026 and operate under the WVU Medicine brand.

The WVU Health System will commit $800 million over the next five years to modernize Independence Health System’s hospitals, including the Butler Memorial Hospital emergency room and the Westmoreland Hospital campus; grow clinical services; and expand access to high-quality care across the community it . . .