Lee Health inking deal to become Babcock Ranch’s sole medical provider next year

Lee Health is negotiating a deal with Babcock Ranch that could make the public hospital system the sole medical provider in the burgeoning Southwest Florida development by next summer.

Under the terms of the arrangement, Lee Health would begin opening a Lee Physician Group family practice clinic, a physical rehabilitation facility and a wellness center in March in the community’s town center.

Babcock Ranch would agree to provide nearly $1.4 million in financial incentives to Lee Health as part of a five-year commitment from Lee Health, according to preliminary plans.

Lee Health expects to lose nearly $300,000 during the first five years of the project. But the deal would allow it to secure an early foothold in the 18,000-acre planned community straddling Lee and Charlotte counties. Babcock expects to have 2,000 households by 2021.

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