Sanford, Fairview's proposed merger closing date now indefinite

Sanford Health and Fairview Health Services have announced once again they'll be pushing back the closing date for their proposed merger. This time it's indefinite.

Sanford and Fairview officials said in early February they would push back their original closing date of March 31 to May 31. Now, that date has been extended with nothing else set at this time.

In a joint statement, the two healthcare systems said they would agree to the request by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison for 90 days' notice prior to closing at a later date.

Earlier: Sanford, Fairview push back merger timeline: What we know so far

"We respect the thorough review underway by the Attorney General’s Office and are honoring their request for more time as we continue work toward finalizing our combination," the statement read. "We remain confident in the benefits of the merger for our people, patients and communities and our shared vision to advance world-class health care for all we serve."

Since announcing plans to merge last November, both Sanford and Fairview have been met with opposition, which includes prior requests from the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General to delay.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Sanford, Fairview merger closing date pushed back indefinitely