Gov. Ned Lamont insists that Waterbury Hospital will stay open, even though its owner declared bankruptcy over the weekend.

"Some people think that bankruptcy means the lights go out and the party's over. That's not true at all,” said Lamont.

On Monday afternoon, Lamont and state leaders said patient care will not be impacted.

Waterbury Hospital's owner, Prospect Holdings, is in debt and owes the state $100 million in back taxes.

Meanwhile, the hospital's CEO says the bankruptcy is a fresh start.

"This Chapter 11 filing, to us, is not an end, but a new beginning. It allows us to move forward beyond the past 3 1/2 years,” said Deborah Weymouth, president and CEO of Waterbury Hospital.

Yale New Haven Hospital agreed to buy Prospect's three facilities in Connecticut, but that deal is now tied up in lawsuits.