University Physicians Associates Declared Public Agency

Despite protestations to the contrary, University Physicians Associates at the University of Louisville School of Medicine is a public agency.  At least that’s the opinion of the state attorney general’s office.Under Kentucky’s Open Records Act, Louisville-Courier Journal reporter Tom Loftus sought five years of documentation on employees, salaries and other financial matters at University Physicians Associates in Louisville.His request was denied, with UPA asserting it’s a private, non-profit corporation that does not meet the definitions of a public agency.Loftus and the Courier-Journal appealed, asserting UPA and the University of Louisville essentially act as one and the same, and UPA’s stated goal is to advance the charitable and educational purposes of the university.The attorney general’s office agrees, and says UPA is in violation of the state’s Open Records Act.  Any party aggrieved by the opinion may appeal to circuit court.