Tasmania's Liberal government claims to have struck a very good deal with the commonwealth, keeping alive the unique federal funding of a state-managed public hospital.
State Health Minister Michael Ferguson on Friday confirmed an in-principle agreement with Canberra for the northern Mersey Community Hospital, where existing funding is due to expire at the end of June.
"That in-principle deal is very good for Tasmania and is going through the final stages of formal approval," the minister told reporters on Friday.
But there was no news on whether Tasmania has achieved its desired decade-long deal in place of a string of two-year arrangements.
"All residents of the northwest coast will be reassured to know that their government has done exactly as we said we would - we'd fight hard, we'd work hard to get a satisfactory outcome and secure the Mersey," Mr Ferguson said.
"I'm not in a position to give further detail ... I'm not allowed to do that."
Labor opposition leader Rebecca White criticised the lack of detail.
"This is a failure of a minister who has never fought publicly for a fair deal from Canberra," she said.
"He is being secretive with details the community and staff deserve to know."
Mr Ferguson said final details of the deal would be confirmed as soon as the ink had dried.
Canberra took control of the Mersey in 2007 when it was facing downgrade as part of a state hospital reform.
The federal government intervened, offering to pick up the tab to maintain a full range of services and it has since remained the nation's only commonwealth-funded, state-managed public hospital.
