Hospitals Spark Controversy NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA (WWNO) - For well over 200 years, anyone could get top notch health care at Charity Hospital, free. After Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans' primary public hospital was closed. Most city and state officials are working to open a new, state-of-the-art teaching hospital in lower Mid-City, but a broad coalition of local interests have other ideas. © Copyright 2009, WWNO