HEALTH

Charter Medical Seeks Bankruptcy Protection: Charter Medical Corp. said it filed a previously announced voluntary prepackaged Chapter 11 reorganization plan in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. Charter said the filing involves only the parent holding company, and not any of its hospitals or subsidiaries, including its two general acute hospitals and nine psychiatric hospitals in California. Operations of these hospitals, which include Charter Suburban in Paramount, Charter Oak in Covina and Charter Hospital in Long Beach, will continue as usual, according to company spokesman Andrew Brimmer.