The U.S. healthcare system has been undergoing significant changes since the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, which helped precipitate a wave of hospital and healthcare system consolidation, as providers sought out ways to achieve scale to reduce costs and improve quality.
Continue Reading The State of Competition in the U.S. Healthcare Industry
In what will undoubtedly be seen by all interested parties as a significant setback in the Federal Trade Commission’s active opposition to potentially anticompetitive healthcare collaborations, the FTC voted unanimously on Wednesday to dismiss its challenge to Cabell Huntington Hospital’s acquisition of St. Mary’s Medical Center – two hospitals serving patients in the Huntington area of West Virginia. While the FTC continues to believe that the merger will result in significant anticompetitive harm, it chose to abandon the fight in light of the recent passage of West Virginia Senate Bill 597 (SB 597).
Continue Reading FTC Stands Down in Latest Head-to-Head Battle Between Federal and State Oversight of Healthcare Collaborations