The FTC’s Recent Losses in Hospital M&A

The Federal Trade Commission’s antitrust unit has been very active in the health care sector in recent years, thanks in part to the steady beat of hospital mergers and acquisitions taking place. In 2015, 102 hospital transactions were announced, up slightly from 99 the year before. Halfway through 2016, we’ve recorded 48 hospital deals, which is keeping pace with the two previous years. The FTC challenged a few of those deals, including the NorthShore University Hospital/Advocate Health Care merger in Chicago and the Penn State Hershey Medical Center/PinnacleHealth System in Pennsylvania. The agency has notched up some significant wins in years past, most recently the December... Read More »