Health Law Advisor

Recently, the Federal Trade Commission ("FTC") faced major losses in challenging hospital mergers.  However, it is clear that the FTC is not backing down, especially given its tendency to conclude that proposed efficiencies do not outweigh the chance of lessening competition.

In July of this year, the FTC abandoned a challenge to the proposed merger of St. Mary's Medical Center and Cabell Huntington Hospital in West Virginia after state authorities had changed West Virginia law and approved the merger despite the FTC's objections. This year as well, the FTC failed to enjoin the Penn ...