States Move to Protect Consumers From New Jersey Hospital Merger
By Consumers For Quality Care, on November 17, 2021
The attorneys general of 25 states and territories have banded together to block the merger of two hospital systems in New Jersey to protect consumers. Reported in Becker’s Hospital Review, the attorneys general are requesting that the ruling from a lower court blocking the merger be upheld, asserting the merger would harm consumers by leading to higher prices and lower-quality services.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta said, “In California, we’ve seen firsthand the effects of a large non-profit healthcare system’s anticompetitive practices. With COVID-19 continuing to impact communities across the country, affordable and accessible healthcare is more important than ever. We have to get this right.”
The states and territories who signed the amicus brief include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Guam, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.
CQC urges policymakers and regulators to remain vigilant when it comes to hospital mergers and consolidations.
