The FTC has sued to block HCA Healthcare’s acquisition of Steward Health Care System, alleging that the deal would reduce competition in Utah and ultimately raise prices.
“As the second and fourth largest healthcare systems in the Wasatch Front region of Utah, which surrounds Salt Lake City, HCA Healthcare and Steward Health Care System help to keep costs down for consumers by competing vigorously with each other,” said FTC Bureau of Competition Director Holly Vedova. “The result is lower prices and more innovative services for patients and their families. If these companies merge, this competition will be lost, and Steward will no longer be available to patients as a low-cost provider in this region.”
HCA Healthcare and Steward Health Care System compete for inclusion in insurer networks, and for health care quality, service lines, and nurse and physician recruitment. HCA is a Nashville, Tennessee-based for-profit healthcare system with 182 hospitals in the United States and abroad. Steward is a for-profit healthcare system headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Steward has 41 hospitals in the United States and abroad. The complaint also names Steward’s CEO and controlling majority shareholder, Ralph de la Torre, M.D. Read more.
