Antitrust regulators apparently scuttled a deal between two giant U.S. hospital operators for two Missouri hospitals, a possible sign of the Federal Trade Commission's increasing attention to healthcare antitrust matters.
Ascension Health, St. Louis, announced it had ended talks to exit the Missouri acute-care market with the sale of St. Joseph Medical Center, Kansas City, and St. Mary's Medical Center, Blue Springs, to HCA, Nashville, after prolonged review by the FTC.
“Unfortunately, after a lengthy FTC review process, it has become clear that a timely, supportive decision from the FTC will not be forthcoming,” according to a statement released by Ascension, which owns or contract manages 103 hospitals in 19 states and Washington.