West Virginia bill would shield merging hospitals from antitrust laws

Modern Healthcare: West Virginia lawmakers are pushing a bill (PDF) that would protect hospital mergers from state and federal antitrust scrutiny—a move that follows the Federal Trade Commission's announcement that it's challenging a proposed deal between two hospitals in the state. Questions remain, however, about whether the bill could withstand a court challenge should it pass into law.The bill would exempt actions of the West Virginia Health Care Authority, as well as actions of “hospitals and health care providers under the authority's jurisdiction” from state and federal antitrust law.

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