Monopoly buster
Conde, C.
Texas Medicine 107(11): 45-48
2011
ISSN/ISBN: 0040-4470 PMID: 22714697 Document Number: 650757
Anticompetitive conduct by a hospital system can harm a community by limiting patient choice in health care and driving up costs. That's exactly what the federal government alleges took place in Wichita Falls. In February 2011, the U.S. Department of Justice reached a settlement with United Regional Health Care System that prohibits it from entering into contracts that improperly inhibit commercial health insurers from contracting with United Regional's competitors. The department said United Regional unlawfully used the contracts to maintain a monopoly for hospital services, resulting in consumers paying higher prices for health care services.