Health insurer Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan has asked a federal court in Detroit to dismiss a competitor’s antitrust lawsuit against it, claiming that it is unjustified and potential damages would be “unsustainable”.

The US Federal Trade Commission has sued to block Omnicare’s hostile bid for its rival PharMerica, saying a merger of the country’s two largest long-term care pharmacies had the potential to harm competition.

South Africa’s Competition Commission has recommended that the country’s tribunal prohibit the merger of two hospital operators, saying it would substantially lessen competition in the Durban health care market.

The US Federal Trade Commission’s administrative law judge has ruled that ProMedica Health System’s purchase of rival Ohio-area hospital St Luke’s harmed competition in the region’s health care market. The ruling’s publication comes exactly one year after the commission first sued to stop the deal.

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has lost an appeal against a hospital merger in Georgia, which was approved by a lower court under state action immunity legislation.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is facing an antitrust lawsuit from rival health insurer Aetna over allegedly forcing hospitals into contracts which raised prices and excluded other insurers from succeeding in the Michigan healthcare market.

The US Department of Justice’s (DoJ) antitrust division has ordered a divestiture as the price for allowing Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana’s acquisition of New West Health Services.  

The US antitrust agencies yesterday released their final guidance on when and how groups of health care providers can work together to serve patients without violating the antitrust laws.

Italy’s Competition Authority has fined insurance companies €13 million for using co-insurance policies as a tool for price coordination and information sharing.

The Netherlands’ Competition Authority (NMa) has requested a second phase review of a merger between two hospitals in the southern region of Limburg.

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has called for divestments in the merger between dialysis companies DaVita and DSI.

Antitrust counsel has lined up to advise Fresenius Medical Care on its bid to take over dialysis chain Liberty Dialysis Holdings – a deal the companies say may require tweaks to make it comply with antitrust law.

Poland’s Office of Competition and Consumer Protection has launched an investigation of the country’s National Health Fund (NFZ) over alleged abuse of dominance in the wholesale medical devices sector.