In conjunction with the federal and state government's pending antitrust suit against Carolinas HealthCare System in Charlotte, N.C., the San Francisco-based law firm of Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein is looking for Charlotte-area residents who could sue for related damages, reports Charlotte Observer.
The investigation concerns the antitrust suit filed against Carolinas June 9 by the Department of Justice and the North Carolina Attorney General's Office. The suit alleges Carolinas Healthcare used its market power to require steering restrictions in contracts with every major health insurer in the area, resulting in higher healthcare costs by reducing market competition.
Lieff Cabraser is asking Charlotte-area residents who feel they've been harmed by Carolinas anticompetitive activity to contact the law firm. Although the firm's investigation is preliminary, it could lead to a separate class-action suit.
Carolinas filed a motion earlier this month to dismiss the suit on grounds the DOJ has not provided evidence the contract provisions led to an increase in insurance premium prices or marginalized other area hospitals in the market.
Government officials and Carolinas' lawyers declined the Observers' request for comment.