FTC: St. Luke's Has 57% Market Share With Medical Group Acquisition

The Federal Trade Commission's antitrust complaint against Boise, Idaho-based St. Luke's Health System over its acquisition of a medical group has been unsealed, according to a Magic Valley Times-News report.

The FTC and Idaho Attorney General's Office filed the complaint over St. Luke's acquisition of Saltzer Medical Group in Nampa, Idaho. St. Luke's closed the deal at the end of 2012.

The complaint alleges that St. Luke's market share — about 18 percent of adult primary care providers in the Nampa area — expands to nearly 57 percent with its acquisition of Saltzer. The regulators claim costs will rise through in-system referrals for other services and an extra facility fee St. Luke's will charge patients when they visit physicians at the hospital-owned practice, according to the report.

The FTC and Idaho AG recently consolidated its complaint with an antitrust lawsuit filed against St. Luke's by local competitors Saint Alphonsus Health System and Treasure Valley Hospital, which are also in Boise.

In the report, St. Luke's President and CEO David Pate, MD, JD, said his organization is "fairly confident" the antitrust allegations cannot be substantiated.

A trial date for the case has been set for Sept. 16. The FTC and Idaho AG complaint can be viewed here.

More Articles on Hospitals and the FTC:

FTC Begins Process to Split Merged Georgia Hospitals
FTC Sues St. Luke's Health in Idaho Over Physician Group Acquisition
What the FTC's Recent Advisory Opinion on Clinical Integration Means for Hospitals

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