The Department of Justice's antitrust review of CVS Health's $69 billion bid for Aetna is taking longer due to divestitures needed to ensure competition is not impeded, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.  By Morgan Haefner - 9/18/18

The U.S. Department of Justice approved the proposed $52 billion merger between Cigna and Express Scripts Sept. 17.  By Alyssa Rege - 9/18/18

Cigna and Express Scripts' proposed merger gained approval from the Department of Justice's Antitrust Division Sept. 17.  By Morgan Haefner - 9/17/18

Jefferson and Einstein Healthcare Network inked a definitive agreement to merge, the Philadelphia-based organizations announced Sept. 14.  By Alyssa Rege - 9/17/18

The Massillon City Council was expected to vote on whether to approve a new operator for the shuttered Massillon, Ohio-based Affinity Medical Center Sept. 10; however, in an unexpected development, city officials postponed the vote because they received a better offer, according to  IndeOnline.  By Alia Paavola - 9/11/18

Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center acquired High Point (N.C.) Regional Health, a 351-bed hospital, from Chapel Hill, N.C.-based UNC Health Care on Sept. 1.  By Ayla Ellison - 9/10/18

Birmingham, Ala.-based Medical Properties Trust sold North Cypress Medical Center, a 139-bed hospital in Houston, to Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare for $148 million.  By Ayla Ellison - 9/10/18

Rochester (N.Y.) Regional Health, a four-hospital system, signed a nonbinding affiliation agreement with St. Lawrence Health System, a two-hospital system in Potsdam, N.Y., the organizations announced Sept. 6.  By Alyssa Rege - 9/10/18

In two letters filed 10 days apart, a coalition called on residents to oppose Measure H, which proposes reopening Tulare (Calif.) Regional Medical Center, according to the Visalia Times-Delta.  By Alyssa Rege - 9/10/18

New Orleans-based Ochsner Health System and Irving, Texas-based Christus Health finalized a a joint venture agreement, the systems announced Sept. 5.  By Alyssa Rege - 9/6/18

A joint study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley and the RAND Corporation found increasing consolidation among hospitals and physician practices in California correlated with higher insurance premiums and higher prices for specialty and primary care.  By Alyssa Rege - 9/6/18

Marriottsville, Md.-based Bon Secours Health System and Cincinnati-based Mercy Health finalized their merger Sept. 5, establishing one of the largest Catholic healthcare systems in the nation.  By Alia Paavola - 9/5/18

Ending a nearly 30-year operating agreement, St. Louis-based BJC HealthCare will no longer run Columbia, Mo.-based Boone Hospital Center when the lease between the two expires at the end of 2020, reports the Columbia Missourian.  By Alia Paavola - 9/5/18

Chicago-based Northwestern Memorial HealthCare and Crystal Lake, Ill.-based Centegra Health System closed their merger deal Sept. 1.  By Ayla Ellison - 9/5/18

St. Louis-based Ascension has completed the sale of Lourdes Health Network in Pasco, Wash., to Brentwood, Tenn.-based RCCH HealthCare Partners, which is owned by private equity firm Apollo Global Management, according to the Tri-City Herald.  By Ayla Ellison - 9/4/18

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce wants to know more about how hospital consolidation is affecting the costs of care for patients and the Medicare program.  By Emily Rappleye - 9/4/18

Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Asheville, N.C.-based Mission Health for $1.5 billion, the systems announced Aug. 31.  By Alyssa Rege - 9/4/18

Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare expanded its Gulf Coast Division with the addition of North Cypress Medical Center, a 139-bed hospital in Houston.  By Ayla Ellison - 9/4/18

The Massillon (Ohio) city council selected an organization to operate the former Massillon-based Affinity Medical Center Aug. 29, according to the timesreporter.com.  By Alyssa Rege - 8/31/18

One of the biggest inflators of medical costs in 2019 will be hospital megamergers, a new analysis by PwC's Health Research Institute suggests.  By Alia Paavola - 8/31/18