Sponsored by VMG Health | info@vmghealth.com | 214.369.4888

Physicians, surgeons ask feds to block CVS Health-Aetna deal

The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons expressed its opposition to CVS Health's proposed $69 billion acquisition of Aetna in a Sept. 21 letter to the Department of Justice.

In the letter, sent to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, AAPS' President-elect Marilyn Singleton, MD, said: "CVS has demonstrated a pattern of anticompetitive behavior. Allowing this merger to proceed will hand the combined CVS/Aetna even more clout to drive up costs without any corresponding benefit to patients."

Conservative-leaning AAPS argued that combining the third-largest health insurer with the largest national pharmacy chain will weaken competition in the pharmacy benefits manager market. The association's letter comes about a month after the American Medical Association called on the Department of Justice to sue to block the deal.

The companies have long argued their combination will provide localized, community-based care across CVS Health's 9,700-plus pharmacies and 1,100 clinics. The Department of Justice's antitrust review is taking longer than expected due to divestitures aimed at appeasing antitrust concerns.

More articles on transactions and valuations:
Ochsner, LSU Health to heavily invest in health IT under joint operating agreement
KentuckyOne Health CEO: 'We are not planning to close Jewish Hospital'
UPMC Pinnacle Memorial sells affiliated mansion

Copyright © 2024 Becker's Healthcare. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Cookie Policy. Linking and Reprinting Policy.