The Massachusetts attorney general's office and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health said they will not oppose Boston-based Partners HealthCare's proposed acquisition of the Boston-based specialty hospital Massachusetts Eye and Ear, The Boston Globe reports.
Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey said Friday the AG's office would not sue to stop Partners' takeover of Mass. Eye and Ear, which was announced roughly one year ago. However, she said she does share concerns initially outlined by the Health Policy Commission that the proposed acquisition may raise healthcare costs for consumers.
The Health Policy Commission released a report last November that said the proposed deal may raise healthcare spending costs by $20.8 million to $61.2 million per year. The commission, which cannot block M&A, referred its concerns to the state AG's office and DPH, which could sue to block the proposed transaction.
"Our office has reviewed the transaction and … sees no basis under antitrust law for filing a lawsuit to stop this merger," a spokesperson for the state AG's office told The Boston Globe.
The state DPH similarly recommended conditional approval of the proposed transaction with the stipulation Mass. Eye and Ear's medical services rates stay within the state's target for containing health spending, according to the report.
A spokesperson for Partners HealthCare told The Boston Globe Friday, "We believe that moving this transaction forward will strengthen the clinical and scientific relationships between our organizations and create long-term efficiencies and value that will help make Mass. Eye and Ear services and research accessible to a broader population of patients."
"As we have said before, this transaction will allow Mass. Eye and Ear to take care of patients and conduct research for many years to come," a spokesperson for Mass. Eye and Ear told the publication Friday.
The state's Public Health Council must vote on the DPH's recommendation before Partners is able to complete the transaction. The vote is scheduled to take place Feb. 14.
Editor's note: Becker's Hospital Review reached out to Partners HealthCare for comment and will update the article as more information becomes available.