Asheville, N.C.-based Mission Health and its owner, Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare, have settled a lawsuit filed by several North Carolina counties and municipalities alleging anticompetitive practices.
As part of the agreement, Mission Health will donate $1 million to a new charity fund that will be created to provide healthcare cost assistance to families and individuals earning up to 400% of the federal poverty level, according to a joint Aug. 13 news release shared with Becker’s.
In 2022, HCA and Mission were hit with a series of antitrust lawsuits that were later combined. The plaintiffs in the consolidated case are the cities of Brevard and Ashvelle, along with Buncombe County and Madison County. They accused HCA of attempting to monopolize healthcare markets in Western North Carolina, resulting in artificially high prices for services and a reduced standard of care.
Also as part of the agreement, Mission Health will continue to operate Brevard-based Transylvania Regional Hospital for an additional three years.
HCA and Mission said while they support the resolution, they deny the allegations against them.
“Mission Health and HCA believe that their conduct was, at all times, consistent with federal and state antitrust laws, that none of Mission Health’s contracts contained the provisions challenged by plaintiffs, and that neither Mission Health nor HCA has done anything to exclude competition or limit insurance company innovation in Western North Carolina,” the release said.
The plaintiffs said in the release that they recognize that Mission and HCA’s “continued commitment to and support of Western North Carolina through charity care and otherwise are vital.” They also said they are grateful for the work of the physicians, nurses and staff during Hurricane Helene and its aftermath.
As part of the agreement, Mission will also “cooperate in the negotiation of space adequate for the provision of adult day care services” in Brevard and provide plaintiffs with additional information related to advisory boards.
HCA acquired Mission Health for $1.5 billion in 2019.
