Hartford HealthCare and St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, both based in Hartford, Conn., have reached a settlement in a lawsuit that alleged Hartford HealthCare engaged in anticompetitive behavior, according to court documents filed Jan. 2.
Neither Trinity Health, St. Francis' parent company, nor Hartford HealthCare commented on the settlement, the terms of which are undisclosed.
Five things to know:
1. The lawsuit, filed in January 2022, alleged Hartford HealthCare monopolized regional medical care by acquiring physician practices in lucrative specialties and demanding physicians refer cases to its facilities, regardless of whether that was best for patients.
2. Livonia, Mich.-based Trinity alleged that Hartford HealthCare secured exclusive rights to robotic equipment, including Stryker's Mako robot for hip and knee replacements.
3. In a February 2022 motion aiming to dismiss the suit, Hartford HealthCare admitted to hiring doctors from St. Francis but argued the hospital should focus on using its finances to keep physicians rather than battle competition. "There is no reason it could not do so, particularly given its massive financial resources — it has higher operating margins than Hartford HealthCare, and is owned by industry giant Trinity Health, a system that includes about 90 other hospitals," the health system said in the motion.
4. Hartford HealthCare faces additional lawsuits, including a class-action suit by Connecticut residents accusing the system of inflating prices through monopolistic behavior. Another lawsuit, filed by health plans, alleges unlawful monopolization and price fixing, citing examples of inflated costs for procedures like colonoscopies compared to competitors.
5. These additional lawsuits remain ongoing, with Hartford HealthCare denying all allegations. In a June statement provided to Becker's, a spokesperson for the health system said, "We will defend ourselves against the allegations, which fundamentally misrepresent the many ways Hartford HealthCare is working to transform healthcare, including providing best-in-class quality, improved access to care and offering lower-cost options outside of hospitals, like urgent care and ambulatory care centers. Now, as always, we remain focused on serving the needs of our patients and our communities."