DOJ, states side with patients and physicians-file to block insurance mergers

< p > < a href= " http://pluck.ama-assn.org/ver1.0/../static/images/store/8/5/787faf50-2e7e-40f2-8504-fdc60f4bae64.Full.jpg?1 " style= " font-size:12px; " target= " _blank " > < img src= " http://pluck.ama-assn.org/ver1.0/../static/images/store/8/5/787faf50-2e7e-40f2-8504-fdc60f4bae64.Large.jpg?1 " style= " margin:15px;height:150px;width:100px;float:left; " / > < /a > < em > An AMA Viewpoints post by AMA President Andrew W. Gurman, MD < /em > < /p > < p >
Prospects for major health insurance consolidation took a major hit when the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and a number of states filed antitrust lawsuits Thursday to block both the Aetna, Inc.-Humana, Inc. and Anthem, Inc.-Cigna Corp. mergers. The DOJ asserted that the mergers would substantially lessen competition. < /p > < p >
When something comes up that could negatively affect our patients and the quality and affordability of the care they receive, physicians take the lead and engage policymakers. With the same drive that put us through late nights in med school, carried us through the intensity of our residencies and continues to push us every day to go the extra mile for our patients and their families, we took these mergers on —and our voices were heard. < /p > < p >
Creating even larger goliaths would be unacceptable —and I said so in a public < a href= " http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/news/news/2016/2016-07-21-statement-doj-health-insurer-mergers.page " target= " _self " > statement < /a > today...

Source: AMA Wire - July 21, 2016 Category: Journals (General) Authors: Troy Parks Source Type: news