(Statewide) – Hoosiers will soon know who is buying and selling hospitals, medical and dental offices and other healthcare operations around Indiana.
Many of those deals have been done in secrecy but state officials will disclose who’s doing the buying and selling.
Starting July 1, any health care entity or private equity firm that is planning a merger or acquisition in Indiana—where the assets of at least one of the parties is $10 million or more—must notify the state attorney general at least 90 days in advance.
The Attorney General’s Office will review the deal and can issue an opinion about whether it has any antitrust concerns. It can also demand more information through the courts.
The move is part of a larger effort by some lawmakers and patient advocacy groups to drive down the cost of health care in Indiana. They say increasing consolidation over the last few decades has pushed the cost of medical care up, with hospital systems and private equity firms buying hundreds of medical practices and related health care services around the state, often increasing prices along the way.
(Story by WRBI reporter Bill Remeika)
