Justice Department, OhioHealth reach agreement in antitrust lawsuit
The DOJ settled with OhioHealth, banning anticompetitive contract terms that limit insurers’ lower‑cost plans.Summary
The U.S. Justice Department filed a proposed settlement with OhioHealth Corp., a Columbus‑based hospital system, after accusing it of using contract provisions to prevent insurers from offering lower‑cost plans or directing patients to cheaper hospitals. The settlement, filed by the DOJ’s Antitrust Division, would prohibit OhioHealth from imposing terms that deter insurers from providing budget‑conscious options, prevent future use of such provisions, and require the system to submit regular compliance reports to a monitor for five years. OhioHealth, which operates 16 hospitals and a large outpatient network, denies wrongdoing and says its contracting practices are lawful. The lawsuit, filed in February, alleged that OhioHealth’s market power forced insurers to include restrictive clauses, violating the Sherman Antitrust Act and Ohio’s Valentine Act. The settlement aims to restore competition and lower healthcare costs for Ohioans while allowing OhioHealth to avoid costly litigation.}
(Source：Cleveland)