The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has halted a proposed deal between HCA Healthcare and LCMC Health. Nurses oppose the sale of HCA’s three New Orleans hospitals to LCMC, which included the closure of Tulane Medical Center, and would leave many patients in downtown New Orleans without accessible health care.
“Consolidation like this means service shutdowns, and anti-competitive business moves like this mean increased prices for our patients, who already struggle to get and afford the care that they need and deserve,” said Mea Ratcliff, RN, who works in Tulane’s Transplant Clinic. “Make no mistake, mergers and acquisitions like this only serve to increase profits for corporate healthcare at the expense of patients, nurses, and communities.”
Despite these concerns, Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry approved the deal at the end of 2022, granting a Certificate of Public Advantage (COPA), which shields states from federal oversight.
However, the FTC is alleging that LCMC and HCA defied federal law by closing LCMC’s acquisition of three local hospitals from HCA without reporting the deal to US antitrust authorities. Large healthcare organizations like HCA use COPA laws to monopolize health care, often resulting in higher prices and less access for patients, while executives and shareholders reap big profits.
LCMC is barred from closing any of the three hospitals it acquired and must maintain all clinical services lines at the facilities while the case plays out.