The Minnesota House approved a bill prohibiting anti-competitive health care mergers, potentially blocking the proposed union between Fairview Health Services and Sanford Health.
The proposed merger has been met with criticism from legislative Democrats, who believe it may result in a healthcare monopoly in greater Minnesota and potentially cause clinic closures and increased costs for patients.
Read more: Sanford Health & Fairview Agree To $14B Merger, Again
The House passed legislation by a 70-61 vote that prohibits healthcare transactions that could potentially create a monopoly or reduce competition. The Attorney General is investigating the Fairview-Sanford merger for violating antitrust and charity laws, and this bill grants them more flexibility in bringing the case to state court and requesting a merger prohibition from a judge.
“We can create a better health care infrastructure based on the public interest and deliver better health outcomes no matter where you reside in the state,” said Rep. Robert Bierman, DFL-Apple Valley, the bill’s chief author.
