Forty-three state and national organizations including the North Carolina Medical Society (NCMS) have signed a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) expressing grave concerns about anti-competitive behavior seen in state reviews of the proposed mega-mergers of Anthem-Cigna and Aetna-Humana. Read the letter here.
The flawed review process in most states has led the 43 signatories to urge the DOJ to carefully review the mergers’ impact on each state and on the country as a whole. The DOJ has the expertise and enforcement power to protect people from the harm these mergers will cause.
The signatories represent a broad range of organizations, including state and national consumer groups, patient advocacy and health justice organizations, as well as state and national medical associations.
Speaking in his capacity as president of the Physicians Advocacy Institute, NCMS CEO Robert Seligson said: “These proposed health insurance company mergers will stifle competition, raise prices and reduce choice for patients in Connecticut and dozens of other states. Given the failure of several state regulators to carefully scrutinize these mega-mergers, it is incumbent on the U.S. Department of Justice to assert its regulatory authority now.”
The letter prompted several media reports, including coverage in the International Business Times and the Ct Mirror.