WakeMed Makes $750M Bid for Rex Healthcare

Reiboldt explained further, "The emerging trend is that more and more transaction bids are being guided by what is / is not likely to pass anti-trust hurdles.  Sellers will not consider buyers that pose anti-trust concerns and vice versa.  So, they will end up accepting an offer from another potential buyer that does not have the same regulatory barriers; however, this may not be what is best for either of the organizations, and the net result could be troublesome mergers that lead to poorer healthcare services and likely an eventual unwind or divestiture down the road."

While private, not-for-profit WakeMed was singing the praises of Rex Healthcare Thursday, the relationship between the two rival hospitals has not always been smooth.

Last November, WakeMed asked to look at the public records of UNC Health Care and Rex to determine if public money was used by either of the state-owned entities to duplicate and shift services to gain an unfair competitive edge. WakeMed alleged that UNC Health Care and Rex had taken "predatory actions" in Wake County that include recruiting doctors away from WakeMed.