The potential merger between Maimonides Health and NYC Health + Hospitals hit a potential hitch that could delay the move. On March 23, the New York Attorney General's Charities Bureau decided against efforts to secure administrative approval for the transaction. Under Section 511-a(d) of New York's Not-for-Profit Corporation Law, the Office of the Attorney General concluded that court, rather than administrative, review is appropriate. Since there is a pending lawsuit about the transaction and significant community engagement, the office concluded and advised that court review would be most appropriate.
Earlier this month, Allina Health and California-based Sutter Health announced they were joining with Allina, becoming Sutter’s Upper Midwest division. Officials said the combined nonprofit health system is not considered a merger as Allina Health will retain its brand and Minneapolis headquarters and remain focused on Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Lisa Shannon, Allina’s current president and CEO, will run the Upper Midwest division. The move may well have consequences for patients of Allina, which has 13 hospitals and more than 90 clinics across Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Allina owns and operates United Hospital in St. Paul and Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis as well as the Minneapolis Heart Institute. The deal will come under review by state Attorney General Keith Ellison, who will make a determination on whether it is in the public's interest — including whether health care access is reduced, according to his office.
The Trump administration has opened investigations into admissions policies at three major medical schools, expanding the federal government's pressure campaign beyond campus culture and taking aim at the heart of scientific authority in the United States. The Justice Department on Wednesday informed Stanford University, the Ohio State University and the University of California, San Diego, about the investigations and demanded that the schools turn over extensive lists of data by April 24 or risk interruptions to essential federal funding, according to two administration officials familiar with the inquiries and documents reviewed by The New York Times. The government is seeking information about medical school applicants from each of the past seven years, including test scores, home ZIP codes and the disclosure of any familial relationships to alumni or ties to university donors. The administration also demanded copies of any internal messages at the universities about diversity, equity and inclusion and any correspondence between school officials and pharmaceutical companies about admissions policies. It was not clear how the Justice Department chose the three medical schools. A Justice Department spokesman declined to comment. Officials at all three universities confirmed they had been notified about the inquiries.
The Department of Justice on Thursday filed a federal antitrust complaint against NewYork-Presbyterian, a prominent New York City hospital system, accusing it of reaching anticompetitive deals with insurers to keep health care costs high for New Yorkers. In a 21-page complaint filed in the Southern District of New York, the DOJ claims NewYork-Presbyterian has "chosen to prevent competition from rival providers" for the past several decades. It's done this, according to the DOJ, by using its market power as "the largest and most powerful hospital system in Manhattan" as leverage over commercial health insurers, blocking them from selling insurance plans that include hospitals and providers that offer lower prices. The practice has insulated NewYork-Presbyterian from competitors, allowing it to maintain high prices without a level playing field for other providers, the government says. "The result is reduced choice of insurance plans, higher health care costs and less competition for high-quality health care for employers and patients who purchase health care in New York City," the DOJ claims. NewYork-Presbyterian calls itself "one of the nation's most comprehensive, integrated academic health care systems." It features more than 450 locations in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Westchester and Putnam counties, including Columbia University Medical Center and Weill Cornell Medical Center. But despite offering a comparable product to its two largest rivals, NYU Langone and Mount Sinai, according to the DOJ, NewYork-Presbyterian "has substantially higher prices than its competitors."
Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist’s chief executive is departing after just a few months in the position. David Zaas, MD, is leaving to become the CEO of Duke University Health System. His departure comes after he was appointed the top executive at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist at the beginning of January. In that role, he oversaw more than 27,000 employees across northwest North Carolina. In a statement to WFDD, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist said they were grateful for Zaas's leadership and impact. The organization has launched a national search to fill the position, and expects to announce an interim leader soon. Zaas will now lead the four hospitals and support services under the Duke System.
Hennepin Healthcare operates one of Minnesota's largest and most essential hospitals, HCMC, formerly known as Hennepin County Medical Center. And it's not in good health. The hospital provides emergency trauma and burn care to patients from across Minnesota and trains more than a third of the region’s future doctors. But that mission comes at a cost. The public hospital serves more low-income and uninsured patients than other hospitals, leaving it especially vulnerable as federal Medicaid cuts take hold and the number of uninsured Minnesotans rises. Add in other mounting financial pressures, and leaders say the system is being pushed to the brink. HCMC has already eliminated 100 positions, reduced services and is now seeking sales tax revenue just to stay afloat.