In a released statement, McLaren St Luke's calls the ruling a "victory” that will enable Paramount Healthcare members to still receive care at the hospital.
McLaren St. Luke's was granted a preliminary injunction in its antitrust lawsuit against ProMedica by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, at the end of December.
Per the ruling, Paramount Healthcare members can still receive care from McLaren St. Luke's and WellCare Physicians Group providers.
In November, McLaren St. Luke's filed an antitrust suit against ProMedica, to stop ProMedica from terminating the organization and its physicians from both its commercial and Medicare Advantage health plans at the start of 2021.
A month later, ProMedica filed a motion to dismiss McLaren St. Luke's antitrust lawsuit, where in a 21-page memorandum, ProMedica stated it "respectfully requests an order granting its motion to dismiss with prejudice." This motion was denied during the preliminary injunction by Judge Jack Zouhary.
HealthLeaders received a statement from the hospital on Wednesday, where McLaren St Luke's called the ruling a "victory."
"The Court’s ruling is a victory for not only the Paramount health plan members who will be able to continue receiving care from the McLaren St. Luke’s physicians and caregivers they know and trust, but also the entire community,” the statement read. “Now more than ever, our area needs strong hospitals and patients deserve a choice in where they receive care. While we are disappointed ProMedica has chosen to appeal, we remain confident that Judge Zouhary’s decision will be upheld. In the meantime, it is important for Paramount members to understand they can continue to choose McLaren St. Luke’s and WellCare Physicians Group for care."
Meanwhile, ProMedica released a statement to HealthLeaders on Wednesday, indicating that the system "intends to comply with the court's orders.”
"ProMedica strongly disagrees with the court’s decision and has filed an appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit,” the statement read. “In the interim, ProMedica intends to comply with the court’s order. We are currently in the process of informing all affected health insurance members, and we remain committed to helping our members access the highest quality of care to improve their health and well-being."
Melanie Blackman is a contributing editor for strategy, marketing, and human resources at HealthLeaders, an HCPro brand.