hospital consolidation

UPMC’s Monopoly Keeps Wages Low and Prevents Workers from Unionizing, Lawmakers Say

Two Pennsylvania lawmakers are warning their constituents about UPMC, claiming the health system has built a monopoly that negatively affects both employee wellbeing and patient safety. They said UPMC has “considerable power over workers, which it wields to keep wages low, conditions unsatisfactory and prevent union organizing.”

By Katie Adams

With the Rise of AI, What IP Disputes in Healthcare Are Likely to Emerge?

Munck Wilson Mandala Partner Greg Howison shared his perspective on some of the legal ramifications around AI, IP, connected devices and the data they generate, in response to emailed questions.

Health Tech

2 Pennsylvania Health Systems Merge to Form $1B Entity

Butler Health System and Excela Health, both based in Pennsylvania, have merged to form a five-hospital system that is now the third largest in western Pennsylvania. The new health system will generate more than $1 billion in revenue and serve a population of 750,000, the organizations said.

By Katie Adams

MedCity Influencers, Hospitals, Legal

A myopic approach to merger regulation fails consumers instead of protecting them

Consolidated healthcare systems – even cross market systems – don’t have to raise their prices to have anticompetitive effects. They can leverage their size by using the volume of their purchases to extract discounts and other concessions from payers, national suppliers, and from labor pools.

By Michael Abrams

Legal, Hospitals, BioPharma

The “biggest thorn in President Trump’s side” is now HHS Secretary. What’s next?

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra may have won a narrow confirmation to be the Department of Health and Human Services Secretary, but if his past is any indication, his agenda will be bold when it comes to reining in pharma companies, boosting the Affordable Care Act and scrutinizing hospital consolidation.

By Khadijah M. Silver