As the healthcare industry continues to consolidate, there is growing concern that the lack of competition will lead to higher costs and lower quality of care.
In July 2021, President Biden issued an executive order focused on improving competition in the healthcare industry.
The DOJ and FTC are now preparing to review their merger guidance and seek feedback from the public.
This comes as the proposed merger between Optum and Change Healthcare is facing scrutiny from the DOJ.
In addition, 200 congressional members have asked regulators to investigate whether private equity firms are driving up healthcare costs.
As hospital mergers, staffing, private equity, and nursing homes all come under increased scrutiny, it remains to be seen how these issues will be resolved.
However, one thing is clear: the healthcare industry is undergoing a major shift.