In a committee meeting, Maine lawmakers removed a measure that would simplify the regulatory process for hospital and healthcare provider mergers, according to a report in The Sun Journal.
The measure was proposed late in the legislature's session as part of a proposal to reduce healthcare costs and called for a scaled-down regulatory process for mergers, according to the report. Members of the legislature said they weren't opposed to the changes but felt there was not enough time to properly consider the measure.
It was unclear whether a change in the regulatory process would have affected a proposed merger between MaineHealth and two cardiology groups. Opponents to the merger say that it would create a monopoly on cardiology care in Maine and would increase costs, according to the report.
Read the Sun Journal's report on Maine hospital mergers.