In Connecticut, a team of unions and advocacy organizations are calling on state regulators to take a closer look at the proposed acquisition of New London, Conn.-based Lawrence + Memorial Health by Yale-New Haven (Conn.) Health System, citing concerns the combined health system will command too much market power, according to the CT Mirror.
The group of seven unions and advocacy groups seeking increased scrutiny over the deal include the unions AFSCME Council 4; AFT Connecticut; UNITE HERE! Connecticut; and New England Health Care Employees Union, District 1199, SEIU; the Connecticut Citizen Action Group; the Connecticut Health Policy Project; and United Action Connecticut.
The group has raised concerns the transaction would give YNHHS, the largest health system in Connecticut, enough market dominance to raise prices.
In their paperwork for the deal, YNHHS' and L+M's also said the combined health system has no plans to change the price structure and competition would not be reduced. YNHHS, which includes Yale-New Haven, Bridgeport and Greenwich hospitals, and L+M Corp., told state officials that both organizations and their communities would benefit from the deal, which they call an affiliation.
The proposed deal between YNHHS and L+M is currently pending before state regulators for approval.