A "clear majority" of regional officials and residents reaffirmed their support for the proposed merger between Kingsport, Tenn.-based Wellmont Health System and Johnson City, Tenn.-based Mountain States Health Alliance during the state's probable final meeting on the issue July 18, according to the Bristol Herald Courier.
Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner John Dreyzehner, MD, and his staff listened to more than a dozen people voice their opinions on the merger Tuesday evening. A representative from the Federal Trade Commission also attended the meeting and reiterated the agency's opposition to the transaction.
Officials held various public meetings across Tennessee and Virginia during the last few months to assess residents' feelings and concerns about the proposed merger. The health systems filed separate cooperative agreements in both states that must be approved by each state's health officials to finalize the merger. Officials expect to issue a decision in September.
The health systems also commissioned three supplemental reports from hospital consultants outlining the potential benefits of a merger.
In a separate statement, the FTC said the consultants' reports "fail to provide sufficient additional information or analysis to demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that the purported benefits of this merger would outweigh the serious competitive harm that would likely result from creating a near-monopoly."