Saint Alphonsus Health System and Treasure Valley Hospital in Boise, Idaho, have sued St. Luke's Health System, claiming the defendant's acquisition of a nearby physician group would give it control of more than two-thirds of primary care physicians in the area, according to an Idaho Statesman report.
St. Luke's acquisition of Saltzer Medical Group in Nampa, Idaho, is slated to close by year's end. St. Luke's says Saint Alphonsus' and Treasure Valley's market control calculations are flawed and maintains the deal will give it 28 percent of primary care providers in the area.
The lawsuit also claims the Saltzer acquisition would essentially let St. Luke's monopolize pediatric care in the Nampa area, since Saltzer employs all but one of the general pediatricians in Nampa.
A spokesperson for St. Luke's said the system thinks the plaintiffs have "grossly over-inflated" how much market power St. Luke's will gain through the acquisition, according to the report.
The Federal Trade Commission and Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden are pursuing an investigation on the St. Luke's-Seltzer deal, which is separate from the lawsuit, according to the report.
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St. Luke's acquisition of Saltzer Medical Group in Nampa, Idaho, is slated to close by year's end. St. Luke's says Saint Alphonsus' and Treasure Valley's market control calculations are flawed and maintains the deal will give it 28 percent of primary care providers in the area.
The lawsuit also claims the Saltzer acquisition would essentially let St. Luke's monopolize pediatric care in the Nampa area, since Saltzer employs all but one of the general pediatricians in Nampa.
A spokesperson for St. Luke's said the system thinks the plaintiffs have "grossly over-inflated" how much market power St. Luke's will gain through the acquisition, according to the report.
The Federal Trade Commission and Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden are pursuing an investigation on the St. Luke's-Seltzer deal, which is separate from the lawsuit, according to the report.
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