The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Monday to hear Toledo, Ohio-based ProMedica Health System's appeal of the ruling that blocked its acquisition of Maumee, Ohio-based St. Luke's Hospital.
Here are five things to know about the ProMedica antitrust case.
1. ProMedica and St. Luke's merged in August 2010. After the merger, ProMedica became Lucas County, Ohio's dominant hospital provider controlling more than 50 percent of the market for primary and secondary services and more than 80 percent of the market for obstetrical services.
2. Five months after the merger, the Federal Trade Commission challenged it. Subsequently, an administrative law judge and later the FTC concluded the merger would adversely affect competition in Lucas County. As a result, the FTC ordered ProMedica to divest St. Luke's, as it concluded divesture would be the best means to preserve competition.
3. ProMedica's appeal to the Supreme Court came after the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati upheld the FTC's order.
4. With the high court declining to hear the antitrust lawsuit, ProMedica will divest St. Luke's with oversight by the FTC.
5. After the Supreme Court declined to hear the case, St. Luke's released a statement saying, "St. Luke's is in a much better place than it was five years ago when the hospital joined ProMedica. St. Luke's will begin this new chapter in its history from a position of strength," according to a Toledo Blade report.
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