Dive Brief:
- On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court denied ProMedica's request to hear its appeal of a Federal Trade Commission ruling that ProMedica could not merge with St. Luke's Hospital.
- The FTC issued the ruling in 2011, saying the merger would be "illegal and anti-competitive."
- Last year, the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati denied ProMedica's request to overturn the FTC ruling, after which ProMedica filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court.
Dive Insight:
ProMedica will now be forced to rid itself of St. Luke's Hospital, with oversight by the FTC. In a statement, ProMedica said it is committed to working with St. Luke's to help ensure the hospital will remain viable. "Over the last five years since joining ProMedica, St. Luke's Hospital has returned to financial stability," the statement said. "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."