Hospital Merger Under Review

The West Virginia Health Care Authority has approved Cabell Huntington’s acquisition of St. Mary’s Medical Center. It’s a significant combination, since the hospitals are the two largest employers in Cabell County and among the top ten employers in the state. With the hospitals just 3 miles apart, there were worries about a monopoly and state lawmakers acted this session to remove the merger from federal antitrust laws. West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey and the Authority approved the acquisition Wednesday, and shortly after that the FTC released a statement saying the decision will be under review for the next 14 days.