Northern Virginia’s largest hospital system has announced that it is abandoning its efforts to merge with Prince William Health System in Manassas, Vir. following a legal challenge from the Federal Trade Commission to block the merger.
Inova Health System expected the proposed merger with Prince William “would have resulted in more than $200 million in much-needed and immediate investment by Inova in the Prince William Health System,” according to a press release from Inova Health.
The FTC filed its complaint to block the merger back in May, as reported on www.BeckersASC.com. The FTC and was then joined by the Commonwealth of Virginia, through the Office of the Attorney General. The FTC expressed concerns that the merger would reduce competition, lead to an increase in prices and would violate antitrust laws.
Inova decided to end its merger efforts because the FTC challenge “threatened to prolong completion of the merger by as much as two years, which both health systems believe is not in the best interest of the communities they serve,” according to the press release.
