FTC to Review 2000 Hospital merger

In order to address a source of rising health care costs, the FTC announced that it would take a more agressive stance towards mergers in the health care industry.  Next month, the Commission brings to trial a case that seeks to reverse the 2000 merger between Highland Park Hospital in suburban Chicago and Evanston Northwestern  Healthcare Corp.   The case is founded on post-merger anti-competitive activity, which allegedly has increased costs to insureres and employers by about 40-60 per cent.   Today's Wall Stree Journal has a front page story and CNN also reports on the story.