Will Sutter Health Settlement Dampen Provider Systems’ Anti-Competitive Tactics or Prompt More States to Take Action on Costs?
On October 16, Sutter Health announced that it had reached a tentative agreement to settle the class-action lawsuit against it, which alleged that the system has used its market dominance to drive up the cost of care. Though Sutter Health denied all allegations, the plaintiffs argued that the system relies on three core tactics to maintain a competitive edge, including: all-or-nothing contracting, anti-incentive contract terms, and price secrecy contract terms. CHIR’s Emily Curran and Sabrina Corlette explain these tactics and recent findings on the impacts of provider consolidation.