US: Lawsuit accuses largest hospital provider of FL monopoly

An amended lawsuit against the nation’s largest hospital provider was filed late last week, accusing the group of holding a monopoly in Brevard, Florida.

According to reports, physicians filed the lawsuit against Health First that accuses the company of “intimidating physicians or otherwise obstructing their ability to practice medicine in south Brevard County if they do not ‘play ball’ with Health First and refer their patients exclusively to Health First hospitals and physician specialists.” That behavior, the physicians argue, leads Health First to hold a monopoly in the region.

The suit also accuses the company of unfairly forcing physicians to lose privileges at Health First hospitals if the healthcare providers do not follow the conglomerate’s anticompetitive rules.

According to reports, this is the third attempt at bringing litigation against Health First for these claims. A lawsuit filed in September last year in Orlando was dismissed twice; a third amended suit was filed May 24.

Full content: Florida Today

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