Health First Accused of Central Florida Monopoly Scheme (2)

Health First Inc. was hit with federal antitrust claims Monday in Orlando, Fla., over its alleged scheme to monopolize critical acute care services in a nearby county by exploiting its power in adjacent markets, boycotting rivals, and bullying physicians into exclusive patient referral arrangements.

Doctors “at the mercy of Health First’s enormous market power” have been “unable to resist” threats and retaliation involving their hospital privileges and referral eligibility “unless they wish to also be boycotted,” the complaint says. The tactics “are indefinite in duration,” the lawsuit says.

The proposed class action, filed in the U.S. District Court for the ...