S.C. Lawmakers to Alert FTC About Hospital Merger

Several South Carolina state lawmakers plan to alert the Federal Trade Commission about the proposed combination of two local health care systems that they say will be bad for competition.

Greenville Health System and Palmetto Health announced this month they’re forming the largest health care system in the state. Nearly half of South Carolina residents will be within 15 minutes of the new health company’s facilities, the companies said.

The case represents a unique example of public outcry about competition concerns, a worry generally relegated to antitrust lawyers. Local officials say Greenville Health System has grown notably in recent years. ...