Sutter Wins Partial Summary Judgment in Federal Antitrust Case

Sutter Health won dismissal of some antitrust claims in a federal lawsuit and must proceed to trial on other claims alleging anticompetitive behavior by the Northern California health care giant.

The main issue in the lawsuit is whether Sutter uses its market power to tie its dominant, noncompetitive markets with its competitive markets. The result is forcing insurers through Sutter’s systemwide contracts to pay more.

The result, the individuals and companies allege, is hundreds of millions of dollars in higher in-patient services, costs and premiums.

Tuesday’s ruling in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California came the ...