Anticompetitive Ends Alleged by Both Sides of Health-Care Fight

An attorney fighting accusations of illegal collusion in health-care reimbursements argued Friday that his client, health-care data company MultiPlan Inc., actually provides “a new competitive option” of the kind antitrust law was written to protect.

The health-care providers who allege a price-fixing cartel exists are actually trying to “chill and prevent the use of this competitive option” in light of their ballooning prices, Sadik Huseny of Latham & Watkins argued, hoping to convince Northern District of Illinois Judge Matthew Kennelly to dismiss the suit.

The case pits two large groups of industry players against each other: On the defendants’ side, ...