ajaxStardust<p>*US vs Geisinger*</p><p>7. How would patients be hurt by the transaction?<br>Hospitals compete to attract patients to their facilities by offering high quality care, a broad <a href="https://social.vivaldi.net/tags/scope" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>scope</span></a> of <a href="https://social.vivaldi.net/tags/services" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>services</span></a>, <a href="https://social.vivaldi.net/tags/amenities" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>amenities</span></a>, <a href="https://social.vivaldi.net/tags/convenience" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>convenience</span></a>, customer service, and attention to patient satisfaction. This competition improves access to <a href="https://social.vivaldi.net/tags/healthcare" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>healthcare</span></a>, reduces wait times, and improves the quality of care for all patients, including commercially insured, <a href="https://social.vivaldi.net/tags/Medicare" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Medicare</span></a>, <a href="https://social.vivaldi.net/tags/Medicaid" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Medicaid</span></a>, and <a href="https://social.vivaldi.net/tags/uninsured" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>uninsured</span></a> <a href="https://social.vivaldi.net/tags/patients" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>patients</span></a>. <a href="https://social.vivaldi.net/tags/Hospitals" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Hospitals</span></a> also compete to be included in health insurers’ networks and this <a href="https://social.vivaldi.net/tags/competition" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>competition</span></a> enables insurers to <a href="https://social.vivaldi.net/tags/negotiate" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>negotiate</span></a> lower <a href="https://social.vivaldi.net/tags/reimbursement" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>reimbursement</span></a> rates and other terms that reduce healthcare costs, all for the benefit of patients. This transaction permanently and fundamentally alters the competitive relationship between <a href="https://social.vivaldi.net/tags/Geisinger" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Geisinger</span></a> and <a href="https://social.vivaldi.net/tags/Evangelical" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Evangelical</span></a> by linking them together in a number of ways that, taken together, raise the likelihood of coordination and reduce <a href="https://social.vivaldi.net/tags/Geisinger" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Geisinger</span></a> <br><a href="https://social.vivaldi.net/tags/incentivetocompete" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>incentivetocompete</span></a> <a href="https://social.vivaldi.net/tags/aggressive" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>aggressive</span></a> against each other... The transaction is likely to lead to <a href="https://social.vivaldi.net/tags/highprices" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>highprices</span></a>, <a href="https://social.vivaldi.net/tags/lowquality" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>lowquality</span></a>, and <a href="https://social.vivaldi.net/tags/reducedaccess" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>reducedaccess</span></a> to high-quality <a href="https://social.vivaldi.net/tags/inpatient" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>inpatient</span></a> hospital services for patients in central Pennsylvania. In addition, the transaction creates incentives for Geisinger to raise prices to commercial insurers and other <a href="https://social.vivaldi.net/tags/purchasers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>purchasers</span></a> inpatient acute care...</p><p><a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1301586/dl" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">justice.gov/opa/press-release/</span><span class="invisible">file/1301586/dl</span></a></p>