Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Justice Watchdog Poised To Sink Teeth Into Mergers That Could Reshape Health Insurance Landscape
The Justice Department is considering the consolidations of four of the biggest U.S. health insurers - Aetna with Humana, and Anthem with Cigna Corp. -- which would leave the country with only three major insurers, down from five. And its new No. 3 man, Bill Baer, is showing little hesitation to haul companies to court to stop mergers.
Bill Baer was the ultimate Washington antitrust insider when he came to the Justice Department in 2013: At law firm Arnold & Porter,, he'd counseled the biggest U.S. companies, including deal machine General Electric Co., on getting mergers over the finish line. Now, as Baer's career advances - he's just been named to the No. 3 position at the Justice Department - he'll still be overseeing the antitrust watchdogs at his former division as they turn to a pair of proposed mergers that have the potential to radically reshape U.S. health care. (McLaughlin, 5/4)
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