FTC opposes North Carolina's antitrust hospital legislation

The Federal Trade Commission put North Carolina lawmakers on notice about encouraging health care consolidation, stating its opposition to a state Senate bill that would exempt the University of North Carolina health system from federal and state antitrust laws. Why it matters: It's more evidence of Biden administration scrutiny on health care mergers and anticompetitive behavior. Driving the news: FTC officials wrote lawmakers urging them to consider whether the measure supports "legitimate public policy goals," or if it could lead to information sharing, joint contract negotiations and other arrangements that...